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May 1, 2002 - Legacy of Faith Welcome to 2TheHeart!
"Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light." ~Helen Keller
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Take the journey of life through an Angel's heart - "Angel's Legacy", authored by Susan Farr Fahncke. Angel's Legacy will touch your heart and make you want to live your best life. Read an excerpt here:
http://www.2theheart.com/angel_s_legacy~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Today's story is one I was pleased to work on for a book project with Charles Farrell, author of the Firefighter's Story series. Please keep Charles in your prayers, as he continues to battle cancer.
LEGACY OF FAITH
by Charles Farrell
I am a retired New York City firefighter and last fall attended more wakes and funeral than I ever have over the span of my lifetime. We buried our brothers, those whose lives were lost from one horrendous circumstance on September eleventh.
The first service I attended was for a Firefighter. Vinnie was the father of five young children. He had delivered my newspaper when he was a young boy. His sister and my daughter are close friends. Actually he was responsible for my daughter and son-in-law meeting. My daughter attended a party given by Vinnie and met one of his friends, later to become my son-in-law. My daughter
said "Everyone who knew him, loved him".
Soon after, Vinnie's wife learned she was in her first month of pregnancy. His wife felt this was a Blessing from God. Our Christian Faith teaches us that someday she and Vinnie will be together again. I'm sure this belief is what keeps her going on with her life.
A couple, who are close friend of ours, lost their 29-year-old son. Brian was a firefighter in Rescue I. He was missing from September 11 to November 26. The family prayed for seventy-eight agonizing days. In the beginning they wanted him to be found alive, than they prayed for recovery of his body. His father said after going down to ground zero, to help dig for his sons body day after day, he realized from the massive destruction, they would be lucky to find any small part of his body. Like most of the victims, he may never be found. Still
they prayed to God every day.
Somehow his father managed to get a video clip from the news, showing Brian and his brother Firefighters going into Tower II. The video showed a close-up of Brian and when his father showed it to us he remarked, "Look at that chubby face; look how he shows no fear". My wife and I could not hold back our tears.
The video lasted only a few minutes but it was all he had and all he may ever have. On November 26, the day before they had planned to have a memorial service, the family prayers were answered. Brian's body was recovered intact. Brian was brought to the wake location at 10 PM the night before the service. His father was able to see his son one last time.
The next day at the wake as people asked Brian's father how he and the family were holding up, his answer was "A lot better now that God has answered our prayers and Brian is back with his family." Unwavering faith in God stood witness to me time and time again.
Fire Department Chaplain, Mychal Judge, was on the scene shortly after the planes went into the Towers. He blessed the Firefighters as they were entering the area. A poor soul who jumped or fell from a floor high above the tower struck down the first Firefighter to die. Father Judge was immediately at his side to administer him the last Rites. It was at this time the Tower came down, killing Father Judge. When firefighters dug out his body they took out the time to take his body to the Church across from the Tower and placed it gently over the alter. They than returned to the Towers to continue working.
I believe father Judge led the long line of deceased to meet their Savior and spend Eternity with Him. His faith put him into our Father's arms.
The proximity of these services made me recognize the similarity of the bereaved. They all talked of the initial shock, with feelings of powerlessness and unmanageability. As I attended these wakes, funerals and memorials, I always had that apprehensive feeling, worried about what I should say to the bereaved. At each service I left feeling peaceful from what they said to me about their own unfaltering faith in God.
Their faces changed at each service. Wives, Mothers, Fathers, children, but their words were the same when it came to getting through this tragedy. Their common strength was their Faith in God. This was no coincidence, when you think of the following words of comfort from the Bible:
We need not sorrow as others who have no hope
For the Christian is promised:
An immediate reception in glory;
And a resurrection of the body.
But there is more.for not only does the Christian
Who dies have the certainty of an immediate reception In glory but...
The Bible Promises A Reunion With Christ and With Loved Ones.
God will bring us all back together in his time.
Charles Farrell copyright 2002 as told to Susan Fahncke
cfroe56@aol.comCharels is a retired New York City Firefighter and has written the series "A Firefighter's Story" for 2theheart. See a photo of his beautiful family with his stories in our archives. www.2theheart.com/archives~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NEW 2TheHeart logo items! Check out our store to see the new golf shirts, coasters and frosted glass mugs! www.cafepress.com/2theheart************************
2THEHEART BIRTHDAY CLUB!
Happy Birthday to:
Inez Hollman May 2 jagladyrebel@hotmail.comBetty King May 2 baking2@charter.netSend these birthday ladies lots of fun wishes!
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The Letter Box:
Dear 2theheart family,
After my story about Angel ran yesterday, I spent many hours poring through your amazing letters of love and celebration of her life. I didn't know which of them were okay to share here and which were too private, so I am sharing just a few, and I hope those of you who sent them don't mind. Thank you, all of you, for your prayers and thoughtfulness. It made a difficult day bearable and showed me how much love and how many incredible blessings are in my life because of Angel.
Blessings,
Susan Fahncke
Sooz dear....thinking of you today, and sending lots of love and prayers to you and Angel. I thought you might like to have Angel's page online and hope that if it brings tears they're healing ones.
http://www.ohangel.com/Susan/all my love........xo
Anne Goodrich
Dear Susan,
I am holding you in my heart and in my prayers today. I know it will be difficult, and yet it will be an easy day, since you know that Angel is in such a special place. She just went on before us, and is reaping the benefit of a life lived for the Lord. May God continue to bless and keep you.
With Hugs and Prayers,
Diane Martin
Susan.............God bless you Susan for being the sister you needed to be and for continuing to be the person you are. It seems that God is blessing you; and I am sure your sister is proud!
Betty King
Dear Susan,
What a very heart rendering beautiful story of your life and love for your dear sister, Angel. My thoughts and prayers are with you, as I, too know the pain of the first year anniversary of a very close loved one's passing (my Dad). I am also going through helplessly watching my own and only sister go through chemotherapy for treatment of Hepatitis C. She has fought hard for her life. I am fighting the battle with her in my heart. I know you fought that battle with
Angel. Know that neither of you lost that battle...that she lives on forever, indelibly etched deeply in your heart and mind...and she is always now and forever an Angel always with you. THANK YOU, Susan, for sharing this with us.
Sincerely, Betsy
susan,
beautiful story for a beautiful family! anniversaries have always been difficult for mr, but remember that Angel is smiling down at you and us.
keep hope alive,
mike
Sooz,
There are no words--none at all--that can describe the beauty of your story. You are simply the best sister on the face of this earth and your eloquency in expressing your love for Angel is unmatched. I know you feel incredibly blessed to have had her in your life for the far-too-few years she was alive, but please don't ever forget that she, too, was blessed beyond description. After all, she had you. I know she knows that, too, and that she's never far from your side. I'm sure you'll feel her hand upon your shoulder for all the years to come.
Love always,
Deb
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