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FReeper Canteen ~ Sunday Chapel ~ RESERVATIONS ~ 25 September 2011
Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !!
| The Canteen Crew
Posted on 09/24/2011 5:02:57 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska
|
RESERVATIONS
Recently, someone stopped by my office, handed me two sheets of paper, and said something to the effect of, "You're always sharing something with people; here's something for you." Then he was gone. Like so many encounters we have along life's way, this one was brief. But it left a lasting impression, and brightened my whole day. The article is definitely a "keeper." Originally written by Jonathan Lee for the Washington Post, it is entitled "Reservations of an Airline Agent." I've abbreviated it due to limited space, but the point is unchanged. Enjoy!
"I work in the central reservation office of an airline company. After more than 130,000 conversations -- all ending with "Have a nice day and thanks for calling" -- I think it's fair to say I'm a survivor.
"I've made it through all the calls from adults who don't know the difference between a.m. and p.m., from mothers of military recruits who didn't trust their little soldiers to get it right, from the woman who wanted advice on how to handle her teenage daughter, from the man who wanted to ride inside the kennel with his dog so he wouldn't have to pay for a seat, from the woman who wanted to know why she had to change clothes on our flight between Chicago and Washington (she was told she'd have to make a change between the two cities) and from the man who asked if I'd like to discuss the existential humanism that emanates from the soul of Habeeb.
"My battles have included everything from a man not knowing how to spell the name of the town he was from, to another not recognizing "Iowa" as being a state, to another who thought he had to apply for a foreign passport to fly to West Virginia....
"I talked to a woman in Denver who had never heard of Cincinnati, a man in Minneapolis who didn't know there was more than one city in the South ("wherever the South is"), and a man in Dallas who tried to pay for his ticket by sticking quarters in the pay phone he was calling from.
"Then a man tried to catch our flight to Maconga. I told him I'd never heard of Maconga and we certainly didn't fly to it. But he insisted we did and to prove it he showed me his ticket: Macon, GA....
"Half (of the people) will not have thought about when they're returning. A third won't know where they are going; 10 percent won't care where they're going. A few won't care if they get back.
"You just have to shake your head in amazement! But it reminds me of a time when Jesus talked with his apostles about a trip he was taking. As I recall, there was a lot of confusion about that trip as well.
"'I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.' Thomas said to him, 'Lord, we do not know where you are going, and how can we know the way?' (John 14:2b-5)
"With all the patience of an airline ticket agent, Jesus said, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)
"What a glorious trip lies ahead. I hope you've made your reservations!"
Amen. And blessings on your journey.
CAPT J. David Atwater, CHC, USN
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TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Free Republic
KEYWORDS: canteen; chaplain; military; troopsupport
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To: ConorMacNessa
Good evening, Sir Conor! *hugs*
under the weather today
Rest easy, my friend!
A Sunday of Blessings to you and the family!
21
posted on
09/24/2011 5:45:03 PM PDT
by
oldteen
To: left that other site
Evenin' ML! *hugs*
Hope your day went well!
How ya feelin'?
22
posted on
09/24/2011 5:48:09 PM PDT
by
oldteen
To: AZamericonnie
Good evening, Connie! *hugs*
Amazing Grace...one of my favorites!
A Blessed Sunday to you and yours as well!
23
posted on
09/24/2011 5:49:47 PM PDT
by
oldteen
To: DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis
Very vbery busy, asd I am back to work! :-)
To: oldteen
I started on the medication to control blood sugar today, and already I feel like the “OLD ML is BACK!”
Mom is still very shaky after her procedure. She is in rehab now.
To: StarCMC; Kathy in Alaska; Bethbg79; EsmeraldaA; MoJo2001; Brad's Gramma; laurenmarlowe; ...
26
posted on
09/24/2011 6:01:39 PM PDT
by
SandRat
(Duty - Honor - Country! What else needs said?)
To: oldteen
And a very good evening to you Teenie & hope your weekend is going well.
A blessed Lord’s day to you & yours! *hugs*
To: StarCMC; Kathy in Alaska; Bethbg79; EsmeraldaA; MoJo2001; Brad's Gramma; laurenmarlowe; ...
28
posted on
09/24/2011 6:04:20 PM PDT
by
SandRat
(Duty - Honor - Country! What else needs said?)
To: DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis
Shavua Tov, Deo. Good evening to you as well.
29
posted on
09/24/2011 6:10:38 PM PDT
by
Kathy in Alaska
((~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~))
To: ConorMacNessa
A Blessed Lord’s Day to you and yours as well, Mac.
Resting is good. Feel better soon.
*HUGS*
30
posted on
09/24/2011 6:18:00 PM PDT
by
Kathy in Alaska
((~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~))
To: left that other site
Wow...great news on both!
31
posted on
09/24/2011 6:32:38 PM PDT
by
oldteen
To: The Mayor
A Blessed Lord’s Day to The Mayor family. And thank you for today’s sustenance for body and soul.
32
posted on
09/24/2011 6:41:04 PM PDT
by
Kathy in Alaska
((~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~))
To: left that other site
Good evening, ML...((HUGS))
How are you and Linda? Did you have lessons today?
I’m fine, but dealing with my best friend from work being hospitalized and taking what may probably be a final turn for the worse last night.
33
posted on
09/24/2011 6:53:35 PM PDT
by
Kathy in Alaska
((~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~))
To: Kathy in Alaska
And thank you for todays, and every days threads! A Blessed Lords Day to you and yours my FRiend!
34
posted on
09/24/2011 7:00:02 PM PDT
by
The Mayor
("If you can't make them see the light, let them feel the heat" — Ronald Reagan)
To: SoldierDad; vigilante2; PERKY2004; jackv; Jemian; Azbushgal; LUV W; mystery-ak; armymarinemom; ...
35
posted on
09/24/2011 7:04:19 PM PDT
by
Kathy in Alaska
((~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~))
To: AZamericonnie
Thanks, AZ, for LeAnn’s Amazing Grace....always and upper.
36
posted on
09/24/2011 7:08:57 PM PDT
by
Kathy in Alaska
((~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~))
To: Kathy in Alaska
To: oldteen
Hi sweet Teenie! *hugs* I've been well. Almost everyone else in the house is sick, but so far I have managed to stay well. So far.
We went to Jamestown earlier this week. That was fun. My 3-year-old brother really loved the ships and the Indian houses in the Indian village.
And how have you been Friend?
To: left that other site
May God provide you with rest and shalom in the midst of all your busyness FRiend!
To: DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis
Oh dear....you don't need to get sick!
I'm good, thanks!
As far east as I've ever been is Florida so I've missed a lot of history. Maybe, someday! :)
Stay healthy! *hugs*
40
posted on
09/24/2011 8:58:02 PM PDT
by
oldteen
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