Dear fellow Doves:

Thursday night my wife and I had the extreme pleasure of personally meeting and having fellowship with fellow Dove and e-mail friend, Dan Cooney.  Dan is the nephew of Jerry and Arlis Cooney, all three long-time Dove readers and posters.

Dan is a career pilot (captain) for American Airlines and lives in the mid-west.  He e-mailed me the other day and said he was bringing a flight into our city and wanted to take us out to dinner.  Unfortunately, Dan's wife, Cathy, was not with him.  She is a flight attendant for another airline.  (Some family!)

We picked him up at his hotel.  He picked out a ritzy steak house, and we had one of the most delicious filet mignon steaks I have ever eaten.  Thanks again, Dan!

But most important, in our booth we chatted on and on for about three hours.  They almost had to kick us out.  It was good though because I think we resolved just about every theological issue facing the  church for the last 2,000 years, including the time of the rapture.  Clearly confirming this, I noticed our parking stub was stamped in large letters with the number 153!  (That's no joke about the parking stub but just kidding about the time of the rapture.  But you never know!)

Dan is an affable and super-bright guy who is very knowledgeable of the Bible and the prophetic Scriptures.  He shared with us some fascinating insights.  The fellowship was very intellectually and spiritually stimulating. 

I remembered that of all the active Dove readers and posters, the only ones I have ever met personally have been the Cooneys -- Dan, Jerry, and Arlis -- friend Dr. James Ross, and Anita and Matt Mashborn.  In the 1990s I met original Doves Randy Bullock and Paul Brown and their wives.  I am still in contact with Paul, who doesn't post but is still running his awesome 1/4-page "Christ's soon return" advertisement in major newspapers all over the country, with the plan of salvation.  What an incredible, nationwide witness!  Paul now has it online at http://www.christssoonreturn.com/.

It was like Dan and I had known each other for many years.  That's the way it is going to be after the rapture for all of us.

Won't that be fun?

Thanks again, Dan.  I count it a privilege to know you.  You are a blessing.

Jim