Jim and I and the girls are on vacation right now and I am really enjoying myself. Other than the bad mood here and there...lol...here's what that was about and I promise there is a point to this rant.
On Thursday night I didn't sleep well. I tend to worry about things at night that are somewhat (totally at times) out of my control. During the day, I'm fine because I'm AWAKE and RATIONAL! But at night, when my brain is only semi-conscious, it goes nuts. On Friday, Jim and I were planning on flying out to a friend's 10th wedding anniversary celebration as a surprise. Normally, I'm a mess about flying because I hate the claustrophobic feeling I get on the plane. On Thursday night, though, this only semi worried me because what I was really worried about was the fact that Jim's elderly mom would be taking care of Becky and Heidi over night while Jim and I were gone. She really is pretty young at heart for being eighty, but you know...age happens! And I wasn't worried about her ability to take care of them while they were at her house; it was the fact that she would be driving with them. I haven't heard any serious horror stories about her driving...only minor ones! The minor ones drove me crazy that night. "What if this is the time we find out she really doesn't drive safely?? Not only she, but my girls are going to be in that car!" This is the main thought that kept me from sleeping well....ugh!
On Friday morning when I got up, the first thing I did was call my sister-in-law who lives near my mom-in-law and asked her how her driving was. I needed to hear that she was decent enough at it, and that is mostly what I heard, besides the fact that she drives too slowly on the freeway and too fast on the residential streets. But, she was just driving to a place nearby to take the girls to a Chinese art reception (they were thrilled! LOL. It's good for them.), so it should be okay. I felt a little better in a sleep deprived way.
So, onto the airport. I had no idea how much had changed...all of it being irritating! Jim has traveled more than I have recently so he was very aware and cautious about taking 3 oz. or smaller bottles for toiletries. I, on the other hand, didn't really think the airport employees would take my tube of toothpaste. Excuse me, I was hiding my tweezers in there! Not. But, really now, instead of keeping my toiletries in a toiletry bag, I now have to store them in a quart-sized zip locked bag? And they really would go to the trouble of taking my tube of toothpaste out and tell me to chuck it??? They did! (I promise this story has a point. It will just take awhile to get to it.) And what's more...Jim was right in telling me they would do that! I thought he was just a being overly cautious...something that irritates me!
We walked up to the security gate, put our purses and bags, etc. into the plastic boxes, and sent them on to be scanned. Only, I didn't realize I needed to take my flip flops off. So I went to walk through the little security arch and I was told to turn back and put the flip flops on the table to be scanned. Wow, I wore those so I wouldn't have to take my shoes off. While I was feeling pissy about that, the lady ahead of me had her belt on, her watch on, and a metal clip holding her high-haired updo together. She started to walk through, heard the beep, walked out exclaiming "Well, who knew this little clip would set that off!" as she tried walking through again while the security guard called someone for a pat-down. (Right now, I think this is pretty funny...but at THAT moment, I wanted to give her my own PAT-down.)
So, I walked through holding back the urge to not give her a dirty look, and without my dangerous flip flops, and gathered my things on the other side of the scanner.
This is about the time I started getting nervous about getting on the plane. I hate getting onto the plane, the crowdedness of it, and how the air feels. I also don't like the window seat anymore because it is so far into the crowded row! I was hoping for an aisle seat, but this time I was smack dab in the middle of two people. Jim was on my right (and that was okay) and on my left sat down a large, hairy man. Not really large, just large compared to the amount of room he had for sitting in his place on the plane. And large enough to take both arm rests and a share of my PERSONAL space. And large enough that whenever he looked for something in his bag several times, he elbowed me, claustrophobic Lisa.
So, as I always do when the claustrophobia sets in, I point the air vent directly down onto me. (This little bit will come up again later, but on a different plane!) Then I pray, and become a little amused that this is all a quiet little hell that I go through...nobody around me on the plane ever knows that I even feel claustrophobic! Interesting that the amusement and prayer part happens almost simultaneously. That happens a lot with prayer...peace will come in just about the same time I start talking to God. I should have started sooner that day!
Did you know that the airline charges for drinks on the plane now? I'm not talking alcohol; I'm talking water being a dollar and a coke being 2 dollars! And that there is a menu in the back of the flight catalog, where you can order a sandwich if you're hungry (as I was)...but as I ordered the sandwich, the flight attendant cut me off and told me this flight was too short. Okay....
The flight went smoothly. I actually enjoy the landing...you know, when the plane is just about to hit land and we come screeching to a halt! I think that part is fun!
We had so much fun at the anniversary party that night!! I really enjoy my friends and it was a great time! Kat & Perley were celebrating their 10th (I think i may have mentioned this earlier) and Kat had no idea we were flying in for it. I love surprising people! I posted a lot of pictures of it at myspace.com/liusenup.
The next day, we headed back to the airport. Again, more surprises for me about how much the traveling rules have changed. We forgot to tell Alyssa not to pack toiletries larger than 3 ounces, so it ended up she had three bottles of things that would potentially have to be thrown away. We decided we would just throw those things into one of her duffel bags and check it in. Ooohhh was I irritated to find out it would cost $15 to check it! We ended up throwing her toiletries away, seeing that it would be less expensive to replace them.
Our flight was leaving at gate A19. We arrived 20 minutes before boarding time. Alyssa and I sat down to relax while Jim went to buy some drinks for us; I was reading the flight information board behind the counter. I don't remember the city it said, but it didn't say "departing to San Jose". Just as I was reading that, there was a loudspeaker announcement saying the the flight for San Jose leaving from gate A19 would now be leaving from gate A5. I called Jim on his cell, and waited a couple minutes for him to get back to our gate. By the time we got to the other gate, it was time to board the plane.
I was hopeful that I wouldn't get stuck in the middle again, but wouldn't you know it...Alyssa at the window, me in the middle, and an even larger man sat down next to me. Jim's seat was in the row ahead of us. I thought about asking the man if he and Jim could switch, but his mom (it appeared) was sitting directly across the aisle from him and I thought they would want to stay near each other since she spoke only Spanish. While I was thinking that, another passenger came up the aisle, approached them, and asked in fluent Spanish if he would mind trading seats with him. I know he asked this question, because the man next to me graciously got up, and this new passenger sat down next to me. I was irritated. This new passenger (I found out his name is Chris) started talking to his traveling partner about how he really needed to get some sleep. Something came over me then (and THIS is the point of my story!!), and I asked him how long he had been traveling. He was told me he was a disaster relief specialist and had been working in Texas for the last few weeks helping out with the hurricane damage. It was at this point that my traveling became positive and I KNOW it wasn't by my doing. Do you ever get that feeling that someone has just prayed for you? Well, my demeanor, my attitude, my claustrophbia, all that subsided. Even when I looked up, as Chris and I were talking, and discovered that there were no air vents on this plane that I could point down on me! He told me that some planes now just have the vents on the side...I have never been in a plane without those little individual air vents...and to me, they are IMPORTANT! But, this time, I laughed it off (sincerely). I know someone prayed for me, because the rest of the flight was a so enjoyable and I forgot about the irritations and closed-in space. This was not by my doing. It was divine intervention. A God-induced peace. A rough road smoothed and not by my own excavating. Somebody prayed. Chris talked to Alyssa and I about his travels, his work, his learning Spanish, etc. Then he took a short nap, woke up and talked some more, all of it fun and interesting.
My favorite part of the conversation was about our Bible reading. I was reading while he was napping (apparently he wasn't in too deep of a sleep...but I couldn't tell because he had his sunglasses on to block out the light) and when he started talking again he asked if I had ever read Revelations. He talked about the symbolism of the beast (something I know only a little about, but it was interesting) and then we talked about how the Bible comes alive when we read. It was great! I suggested for him to read 2 Samuel and then all the cross references over to Psalms while he was reading it. It is about the life of David and a lot of the cross references go to the prayers he prayed while he faced specific situations. Really cool.
God's been talking to me a lot about prayer in the last couple months. And this traveling taught me a little more about prayer (aren't you a little relieved after that long rant? lol. I can be a real pain when it comes to traveling.) It's a fresh reminder to me that when a friend or a family member comes to mind, I want to lift them up because they are being impressed on my mind for a reason. We need each other...and the prayers we lift for each other are powerful and far-reaching, and through Him, able to make a difference in whatever they are experiencing during their day. God will care for our loved ones especially in the moments when they are beyond our reach. So, whoever prayed for me, thank you...it made a huge difference last Saturday.

One of the phrases in a devotional I read today jumped out at me. It said, "One way to weaken your doubts is by strengthening your faith in God." Sometimes we don't see God work until we really step out and follow Him...get our feet wet like the Israelites did when they crossed the Jordan at floodstage (Joshua 3..I really like that passage in my Bible!). By human reasoning, they certainly had reasons to doubt...who would walk through a river even if it wasn't at flood stage? But God told them He would make a dry path. He wants us to get our eyes off the circumstances and onto Him, to be aware of His presence and HIS possibilities. He takes our willingness to trust and obey and does His great work. He calms our fears and give us peace that passes understanding, and we find out once again after we've acted on our faith in Him that He is completely trustworthy.

One of the devotionals I subscribe to is called “Encouragement for Today”—it’s delivered to my email inbox every morning. This morning’s really got me thinking. The verse to introduce the devotional was Hebrews 11:1...”Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” I have known the passage since I was a child and it’s a verse I have loved for a long time. But, with the devotional today, it sank a little deeper into my heart.

When I was eighteen, I was sent to Bible college-not by my choice, but I have to admit God taught me a lot there. This college was ultra conservative, heavy on the rules, and I had a hard time with that. So, when I saw the name David Livingstone in this devotional, I almost skipped reading this one because I first heard about him when I was at this college. But, I read on and I’m glad I did; I know God wanted me to hear this one. It’s about getting out of your comfort zone…something I’ve really been through a lot of in the last year and a half, but it feels like just the beginning. Scary, but exciting, and worth it. I don’t think God wants us staying too long and settling into a comfort zone. So, here’s what it said basically…

David Livingstone was a missionary in Africa and a group of friends sent him a letter while he was there saying that they wanted to send him some men to help with the work. They then asked if David had found a good road yet into his area. David replied saying, “If you have men who will only come if they know there is a good road, I don’t want them. I want men who will come if there is no road at all.”

“I wonder if God thinks this about us sometimes. I wonder if He ever calls us to obedience without showing us the path we will travel, or the end result, just to see what we will do. Kind of like a test. Will we obey without a road map?”

Getting out of our comfort zone to obey God isn’t easy and it is tiring. And I’m not whining…it’s just a fact, isn’t it. God doesn’t call us to serve with the level we are comfortable. I think He calls us to serve at a level beyond our own security so we can really depend on Him. It gets ourselves out of the way so He can be who He is…great and mighty in all His ways.

In order to grow, our faith must be stretch, and that is uncomfortable. But when we act on the call to obey, it shines light on the truth about our faith. Either we decide to trust that God will show up, or we sink back into our easy chair, believing that God’s power is not as strong as my need for comfort and my own security.

We can’t learn “to trust God by reading a book or listening to a great sermon.” Nor do we learn “to trust God by hearing how my friend trusts God.” No, we learn “to trust God by stepping out into an adventure of obedience” and discovering for ourselves that He is completely trustworthy.

“Obeying when God hasn’t revealed the steps along the way or the final destination is challenging. But when we choose to walk by faith and not by sight”, God is glorified because we KNOW we couldn’t have done it on our own!

Every time I have chosen to get involved at The Crossroads, it has resulted in some growing pains. In the beginning, it was helping out in the office. Then it was letting go of my kids and trusting they would survive being in Sunday School with kids they didn’t know. Helping out with planning women’s activities, taking pictures at church, and then helping lead high school Bible studies have all been stretching experiences for me...way out of my comfort zone. Making a decision to take a stand for what was right at the risk of losing a friendship I held dear was a really crucial time for me in trusting and letting God work in my life. But for most of those stretching times (I’m not sure I enjoy planning women’s activities :) ), I knew deep down that I was just being the person God created me to be. And God has hugely blessed in so many ways. My faith has become strong, and so many friendships have resulted in the last couple years.

I also can’t help but think of so many of people in the Bible that chose to trust God in spite of what they saw or didn’t see. Noah built the ark, trusting God that it would rain, and his life and his family’s were saved. I’m thinking David must have had a voice inside of him that told him he was crazy to face Goliath, but he instead chose to listen and act on the voice that reminded him of how God had delivered him from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear and He would surely deliver him from the hand of the Philistine. Daniel trusted God to shut the lions' mouths while he spent the night in their den. Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego had to be a little scared to walk into the HOT furnace, but chose to because they knew they worshipped a living God. I could go on, but the pattern I see is that each one trusted God in the face of an “impossible” circumstance, and their faith grew deeply…because God is trustworthy.

I also think of Jesus, who stretched out his arms out of love and died a painful death for us, surrendering to the will of His Father. Talk about not taking the easy road. He chose His Father’s plan because He knew it was eternally trustworthy.

That's the kind of God we follow...one who is completely trustworthy. He will always have our best interest at heart, even when the path of obedience seems a little scary. We can take a step of faith, because it not only pleases God, but it delights Him. And He loves to bless our courageous steps.

One of my favorite songs...