A brief moment of personal reflection: On the morning of 9/11 I was meeting with my good friend Majority Whip Tom DeLay in his office in the US Capitol building. An aide came in to turn on the TV and show the Congressman that a plane had hit one of the towers. It was somber, but we figured it was a terrible mishap by a small plane. The meeting continued. Then the second plane hit, after which the Capitol police rushed in and escorted Mr. DeLay out of the building to a secure location. The few of us in the meeting sat there looking at the TV, not saying any words, and then the Pentagon was struck. My dear friend Blaise Hazelwood and I were among the last to leave the Capitol, and we could see the smoke rising from the Pentagon. We later learned of the heroism of Todd Beamer taking down flight 93. It is likely that plane was headed for either the Capitol or the WH. Beamer and his "let's roll" crew saved many lives that day, quite possibly my own. Several years ago I summoned the courage to visit the Flight 93 Memorial in Pennsylvania. I'm not much of a crier, but I did break down that day. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

Honored to be at service for Capt “Red” McDaniel today. He’s with God now. If you think you have ever met a stronger man, you are incorrect.

One observation: When we ask God for what we want, and he doesn't give it to us, we often doubt His existence/goodness. But when he does give us what we ask, we tend to rationalize that it was probably just part of the natural order of things. All of which shows that "we" are stupid.