Years ago there was a team from Williamson’s Chapel that had spent a week in the Deaf Village of Mandeville, Jamaica. We began our journey back by arriving at the airport bright and early at 6:00 am. People were happy, the week had been productive, the village was continuing to become self-sustaining with their factory and gardening; all was well in our small part of the world.
Until . . . we looked out the airport windows at our gate and saw that the fluffy slide that comes out in times of emergency had been deployed.
Many inside the airport got a chuckle by watching those standing around the slide with their chins in their hands or rubbing their temple. Clearly, they knew they had a problem but were not quite sure how to go about solving it.
The chuckled ended, however, when one of our team members who previously worked for U.S. Air explained the process of what had to happen before our flight would be able to take back off. I can’t remember the details but something about another slide, putting it inside the plane, etc.. A few minutes later we heard airline personnel explaining there was not another slide on the island. One would be flown in from Tennessee.
Sadly, this took allllllllll day, so the 35 folks from WCUMC were trying not to become restless as we awaited our fate to come home.
By the end of the day, we were told that we had been rebooked on other flights on Sunday and we were going to be taken to a hotel on the island. We all were picturing some of the “unique” hotels we passed on our drive into Montego Bay so we awaited our fate with trepidation.
We were elated to find out we were being taken to the RIU.
It was amazing . . . gorgeous pool, great food, and beverages, just a great night all around.
Saturday Andrew, Layne (our kids), and I began our journey home after a great family vacation. Scott had returned to work earlier in the week, but we had the room for the week so it seemed like a great reason to stay for two more days.
I’d read about the frigid weather on the East Coast but did not imagine it would impact a flight to Charlotte from Aruba. After MANY hours (like 4) waiting in line to get through check-in, TSA, and customs, we were finally at our gate. I was deep in prepping for Sunday when Andrew walked up and showed me his phone.
“No way!” I exclaimed, a little too loudly. “I have to get home.”
Then, as people around began staring, I realized that no one else seemed to be getting notifications on their phones, so they did not know the flight was canceled
Over the next several hours, it was interesting to watch our human interactions. Flight cancellations don’t bring out the best in people.
Based on prior experience, we knew they would “fix it” and it was beyond our control. So we did our best to “chill.”
Knowing that West can TOTALLY exist without me, I began devising a plan to make sure my part for Sunday was covered and then decided I was going to enjoy my bucket list desire . . . “Being stranded on a Caribbean island.”
I’ll finish the story in tomorrow’s devotion, but the question for today is . . .
When we feel stuck/stranded, what kinds of plans do we start working on so that we can get out of the situation?
Do we embrace the situations with tenacity to solve the problem, or do we resign ourselves that things can’t change?
Once demolition occurs in our lives, the rebuilding/renovation process must begin. Else we end up with homes/souls that are sitting in a stagnate state.
Are you ready to start rebuilding?
If so, how?
James 1:2-4 The Message (MSG)
Faith Under Pressure
2-4 Consider it a sheer gift, friends when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.