A DAY TO REMEMBER

Seven years ago today on 09/11/2001, this nation was attacked by terroist. A day that changed the lives of families across this great land. This attack cost a great number of our people their lives without warning. We can not and probably never will understand why. However, we do know for a fact that there are those in the world who wish to destroy this great nation and are still out there looking for an opportunity to strike again.

Today, our hearts go out to those families that lost loved ones and our prayers are for their continued healing process. Just this year I met Deena Burnett whose husband Tom was on flight 93 that went down in Pennsylvania. Tom, along with others became heroes that day by preventing this flight from hitting the White House. Deena lives in Little Rock with her three daughters, Haley, Madison and Anne Clare.

I keep a picture of the twin towers in my home office area for a special reason. In 1986 prior to my retirement, the company took me to dinner on the very top floor of one of the towers. I don't recall which one but the memory of that event is the important one to me. I suppose remembering the day Pearl Harbor was attacked and this attack on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Flight 93 will always be a day to remember for me. Probably being able to see this latest event occuring as it happened with todays technology will always be the most vivid in my mind.

Lets not forget those who died and their families although we may not know who they were, nor forget those brave men who sacrificed their lives to save as many as possible. Above all, lets remember those tonight that are still out there trying to rid this world of those who would and possibly will strike again. They need our prayers.

IT'S WHO WE ARE

Thinking about whats going on today in our nation my mind quickly returns to the principles this great nation was founded upon. We seem to continually drift from being a unified people to being a devisive nation where some will stoop to anything to reek havoc on others. I suppose one of the factors that reminds me of this is the demonstrations just this week at the RNC. I have ideas about this situation but hesitate to mention them on this post. Furthermore, those involved are no different from those who sought to bring this nation to it's knees on September 11th, 2001. As we approach the anniversary of this tragic event, God help us to understand that we as a nation are still under that threat and that there are those among us who seek to destroy us.

In a recent issue of the American Legion Magazine i received there is a song written by Michael Peterson titled, "Its Who We Are." It is a tribute to those who have served this nation.

When Grand Dad used to say "Grandma, I'm headed to the Legion Hall"
I thought the Legion Hall was just some place he went
to have a beer and play some cards with all his buddies at the bar
But I didn't know what being in the Legion meant...
to him and all his friends
Until I stood by Grand Dad's grave
said my "gone for good goodbye"..
I swore I wouldn't cry
But one by one nearly two hundred men stepped up
saluted him and then
they stood there at attention till everyone
was through
I stopped one just to ask him "Sir, is that what
you always do?" He said...
It's not just something we do... It's who we are
WE proudly wore the uniform and we
still do our part
Because our love for country lives not just on our lips
but deep in our hearts...
It's not just something that we do.. it's who we are
Just before he turned to leave
He shook my hand, I grabbed his sleeve and said,
"I wish there was a lot more folks like you"
He smiled at me and said, "but unless you
look real hard chances are you'll seldom see us in the news"
"But all across this great nation there are those great
patriots in civilian clothes
who've paid a great price for freedom because we still
believe
the freedom our forefathers left isn't an entitlement
but it's our sacred duty to protect and serve
this land
I said, "I wish I could do something"
He said, "we are all Americans and...
It's not just something we do..it's who we are
We don't have to be in uniform to do our part
When our love for country lives not just on our lips
but deep in our hearts It's not just something we do.. it's who we are
From old brown shoes to desert boots
the future counts on me and you
and who we are.

As I sit the other night and listened with tears in my eyes to Fred Thompson tell of the torture that John McCain went through at the Hanoi Hilton, it caused me to wonder why some really don't care. I suppose it's because of who they are.