What a crazy day it has been! I went to sleep on June 30th at 7:30 pm and
woke up at about midnight. I stayed up and got everything ready to go. I had
paid a local taxi driver $20 earlier in the day, just to drive to my
residence earlier in the day to make sure he knew where it is. That way I
wouldn't worry that he might get lost later. So he agreed to show up at 4 am
to drive me to the airport, and he did. He kept his word, for which I tipped
him $60.
But the United Airlines plane had problems. The pilot said one of the engines were cleaned earlier that night, which caused a sensor to stay on. So maintenance had to fix the problem before the plane could depart. Safety first! Instead of departing at 7 am, we left at 8:15. After being on the plane for 9 hours, we arrived in Honolulu at 7:28 pm instead of 6:14 pm. Consequently, I missed my Denver connecting flight. The stewardess told all passengers going to Denver to retrieve their baggage from carousel 1. So I went to carousel 1 and waited, and waited, and waited...lol. I waited for 30 minutes, for hundreds of people to get their luggage, but I was the last guy and my luggage never came. That is the story of my life! I'm always a day late, a dollar short, and the other guy always gets the girl. I get frustrated.
So a gentleman, another passenger on our Guam flight, told me that he found his luggage on carousel 2, where he suggested I look. So, I did look, and my luggage bag indeed on carousel 2. My bag was the very last one to come out! I was enjoying myself today. I don't let things get me down. I learned a long time a go to just go with the flow. As long as I get to Pensacola, and far away from GUAM, I'm really happy!!! Guam's okay, but I need a babe to snuggle with, and take out for her favorite nice restaurant dinner, and make happy, and after umpteen years I haven't been able to find a wife on Guam. Kristen pushed me away and made it clear that she didn't want me. Abby never showed any interest in me. I hope to find a woman who's as hungry to love and be loved, as I am, and then we'll be happy together.
Anyway, it is now 12:40 am and I'm in Honolulu. United Airlines kindly put me up in the Airport Honolulu Hotel for one night. I didn't get to eat all day, since the early meal soon after leaving Guam on the plane. So I didn't eat for 12 hours. I jogged down to MacDonald's in Honolulu and bought some food of the gods...lol. I am recharging my laptop in the hotel room. My battery went dead on the plane, but the built in power supply on the plane couldn't handle the amperage. The circuit breaker kept tripping, because my battery was dead. The plane's personal passenger power supply will help keep a charged battery from going dead, but it cannot charge a dead battery. So I am charging it tonight at the hotel. And I thought I'd write an article to let you all know what's up. W-H-A-T-S-U-P???
I am soooo tired. This cute little girl I saw in the TSA line was mesmerized by my eyes. I wear my “Jesus” hat everyone. She was struggling to lift her mother's luggage, and was trying to stand it up. I was admiring her, and she loved my eyes. She must have been 8 or 9 years old. She just keep looking at my eyes. I am nothing special, but the Bible says that a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine. Ecclesiastes 8:1, “Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed.” I have continual great joy and boldness in my soul, from all the wonderful truths that the Holy Spirit has taught me from God's Word (John 14:26). My face shines everywhere I go, because I have Jesus living through Me (Galatians 2:20). I see people watching and admiring me often. My eyes tell a story. You give God your face and He'll put a shine on it! Billy Sunday said that! And he was right!!! I can't hide the Holy Spirit in me.
When I finally found my luggage, the last bag to come off the carousel, I checked the bag for the Denver flight. I went through customs. Then to see if I was tested for COVID-19. Then TSA! What a nightmare! There were literally over 1,000 passengers in line waiting to be screened by Honolulu TSA!!! Amazingly, the line went through pretty quick. It took about 30 minutes total. Then I asked the information lady who works for the airport where I go next. I was totally lost! She said my plane left without me, and I have to walk to gate G6. I walked over one mile just to get to gate G6, all the way on the other side of the massive airport complex. I was so tired.
When I finally got to the G6 desk, the United Airlines lady said I shouldn't have come there. Oh brother! I kindly explained that I don't do this every day, but United Airlines does, and nobody was helping me as a passenger. The lady at the Information Desk by TSA even took a pen and changed the information on my Boarding Pass, like she knew what she was doing. She also said my flight to Denver was gone. She offered me a coach ticket downgrade from Business Class, which I paid for, so I refused it. I kindly explained that I need to fly Business Class for medical reasons, because it is torture in coach, which induces panic attacks. That's about all they needed to hear to get the idea. So a gentlemen who also works for United Airlines started helping me with hotel accommodations for the night.
When the lady at the United Airline desk gave me a shuttle voucher, I asked the security card where to go and he said any taxi could take it. Instead of paying them with money, you just hand them the voucher from United Airlines. I stood in a looong line, carrying my heavy shoulder bag, waiting for 30 minutes in line, just to find out that taxis won't accept vouchers. Aarrgghh! I was so frustrated, being bounced around like a ball in a pinball game. Needless to say, my entire day has been VERY hectic! I have to be up early today and get to the airport. Preloading for the plane starts at 11:30 am. Departure time is 12:20 pm. I'm leaving at 8:30 am for the shuttle from the Airport Honolulu Hotel.
The Hawaiian music on the recording was so beautiful when I arrived at the hotel. But I knew from experience that even the most beautiful music becomes like a form of torture after you've heard it a thousand times. So out of curiosity I kindly smiled and asked the lady at the front desk if she ever gets tired of hearing that pretty music. It was funny, because I hadn't even finished asked the question, and she asserting a bold “YES!” She said she just phases it out, having heard it so much. Sadly, that is what many believers do with God's Word. We read, study and hear it preached so much that after awhile we phase it out. As I grow older I am learning the value of going places and doing things, which makes the Word of God more interesting. As I live life from day to day, I see new ways to apply the Bible to life and people, just like the observation about hearing the same music all the time, that I just shared with you. I love the inspired King James Bible. It is our Lighthouse, a Lamp unto our feet, in these times of stormy darkness upon life's raging and merciless seas.
My body is very worn out and tired from a long day. I am going to get some sleep now. Everything is going good so far. I already e-mailed ahead to the hotel I'll be staying at in Pensacola, so they'll know I'm coming a day later. I told them I'll gladly pay for the day I was late, on July 1st. Since I won't be there until the 2nd. I also e-mailed and let the Honda dealership know that I will be one day late, due to holdups with United Airlines' maintenance issues. As of now my luggage is lost somewhere in Denver, but I'm going to Los Angeles...lol. What a mess!
I love you all. I saw the most beautiful cloud formations in my lifetime while leaving Guam, but I forgot my camera. Oh boy! When the seat-belt light came off, I got my camera but we were too high up. And by the time we got to Hawaii, the sun was setting and there was low light. I will never forget those memorable images in my soul. God gets to see stuff like that all the time. I think that I amazing! So anyway, my new flight arrival times are as follows:
- Depart from Honolulu at 12:20 pm July 2nd and arrive in Los Angeles at 8:42 pm
- Depart from Los Angeles at 12:45 am and arrive in Houston at 5:45 am
- Depart from Houston at 9:44 am and arrive in Pensacola at 11:20 am on July 2nd
Lord willing, I'll let everybody know when I get to my hotel in Pensacola. Please keep my in your prayers. Thank you Matt and Melanie, you guys encourage me always! One day at a time. Jesus is precious!!!
Here are some photos that I took with my camera from my 7L airplane seat and window.
