Texas, Here We Come!

 

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” *

When Al’s daughter, Shanda, was little, he used to sing this song to her: “Why worry, when you can pray? Trust Jesus, He’ll show you the way. Don’t be a doubting Thomas, just rest upon His promise. Why worry, worry, worry, worry when you can pray?” (John W. Peterson)

After all these years, we are still learning how to trust Jesus, instead of worrying about things. Recently Al and I had the opportunity to exercise our faith when we planned on flying to Texas to reunite with lifelong friends from college days, Joe and JoAnn Payne from Waco, and Paula and Steve Koch from California.

Although we have traveled extensively in the past, we were feeling somewhat unsure this time around. The aging process and all the issues that have come along with it have complicated things. Since standing in long lines at the airport and walking from the terminal to the gate with our carry-on baggage would be challenging for Al, he signed up for wheelchair assistance ahead of time.

Once the plane reservations and airport parking at DTW had been made, we were committed. Hotel rooms were reserved for one night along the Riverwalk; and tickets were purchased ahead of time for two tours in San Antonio—the Alamo and the Natural Bridge Caverns.

Not only were we looking forward to reuniting with our friends, another incentive to going was that the totality of the solar eclipse would be visible from Waco where the Paynes lived. So Monday night found us at a hotel near the DTW, packed and excited although somewhat apprehensive.

We were surprised to discover that the airport parking lot was across the street from the hotel. The hotel clerk kindly reassured us that there would be a shuttle to meet us at the entrance gate, even at 5:00 a.m. and direct us to a parking space. Then it would transport us directly to the terminal.

From that first helpful clerk to the end of our journey, people seemed to appear right when we needed them. It was apparent that the Lord was in control! A wheelchair attendant met us at the terminal, took us to the baggage check-in, went with us through the security checkpoint and stayed with us until we were safely at the gate with time to spare.

Our seats were even upgraded so that Al and I could sit together, me in the middle seat and Al on the row. Perfect! When I happened to scrape my arm and needed a band-aid, another employee came to my rescue.

While she was doctoring my arm, she shared the pain of losing her young daughter-in-law to cancer. I understood her pain, and offered to pray for her.

“And I will pray for you,” she said when I told her about Shanda’s passing in November. 

While sitting at the gate waiting for the call to board the plane, I talked to the woman next to me a bit. She and her husband, a pastor from Livonia, Michigan, were also staying in a hotel in San Antonio on the Riverwalk.

“Would it be possible for us to ride together and share the cost?” I wondered.

It turned out that our hotels were just two blocks apart. After a very smooth and enjoyable flight, we met the couple at the baggage pick-up area and rented a taxi with them at a very reasonable rate.

When Paula and Steve arrived from California later that afternoon, we had a wonderful reunion. The restaurant, recommended by the young lady sitting next to me in the window seat on the plane was perfect, with outdoors dining on the Riverwalk. The four of us enjoyed a nice walk together back to the hotel following a colorfully lit path along the canal.  

Al and I were happy to call it a day, knowing that the next morning Joe and JoAnn Payne would be picking up the four of us from the hotel to tour the Alamo and the caverns before taking us to their home in Waco.

Thinking back to the events of that day, it was apparent that the Lord was in control. “Why worry when you can pray?” He is with us!

Stay tuned for more of our Texas adventure…

*Isaiah 41: 10 NIV