A day late, but… [and I warn you it's the longest post ever...but I think it's worth the read.]

The significance of this particular date on the calendar makes me feel guilty for going about business as usual today. I’ve been knocking off items on my to-do list, doing my thing.

But then again, I’m almost overwhelmingly grateful that the victory God has allowed our nation to have over that day seven years go is what enables me to have a ‘normal’ day today.

I took Kenni to preschool this morning, then zipped over to Starbucks to do some reading and plug away on email…phone calls. Then I stopped by the office to check in before grabbing lunch with my wife and daughters. Then back to the office to take care of business.

If evil had won that Tuesday morning in 2001, there’s no telling what I’d have been doing today. Or whether or not I would even be alive.

Think about that.

God is a God of freedom, justice, and mercy. So much so that both the assailant and his victim are eligible for the same mercy.

So, that being said, I reminisce every 9/11 on what that day/week looked like for me. [get your hanky]

Monday morning • 9/10
Flew to Dallas, Texas to hang out at Metro Bible Study at Prestonwood Baptist Church.
MercyMe was the ‘new band’ at Metro, I met them and took some photos of their worship set.
I had never heard of them before…it was my first time hearing the song “I Can Only Imagine.” That song was heard quite a bit after that week.
Went back to the hotel, probably read a little or watched some TV.

Tuesday morning • 9/11
Alarm went off at 6-something. Flight home was to be later that morning.
For some reason turned on the TV and tuned in to the Today Show (NBC). That wasn’t part of my normal routine. They were talking a LOT about Michael Jordan’s return to pro-basketball, and interviewing Jack Welch.
For some reason I rotated the TV towards the bathroom door and turned it up loud so I could hear while I took a shower.
While in the shower, Matt Lauer and Katie Couric started talking about the first plane hit. Sounded like an accident.
Got out of the shower. Started getting dressed.
Second plane hit. No longer sounded like an accident.
Still had a plane to catch.
Caught an eventful ride to the airport. Listened to radio… [PLEASE let me take off before you shut down all flights in the country.]
Gov’t cancels all flights in the country.
Arrive at airport. Check in anyway. Sit down in an airport Chili’s.
Tower collapses.
Airline now ‘officially’ cancels flights.
To Delta counter. They are going to put me in a hotel. Catch ride to said hotel. Check in.
Phone rings.
It’s “her.” “She” is ‘that cute girl I talked to at Bible study last Friday.
I had told her I was flying to Dallas. She thought maybe I had said Dulles. One of the planes was from Dulles. She got scared. She wonders why she got scared. She realizes that it’s because she may ‘feel something’ for this guy in Dallas/Dulles.
She asks if I need money…offers to wire me some. Not sure why. She didn’t have any money to wire me anyway.
“I’m fine. Thanks for calling. Crazy day, huh? Wow. Alright. Well, I’ll see you Friday?”
Hang up.
What? Huh?
I realize I’m standing on the bed in this hotel room.
Standing on the bed?
I realize it may be because I might ‘feel something’ for this girl in Dallas. (Dallas, Georgia…where she lives.)
Friend calls. He’s a pilot for Delta.
“You okay? We’ve got friends who live in Dallas who said you can stay with them if you want.”
Weigh the options… Hotel…alone? Or a house with friends of friends? Option B.
Friend of friend turns out to be an illustrator a Wycliffe Bible Institute.
He picks me up and takes me back to their offices. Get a tour. Learn some cool stuff. End up spending the rest of the afternoon watching coverage with a bunch of people in the break room.
Head back to friend of friend’s house. Meet family. Eat a homecooked dinner.
Phone rings. Friend from Atlanta who’s a partner at Accenture was in Houston for the week. Somehow managed to get a rental car. He’s driving back the next day. Want a ride?
Uh…yes.
Enjoy the new friendship of very gracious hosts.
Lay down in bed.
That’s as far as I got. Am I nervous about the civil situation, or intrigued by the phonecall from “her?”
Probably both.

Wednesday • 9/12
Friend arrives in Dallas. Picks me up. We start driving.
Drive.
Drive.
I mention the girl.
Hmmmm…
Drive.
Drive.

Thursday • 9/13
Arrive in Atlanta very early.
Friend drops me off at Hartsfield to pick up my vehicle.
Sleep.
Sleep.
Wake up. Eternity sets in.
This craziness.
That girl.
Wait.

Friday • 9/14
Work.
Wait.
Finally…Bible study time.
Obviously an emotional night for everyone.
Bible study wraps up.
YES! We’re alone for a minute.
“Soooo… How ya doin’?”
“Everyone’s going to Applebee’s. Wanna come?”
Late dinner.
Chit chat.
Next thing I know, we have plans for tomorrow night.
The plan?
Dinner, and then watch The Holy Grail. Yes, people… Monty Python.

Saturday • 9/15
Cleaned my house. Probably got a haircut, worked out, prayed that she’d like me, etc.
Early evening: Doorbell.
Opened the door.
Dang! Gorgeous.
Dinner at Long Horn.
Talked forever.
Back to my house. (Don’t get any ideas, people… We didn’t even hold hands.)
VCR (yes, VCR) messed up.
I’m crawling around playing with wires or something. She thinks to herself, “I think I’m going to be seeing a lot more of this.”

Fast-forward 5 months to February, 2002.
Got buddy passes from same friend who hooked me up with a ‘room’ on 9/11.
I give “her” the biggest bragging rights in her entire elementary school…
The other teachers ask, “Soooo, what did he do for Valentine’s Day?”
She’s able to answer, “Oh, he just took me lunch at a nice Italian restaurant…IN MANHATTAN!”
Sidenote: Daytrip to New York City is a VERY good way to win a girl’s heart. We were only there for 12 hours, but had a BLAST.
BTW, we visited Ground Zero. Sobering. It was still a HUGE mess. Dust on the tombstones at George Washington’s church…orange spray painted arrows on the side of Burger King that read <–TRIAGE / MORGUE–>

Late Februrary, 2002
I sell all my worldly possessions and buy a dang nice ring.

Mid-March, 2002
She says yes.
and…
“So, I guess I have to kiss you now?”
[no joke]

June 29, 2002
“I now pronounce you…”

September 11, 2002
We recognize the 1-year anniversary of 9/11 in a little blue house we rented from her Granny.

And they lived happily ever after.