Tributes have been pouring in for former President Jimmy Carter, who died over the recent holidays. To be sure, his single term as president came during a turbulent time marred by political terrorism abroad and financial turmoil at home. Historians will continue to debate how these and many more aspects of the times formed his presidential legacy.
Still, there is no debating the fact that he was America’s most impactful former president. Let alone the fact that he lived to be 100, his life after the White House was marked by multiple accomplishments, including the establishment of the Carter Center and its many endeavors as well the advancement of Habitat for Humanity and its praiseworthy mission.
Along the way, he garnered many awards, including a Nobel Peace Prize. The latter is fitting as he will no doubt be remembered most for his meek, gentle nature, based upon his deep and abiding convictions as a born-again believer in, and follower of, Jesus Christ.
This is likely why Carter prided himself on being known as a man of the people. One way in which he manifested this characteristic was through his habit of personally shaking hands with every single individual on an airplane whenever he flew publicly. Delta airlines CEO confirmed this in a tribute he posted, sharing several pictures of Carter making his way through aircraft cabins greeting passengers one by one.
This latter reminded me of a documentary I once saw on Air Force One. It contained a segment on the day that Nixon resigned and departed Washington D.C. for California aboard Air Force One. The world best remembers this trip as the day Air Force One changed its Call Sign from Air Force One to SAM 27000 mid-flight due to Gerald Ford being sworn in as the new president.
But the documentary contains another poignant moment. When Nixon was departing the airplane, he thanked the pilot, Captain Ralph Albertazzie, and then apologized to him, stating that it had been his attention all along to promote the Air Force officer. He had simply gotten too busy and had kept putting the matter off in light of what he perceived as more pressing issues.
Regrettably, as he was now no longer president, it was too late to act. For all that, he said he was now sorry, and asked the man’s forgiveness. In response, of course, the pilot graciously told him that he understood, and that an apology was not necessary.
I love this story because it reminds us that we need to be careful not to allow the hassles of everyday life, no matter how pressing, to interfere with personal commitments we make to ourselves and to others. We all know how easy this is to do. No doubt many of you, just like me, have similar stories of regret that we could recount.
But what better time is there to commit not to fall prey to such remorse again in the future than at the dawning of a new year?
The Bible is full of stories of people whose lives were full of regret. Samson had regrets. Jonah had regrets. David had regrets. Peter had regrets. Paul had regrets. So did John Mark, as well as a host of others. And yet, the Bible recounts these stories for two primary reasons – first, to show us that everyone is frail, and second, to show us that God gives each of us second chances.
Samson, Jonah, David, Peter, Paul, and John Mark were all given further opportunities in life to do right by their Lord, their fellow man, and themselves. They all did just that. And what is true for them is also true for us.
As 2024 gives way to 2025, do you have regrets over yesterday? Then, I encourage you to look to the Apostle Paul, who admonished the Philippians (chapter 3, verses 13 and 14) to follow his example of "forgetting what lies behind" and instead, "focusing on what lies ahead and pressing on". Thereafter, as he told the Galatians (in chapter 6, verse 10): "as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people."
All of this is to say that we may not be able to undo the mistakes of yesterday; but we can commit to do our best not to repeat them in the future. For our God is a gracious God; and He always gives us second chances. Whenever He does, may we take advantage of these opportunities to do right by Him, by others, and by ourselves.
SOURCES:
https://www.foxnews.com/travel/jimmy-carter-carried-out-travel-ritual-every-time-he-boarded-flight;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VC-137C_SAM_27000.
SCRIPTURE:
https://biblehub.com/philippians/3-13.htm;
https://biblehub.com/galatians/6-10.htm.
NOTE:
I pride myself on thoroughly documenting my sources. For this reason, I am still working to verify the actual documentary containing the story of Nixon and Captain Albertazzie. It is most likely from the History channel’s “MODERN MARVELS: AIR FORCE ONE – A HISTORY” (1997: A&E Television Networks Catalog Number AAE72281). If not, then it is from “Air Force One”, a video documentary released by National Geographic on VHS in 2001 and released on DVD in 2003 (ASIN: B00005MEPQ). Back in the day, these were the only channels we received on cable tv. I will update this posting when I have verified the actual source.
Still, there is no debating the fact that he was America’s most impactful former president. Let alone the fact that he lived to be 100, his life after the White House was marked by multiple accomplishments, including the establishment of the Carter Center and its many endeavors as well the advancement of Habitat for Humanity and its praiseworthy mission.
Along the way, he garnered many awards, including a Nobel Peace Prize. The latter is fitting as he will no doubt be remembered most for his meek, gentle nature, based upon his deep and abiding convictions as a born-again believer in, and follower of, Jesus Christ.
This is likely why Carter prided himself on being known as a man of the people. One way in which he manifested this characteristic was through his habit of personally shaking hands with every single individual on an airplane whenever he flew publicly. Delta airlines CEO confirmed this in a tribute he posted, sharing several pictures of Carter making his way through aircraft cabins greeting passengers one by one.
This latter reminded me of a documentary I once saw on Air Force One. It contained a segment on the day that Nixon resigned and departed Washington D.C. for California aboard Air Force One. The world best remembers this trip as the day Air Force One changed its Call Sign from Air Force One to SAM 27000 mid-flight due to Gerald Ford being sworn in as the new president.
But the documentary contains another poignant moment. When Nixon was departing the airplane, he thanked the pilot, Captain Ralph Albertazzie, and then apologized to him, stating that it had been his attention all along to promote the Air Force officer. He had simply gotten too busy and had kept putting the matter off in light of what he perceived as more pressing issues.
Regrettably, as he was now no longer president, it was too late to act. For all that, he said he was now sorry, and asked the man’s forgiveness. In response, of course, the pilot graciously told him that he understood, and that an apology was not necessary.
I love this story because it reminds us that we need to be careful not to allow the hassles of everyday life, no matter how pressing, to interfere with personal commitments we make to ourselves and to others. We all know how easy this is to do. No doubt many of you, just like me, have similar stories of regret that we could recount.
But what better time is there to commit not to fall prey to such remorse again in the future than at the dawning of a new year?
The Bible is full of stories of people whose lives were full of regret. Samson had regrets. Jonah had regrets. David had regrets. Peter had regrets. Paul had regrets. So did John Mark, as well as a host of others. And yet, the Bible recounts these stories for two primary reasons – first, to show us that everyone is frail, and second, to show us that God gives each of us second chances.
Samson, Jonah, David, Peter, Paul, and John Mark were all given further opportunities in life to do right by their Lord, their fellow man, and themselves. They all did just that. And what is true for them is also true for us.
As 2024 gives way to 2025, do you have regrets over yesterday? Then, I encourage you to look to the Apostle Paul, who admonished the Philippians (chapter 3, verses 13 and 14) to follow his example of "forgetting what lies behind" and instead, "focusing on what lies ahead and pressing on". Thereafter, as he told the Galatians (in chapter 6, verse 10): "as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people."
All of this is to say that we may not be able to undo the mistakes of yesterday; but we can commit to do our best not to repeat them in the future. For our God is a gracious God; and He always gives us second chances. Whenever He does, may we take advantage of these opportunities to do right by Him, by others, and by ourselves.
SOURCES:
https://www.foxnews.com/travel/jimmy-carter-carried-out-travel-ritual-every-time-he-boarded-flight;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VC-137C_SAM_27000.
SCRIPTURE:
https://biblehub.com/philippians/3-13.htm;
https://biblehub.com/galatians/6-10.htm.
NOTE:
I pride myself on thoroughly documenting my sources. For this reason, I am still working to verify the actual documentary containing the story of Nixon and Captain Albertazzie. It is most likely from the History channel’s “MODERN MARVELS: AIR FORCE ONE – A HISTORY” (1997: A&E Television Networks Catalog Number AAE72281). If not, then it is from “Air Force One”, a video documentary released by National Geographic on VHS in 2001 and released on DVD in 2003 (ASIN: B00005MEPQ). Back in the day, these were the only channels we received on cable tv. I will update this posting when I have verified the actual source.