The Mixed-Up Flight

   On the way home from the United Kingdom and Ireland, Al and I were looking forward to sleeping, or at least resting.

   “Well, do you want the bad news?” asked our tour guide, David, the afternoon before our departure. “Your flight leaves from Edinburg at 6:30 a.m., which means that a taxi will pick you up from the hotel at 4:00 a.m.!”

   Somehow we managed to get up in the middle of the night, pack the suitcases and meet David, who waiting for us in the lobby, on time. After thanking him and saying good-bye, we hurried into the taxi, hoping and praying that nothing had been left in the dark on the curbside.

    More ‘bad news’ at the airport—the flight had been cancelled! All of the passengers were sent to a different section of the building where one poor staff person was trying to sort things out and get everybody rebooked on a new flight.

    The final result after a couple more snafus was that an agent booked us on a different airline to London instead of the original flight which went through Paris. It was great to have our boarding passes in hand, but a little disconcerting that the plane was leaving at 7:00 a.m., giving us less than an hour to get though security before boarding.

    In spite of the worries, everything worked out well, a wonderful answer to our prayers for help. We would be arriving in LA even earlier than with the original ticket. I wondered what the Lord was up to, having learned that when things like this happen it is usually for a reason.    

    The flight to London was fast and non-eventful…a good time to close our weary eyes. However, there was more stress at that airport because we couldn’t find the right gate and nearly boarded a bus for a different terminal. A kind but harried agent redirected us back to the area where we had arrived just in time to board the second plane. Whew!

    Until then, neither Al nor I had noticed that our seats were several rows apart. Trading wasn’t an option. We had to be content with waving to each other over the heads of the people in the rows between us. He was on the end of a row, sitting with a European family going to the U.S. for a ‘holiday,’ while I was wedged in between three athletes going to the Iron Man triathlon in Kona, Hawaii.

   The two lanky guys on one side of me were from Belgium and a twenty-year old girl named Julie, from Switzerland, sat on the other side. They all spoke several languages, but used mostly Flemish with each other and English so that I could understand.

     By the time we landed in Los Angeles, after spending eleven hours in very tight quarters, we had all become pretty good friends. The time went by quickly due to good conversations, meals, a few naps and plenty of opportunities to pray! Julie was especially nervous about landing so I shared that God was taking care of us and prayed for her silently as the plane touched down.

    Traveling helps me appreciate my wonderful country, our peaceful home in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range and especially the God who is constantly with us, protecting, guiding and sustaining us through all of our adventures.

“This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him; and he delivers them. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.” Psalm 34: 6-8 NIV.  May our hearts be filled with gratitude. He loves us! Happy Thanksgiving!