We’ve all heard the story about Todd Beamer and other passengers on United Airlines Flight 93…who in a heroic fashion upon being informed of the high jackers true motivation and plans…attempted to regain control of the plane.

Who among us…when imagining themselves in a similar situation…doesn’t hope and pray for the courage to do likewise. The story of Todd and his fellow passengers really captured an American spirit…and helped bring courage to others in wake of September 11th.

Below are excerpts from an article found on Focus on the Family’s website. To read the full article…please click on the above link. Also to note…Lisa Beamer is carrying her husband’s example and has started a foundation to help children effected by tragedy, Heroic Choices.

Airfone Operator, Lisa Jefferson recounted how in a calm and businesslike voice, Todd told her the details: three hijackers, two with knives; 10 passengers in first class, 27 in coach, five flight attendants. The passengers were discussing ways to overpower the hijackers. “It’s what we have to do,” Todd had said.

The hijackers, in an apparent effort to thwart these plans, sent the plane diving and swerving to try to knock the passengers off their feet. For a moment Todd’s voice showed fear. “Jesus, we’re going down,” he said. Then he steadied. “We’re coming back up.”

Jefferson told Lisa that Todd had talked about his family, and he asked her to call his wife if he did not make it home. “I don’t think we’re going to get out of this thing,” he told Jefferson. “I’m going to have to go out on faith.”

Todd asked Jefferson to pray with him, and together over the phone they recited the Lord’s Prayer. “Our Father, who art in heaven . . .” He then recited the 23rd Psalm. “The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want . . .”

“Jesus, help me,” Todd said.

Then Jefferson heard him say: “Are you guys ready? Let’s roll”—a phrase he used often with his boys. Sounds of struggle, then nothing.

“I just heard that!! NOW it has really impacted me. Barbara Olsen was a bright face with the words of truth and logic. She will be missed. Somehow, when you put a face to this horrible event, it humanizes it. We must continue to lift up all the people who are now suffering loss. Pray for our leader’s like never before. I know American’s will all band together…today will go down in infamy like never before. Another reminder that every day counts. Another chance to do the right thing. God …bless our land.”

The above quote was taken from the Free Republic website from one of their contributors called Neeneh…posted on 9/11/01 at 12:28 PM.

Barbara Olson, wife of Solicitor General, Ted Olson. She was on the plane that crashed into the Pentagon.

“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” – 2 Timothy 4:6-8

This picture was taken on the first day, we as a church moved into our church home, Kindred Community Church in Anaheim, California. It was snapped as Chuck was welcoming everyone. As it so happened, it was also our second anniversary as a church.

It was a time of excitement, anticipation and expectation as to what our God would do in and through our church, it’s members…and how He would continue to use this man of God whom He had raised up to preach His Word to a weary and dying world. We had already seen Him move His hand and bring forth miracles…and spread the gospel message through the life and suffering of His humble, willing and obedient servant.

Until we get to heaven…we won’t fully comprehend why God is choosing to take His servant home from assignment so early. We won’t be aware of all the people whom God has touched through the faithful teaching of His word. We won’t have the full picture on how we’ve all been changed, not only through some awesome preaching…but also as witnesses to a man fully committed to his Lord and Savior…and finishing the race strong.

Please join our church was we pray for our Pastor Chuck, wife lovely wife Linda, the entire Obremski family…including his mother Pat and their children Dana, Ryan and Krista. Chuck is in the hospital…and struggling to breath and is not always coherent. His family is by his bedside.

Dear Heavenly Father…please touch our precious Pastor, Linda and the Obremski family. Shower Your peace upon them, comfort them…and reveal Your love for them. Please still any pain that Chuck is having…and ease his breathing. Let him have clarity during his remaining moments with his family this side of heaven. May You give him visions of the joy and beauty that he will be entering into. May it bring him peace and joy. We thank You for giving us this lovely man and letting him be a part of our lives. We ask that even now…that You will continue to be honored and glorified through the life of our Pastor.

Luke 11:9-10
“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Philippians 4:5-7
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Father…you tell us in your word that we are to be anxious about nothing…but instead come to you with praise and thanksgiving and lay before you our prayer requests.

Tonight…we do just that. Jesus…just as the friends of paralyzed man tore through the roof to lower their friend before you for your healing touch…so too we lay our beloved Pastor before you tonight.

We give you thanks that the doctors were able to disgnosis what caused Chuck’s fever and shaking. We thank you that a possible blood match with the needed antibodies may soon be available. We thank you that the swelling has gone down. Most importantly we thank you for your presence, peace and strength sustaining your much loved servant.

Father we pray that your hand would be upon Chuck that you would enable him to breath without pain. That you would keep the swelling down and that you would remove the infection from his blood. We pray that you would allow him to start receiving nutrition and that it would cause no ill effects. We pray that you would guide the doctors…give them great wisdom in their treatment plans. That you would allow the chemo treatment at just the proper time…and that it would do that which it is designed to do.

May your hand of comfort rest upon Chuck and Linda…and may you help them to bear that which has come upon them. May their faith remain strong and solid…and may the enemy be defeated soundly and swiftly.

We thank you for the salvation that you have offered through your precious Son Jesus Christ. We pray that you will continue to use this to reach out and bring others to a saving faith in Christ. We pray in the precious name of your Son. Amen and amen.

Some reflections on September 11th…from a personal standpoint.

Prior to September 11, 2001…I use to think I’d really like to know what’s going to happen in the future. That it would be a good thing know what’s coming down the pike.

And now…in fact shortly after that day…I realized I’m glad I don’t know what tomorrow will bring. Heck, some days…it’s a challenge just getting through the day. God knows what the coming days and future holds…I just need to hold tight to Him. I need to live my life…and let God be God and trust him. Trust Him based on His character…and who He’s revealed Himself to be in and through His Word.

My love for my country…the United States of America grew exponentially. While we do have our flaws…we have a strong foundation to build on and grow on. One that allows individuals to achieve that which they focus on and work towards.

I was conservative in my politics prior to 9/11…but took a hard turn to the right. Any naivete left over from my liberal past died on that day. I was wide awake and aware of what real evil was and what the perpetrators were capable of doing.

The sight of a fireman, police officer or military personnel kind of gets me choked up. My heart swells with love and appreciation for their hard work and service to protect and defend our country and it’s citizens. When I see a member of our military…I want to give them a hug, shake their hand and thank them for their service.

Seeing an American flag…makes me tear up or cry. I can’t sing our National Anthem or God Bless America or say the pledge of allegiance without wanting to bawl like a baby. And sometimes I do just that.

Each night…I turn on a light in my window that highlights the small flag nearby.

I have a real tender spot in my heart for family and friends that have touched my life. I appreciate as never before good people. Not perfect…but just good.

I don’t avoid painful feelings or subjects. They are part of life. And pain and hurt doesn’t make life bad…it may make the moment bad…but that moment changes…and good returns once again.

I love truth and clarity.

Ever since September 11th…I’ve had the hardest time reading books or even magazine articles. I love to read…and feel like that love was robbed from me that day. And I’m not sure why. My ability to focus and concentrate on a book is short lived…and I loose interest. It took me a year before I picked up the book I was reading on September 11th and finished it. I hope I get this love of reading back again…I miss it. Oh don’t get me wrong I do read…but nothing equivalent to before.

I’ve seen only a handful of movies at the theater since that day. I have a hard time sitting in a theater and watching a movie for two hours. I feel anxious…and would rather be doing any one of a number of other things. Oh I do watch movies…mostly at home on DVD now. And I’m a lot more choosy on what I watch. I have a zero tolerance for stars that denigrate our country…and I won’t see their work.

And mostly…dying and heaven seem like a pretty good thing some days. With each time I receive word of friend dying…or someone whom I respected passing away…the world seems a little more cold and a lot less desirable. I’m not afraid to die…and do look forward to going to my heavenly rewards…and leaving behind a world filled with too much evil, pain, death, and destruction.

September 11th is a day I hold near and dear to my heart. I thank God for the good that has come from that day.

Below is a timeline from September 11, 2001. That fateful day that changed America and united Americans…if only for brief period of time. Now four years later…in some respects we are more divided. But there was a day…in which we stood shoulder to shoulder, set aside our differences and united as Americans while we sang God Bless America.

While the stats below tell the cold hard facts on what happened…that day remains incomprehensible in many respects.

8:46 a.m. – American Flight 11 from Boston crashes into the North Tower at the World Trade Center.

9:03 a.m. – United Flight 175 from Boston crashes into the South Tower at the World Trade Center.

9:45 a.m. – American Flight 77 crashes into The Pentagon.

10:05 a.m. – The South Tower at the World Trade Center collapses.

10:10 a.m. – United Flight 93 crashes in a wooded area in Pennsylvania, after passengers confront hijackers.

10:28 a.m. – The North Tower at the World Trade Center collapses.

Number of Fatalities:
WTC — 2819 NYC Medical Examiner

Pentagon — 189

United Airlines Flight 93 / Shanksville, Pennsylvania — 44

NYC Firefighters — 343

Port Authority Of New York And New Jersey Police — 37

NYC Police — 23

Total — 3052

My boss Doug has honor of being born on a date that would become most hallowed in our country…September 11th.

I didn’t know Doug on that fateful date…but met him a couple of years later. I was most intrigued when hearing him tell what September 11, 2001 was like for him…being that it was also his birthday.

Some of the elements that we are privileged to see in his his leadership of our department were reflected in one of my earlier posts “Reflections on Leadership”.

Happy Birthday Doug!

May every one of your birthdays for the rest of your life be uneventful…and even a wee bit boring!

c) 2001 The Record, (Bergen County, NJ)
Thomas E. Franklin, Staff Photographer

From the Ground Zero Spirit website…I learned the following about this famous photo. Please click on the above link to learn additional details.

Sept. 11, 2001 — the end of the world as we knew it. But in the chaos and rubble where the World Trade Center no longer stood, Record photographer Thomas E. Franklin captured an unforgettable image of hope — three firefighters raising the American flag.

Standing defiantly against the gray and white landscape of devastation, these dust-covered men and the vivid red, white, and blue of Old Glory instantly became a symbol of American patriotism.

The Record’s photo of these three heroic rescuers – Brooklyn-based firefighters George Johnson of Rockaway Beach, Dan McWilliams of Long Island (both from Ladder 157), and Billy Eisengrein of Staten Island (Rescue 2) – also became a global message that life, and America, would go on.

The photo, which appeared Sept. 12 in The Record, has since graced the pages of many other newspapers as well as national newsmagazines. Network television has repeatedly displayed the photo during its round-the-clock disaster coverage, comparing it to the famous image of Marines raising the flag on Iwo Jima during World War II.

Franklin, an eight-year veteran of The Record, took the photo late in the afternoon of Sept. 11, after spending hours at the scene. He was walking toward the debris of the World Trade Center when he spotted the firefighters.

“The shot immediately felt important to me,” Franklin said. “It said something to me about the strength of the American people and about the courage of all the firefighters who, in the face of this horrible disaster, had a job to do in battling the unimaginable.”

This photo is forever among my favorites. It so captures the goodness of America…the spirit within us as American’s. May God Bless…my beloved country.

9/11 A Film…by Jules and Gedeon Naudet and James Hanlon

This DVD is quite extraordinary…and I recommend it highly. I like to view this 9/11 DVD, as painful as it is, at least once a year. I want to make sure that I never let the images from that awful day fade from my memory.

You know, it’s funny…but the media frequently brings awful images before us…and repeats them time and time and time again. They inundate our senses with that which they think we should focus on. Just think how many times you saw the video from the Rodney King beating. Whether it’s a man made tragedy or that caused by natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, the main stream media seems to revel in focusing on these images.

The one notable exception are the images from 9/11. I know in some respects the media may have good intentions in deciding to not air that video anymore. But I can’t help but think that because those images were yanked from the TV screens shortly after 9/11, the impact of that day will continue to decline. And it shouldn’t.

9/11 was a day in which the undeniable evidence of true evil and it’s impact on innocent human beings was made visible in such a way that no one could deny it. My fear and concern is that when we stop seeing evil for what it is and loose our ability to speak the truth about evil, we will also loose our desire to fight and defeat it.

An example of that attitude is the people who go around and what to understand why the terrorists hate us. They care more about why the terrorists feel that way than they do about defeating them. They think the terrorists must have come from impoverished backgrounds and were spurred on to commit acts of terrorism as a result.

Call me naive, but I’m a black and white thinker. The only value in understanding why terrorists commit these acts, is if it gives us a tactical advantage in defeating them.

For as long as I live…I want to always remember what happened on 9/11. I want to remember what happened to my fellow American citizens and people from other nations who happened to be on one of four planes or working in three those buildings. Or those men going into burning buildings in the belief that human life is precious and when threatened every attempt should be made to rescue those victims. What a contrast to the views of the terrorists on human life…especially that of American and Israeli life.

That’s why I want to remember…and will make time this weekend to view this 9/11 video. You can order it yourself on Amazon by clicking on the above link.

Fall is one of my very favorite times of the year. One of the primary reasons is because that means Bible Study Fellowship will be starting up again…the second week in September.

I started in Bible Study Fellowship…otherwise known as BSF back in January 1998. I went at the invitation of Nadine…a friend at work. Nadine was always known as a very godly woman…who loves the Lord. She was always serious and deeply involved and committed to Bible study. Nadine had previously invited me…but I declined…the time never seemed right.
But Nadine persisted and would periodically extend the invitation again. 1998 was a transitional time in my life…and suddenly I realized…I needed to get serious about being a Christian…and studying God’s word.

I had recently moved…and was involved in a relationship with a deeply troubled guy. I had lost a good friendship with a friend who was angry at me over my bad choices. My mom and step dad lived a distance away…and I felt all alone. So God was working on my heart…and I decided to step out give BSF a try. I can say without reservation…it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

I had been a Christian for for about 7 years and had attended several great churches. I had been privileged to sit under some great Bible teaching…but had never really seriously studied the Bible. Oh I had read the Bible…and loved church and group Bible studies…but they didn’t demand commitment or an investment in time.

But BSF was different…and that’s where I really started to grow as a Christian. Each week you attend a class about two hours long. The first 10 minutes the full class meets as a group for opening hymns and prayer. Following that the class breaks up into smaller groups of up to 15 people. In the small groups…class members take turns sharing their answers to the questions completed on the current week’s lesson. The lessons have about 30 questions that cover the passage that BSF is studying that particular week. Sometimes the questions are pretty challenging…and other times easier. The thing that’s nice about everyone sharing their answers is that you get to hear someone else’s take or understanding on questions. So the work you’ve done is enriched by hearing other’s responses. You are in the group for about 45 minutes.

Following your discussion group…the entire class meets together again…and hears a lecture from the Teaching Leader. The lecture is also covering the passage you had studied during the week and had just discussed with fellow class members. So the weeks Bible passage and lesson is really reinforced in multiple ways. It’s very rich and rewarding.

When you leave class each member get their new lesson for the week. It includes several pages of notes from passage just studied…and questions for the new week.

It’s great having both new Christians in the class as well as older Christians with a lot of Bible study experience. If someone’s answers a question inaccurately, someone else may have a more accurate answer according to scriptures. Frequently, the questions you were uncertain how to best answer are covered in the lecture for the week.

On an average week…I’d say I spend probably 2 to 2 1/2 hour studying. Maybe a little longer if you’re detail oriented. That may sound like a lot…but not if you go according to plan maybe about 20 minutes or so each day. Everyone uses only the Bible for studying…no outside sources. So everyone is on an even footing with regards to resources.

All the people involved in your local classes from the Teaching Leader to Discussion Leaders are volunteers. They put a lot work and a lot of prayer into doing that which God has called them to do.

So if BSF sounds at all intriguing…I recommend you give it a try. It will help you to grow by leaps and bounds. I went from someone just sitting in church and hearing a message to some studying the Bible. I went from someone who had some knowledge to someone who is more discerning and can spot when I hear a message that is not in keeping with God’s word…and know why or where it’s wrong.

This will be my seventh year…I stopped for one year…but started back up again last January. Didn’t realize how much I needed it and missed it, until I returned.

This years study is in the book of Genesis. It’s an excellent study…that I loved when going through it many years ago. Look forward to covering it again. While I will be studying with the Santa Ana women’s evening class…people in Bible Study Fellowship all around the world will also be studying the same passage.

Don’t be intimidated by the time investment…it’s well worth it. You will grow in wisdom and knowledge of God’s word. Hope to see you there!

Have you ever heard the saying “when you throw a rock into a pack of dogs…the one that barks the loudest is the one that got hit”? I think that saying can be applied to the circus, the very tragic circus with deadly consequences that has occurred in Louisiana in the past week and a half.

Ask yourself…who has been barking the loudest in the group? Two of the loudest are Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco and New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin. The demagoguery coming from their mouths appears to be a smoke screen intended to cover their actions…or should I more accurately state, their lack of appropriate and timely action.

I believe that as the facts become know about the preparation and planning for hurricanes that would potentially hit New Orleans, and their failure to execute those plans, it will be revealed that Ms. Blanco and Mr. Nagin are key people responsible for the deaths of hundreds, if not thousands of Louisiana citizens.

This is not an attempt to gloss over or excuse the federal governments painfully slow and inadequate response to persons, in some instances literally dying, as they awaited help from their government. I do want answers as to what caused the fed’s delay. The responses thus far from the Bush Administration, FEMA and Homeland Security are woefully inadequate. I do hope that this situation will be more fully examined so we as citizen, states and a nation can more adequately prepare for disaster…natural or man made.

Below are excerpts from an article by Bob Williams explaining some of what went wrong. To view the entire article, please click on the above link.

As the devastation of Hurricane Katrina continues to shock and sadden the nation, the question on many lips is, Who is to blame for the inadequate response?

But what isn’t fair is to dump on the federal officials and avoid those most responsible–local and state officials who failed to do their job as the first responders. The plain fact is, lives were needlessly lost in New Orleans due to the failure of Louisiana’s governor, Kathleen Blanco, and the city’s mayor, Ray Nagin.

The primary responsibility for dealing with emergencies does not belong to the federal government. It belongs to local and state officials who are charged by law with the management of the crucial first response to disasters.

The actions and inactions of Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin are a national disgrace due to their failure to implement the previously established evacuation plans of the state and city.

In 1998, during a threat by Hurricane George, 14,000 people were sent to the Superdome and theft and vandalism were rampant due to inadequate security. Again, these problems were not corrected.

Mayor Nagin was responsible for giving the order for mandatory evacuation and supervising the actual evacuation: Mayor Nagin had to be encouraged by the governor to contact the National Hurricane Center before he finally, belatedly, issued the order for mandatory evacuation. And sadly, it apparently took a personal call from the president to urge the governor to order the mandatory evacuation.

But even though the city has enough school and transit buses to evacuate 12,000 citizens per fleet run, the mayor did not use them. Instead of evacuating the people, the mayor ordered the refugees to the Superdome and Convention Center without adequate security and no provisions for food, water and sanitary conditions.

Mayor Nagin failed in his responsibility to provide public safety and to manage the orderly evacuation of the citizens of New Orleans.

The federal government does not have the authority to intervene in a state emergency without the request of a governor.

As I view the scores of pictures from hurricane Katrina…I search any image that will bring me hope or give me some evidence of goodness and love. The above picture captured my attention…and bears witness that there can be goodness even in the midst of bad.

“All of a sudden there were people screaming. I saw people jumping out of the building. Their arms were flailing. I stopped taking pictures and started crying.”

Fatalities
At the World Trade Center, faced with a desperate situation of smoke and burning heat from the jet fuel, an estimated 200 people jumped to their deaths from the burning towers, landing on the streets and rooftops of adjacent buildings hundreds of feet below.

In addition, some of the occupants of each tower above its point of impact made their way upward towards the roof in hope of helicopter rescue. No rescue plan existed for such an eventuality. By some accounts, fleeing occupants instead encountered locked access doors upon reaching the roof. As many as 1,366 people were trapped at and above the floors of impact in the North Tower (1 WTC). None of them survived.

As many as 600 people were trapped at and above the floors of impact in the South Tower (2 WTC). Only about 18 managed to escape in time from above the impact zone and out of the South Tower before it collapsed.

Info courtesy of Wikipedia…The Free Encyclopedia

We all know people in our everyday life that have qualities and display characteristics that we admire and seek to emulate. Those qualities are all the more evident when contrasted by those who lack them…or worse display the opposite.

Whether it be the father leading his family or the boss leading a business or a mayor leading a city in a time of disaster…one of those qualities which critical and severely lacking these days is leadership.

Below are some characteristics that that I’ve witnessed in persons whom I’ve been blessed to know as leaders:

· Have a vision
· Clearly communicate
· Listen…really listen
· Have a plan
· Wade through the muck and mire to get to the other side
· Committed
· Endure
· Persevere
· Not deterred by the critics and nay sayers
· Realize that there will always be those who are stumbling blocks
· Don’t let anyone or anything get in the way
· Find a way over or under or around any obstacle
· Don’t quit…it’s not in their vocabulary
· Build up
· Encourage
· Inspire others
· Speak the truth
· Tell it like it is
· Prefer clarity
· Share the glory and limelight with others
· Humble, doesn’t seek recognition
· Say thanks
· Acknowledge others and their contributions
· Integrity
· Courage
· Selfless
· Ability to acknowledge when wrong
· Apologize

Any one of the above qualities would be worth having and should be sought and developed. Yeah…it would be peachy keen if those whom we need to lead would do so. You bet ya! But when there is a vacuum…first you need to look inward and see if you are displaying and living out those qualities that help make up a leader. If not…pick a few and start working on them.

Are you a better person when you go to sleep tonight, than you were when you got of bed?

Are you a leader?

If not, why not?

If not now, when?

Oh Lord, I am afraid,
Do not fear, for I am with you!

Oh Lord, I am filled with anxiety,
Be anxious for nothing, instead pray and bring your requests to me.

Oh Lord, I feel weighed down and burdened so,
Come unto me and I will give you rest.

Oh Lord, I am overwhelmed with sorrow,
I have taken up your infirmities and carried your sorrows.

Oh Lord, I am weak and weary,
I will give you strength and power.

Oh Lord, my soul is despairing,
Despair not, for I am your ever present help in times of trouble.

Oh Lord, I am alone…all have deserted me,
I will never leave you, nor forsake you.


By Susan Bunts – 9/5/05