I still remember. Yes, I do.
I was taking my senior leadership on a retreat to the mountains of NC when I pulled into the post office in Cedar Mountain, NC, and was met by a woman sharing the news. My reaction was shock and denial.
We drove rapidly to the place we were staying. Turned on the TV. Could not believe my eyes.
Planes slashing through towers. The Pentagon. PA field. No words to describe the feelings - horror, fear, worry, shock. Words fail.
2973. 2973 people died that day. And the world came to see the roots and DNA of Islam in a way we had not previously before.
We are at war. A way of life is at stake. Islamic supremacists desire a world bowed before Allah. No freedom to choose - only sharia law.
Their methods are ingenious and varied - legal and illegal immigration, high birth rates, radical madrassahs, American culture-specific public schools, nuclear bombs, suicide bombs, cultural accommodation, intimidation.
Make no mistake - we are at war.
I still remember.


That's how quickly evil can eradicate peace.
I remember flying 9 days after 9/11 - routed from LAX-FWA through ORD. It was by far the eeriest flight I had ever been on. If memory serves me correct, they (United) combined three 747 red-eye flights into one 757 flight because so many people canceled their flight reservation. Everything was so silent and quite - at check-in, security, terminal and plane. I'll never forget that.
P.S. It was actually on a Delta DEN-ATL flight in 2000 that I felt God calling me away from being a pilot and into ministry - but that is another story for another time.
He flies 767 ER...all the Africa and Europe flights. He's in Rome even as we speak. He was on the runway ready to take off to Narita, Japan the morning of 9/11; his plane got called back to the gate and disembarked and called home right away so we were comforted early.
I flew to CA for a pastor's conference with two staff mates on 9/23/01. Security was very stringent and I was embarrassed as they undid my entire suitcase and pulled my panty hose, etc. out of my running shoes where I had them all rolled up. Nothing like the Senior Pastor standing there as your unmentionables are mentioned!
Ahh, is it the 763 or 764 or both? Will he train for the 787 once Delta orders them (which we all know they eventually will) or is he too close to retirement to learn new types? I think that plane will be amazing!
P.S. Did I tell you I was an aviation nerd.
Never mind. I already know the answer.