I pledged to blog more frequently, then headed off for a week in a hotel without internet access. So, while they aren’t exactly timely, here are some of my thoughts from the past week.
I stayed in Louisville on Monday night so I wouldn’t have to fight the snow to get to the airport on Tuesday morning. On my ten minute drive to the airport Tuesday morning, I was praying God would keep me safe in the snow and ice so I could make my flight. Then, I looked around and guess what? There were other people on the road and I hadn’t thought to pray for them. I was so consumed with myself that I forgot about all the people around me. There are lots of applications in this one…self absorption, lack of compassion, etc. It bothered me all week. If I don’t care enough about others to pray for them to get through the snow safely, how can I pretend I care about their souls?
Our meetings finished at noon on Friday, so everyone was anxious to get to the airport. Folks were worrying about all kinds of stuff: traffic, getting through security, flights being on time, sunspots, you name it. I was anxious to get home, but I tried not to worry. I’ve done my best to give up worrying about things I can’t control like airline flights. The key for me is putting everything in the context of the power of God. It’s not that I believe God is my genie in a bottle, turning stoplights green to get me through traffic and re-routing storms to keep my flights on time. Instead, I believe in a God who has the power to make good things happen even in the midst of bad things like a missed flight.
The world needs a lot more towns like Mitchell. Big cities and their anonymity really do bring out some bad habits in folks. On my flight home Friday night, an elderly well-dressed gentleman sat next to me reviewing what appeared to be legal briefs. After we stopped at the jetway, I grabbed my backpack and stood up in the aisle to stretch my legs. I glanced over at the well-dressed gentleman and noticed he had buried his thumb in his right nostril. He then proceeded to repeat this procedure with his left nostril. Keep in mind that this wasn’t a graceful quick flick of the nostrils, but a deep and prolonged search that drew a crowd of onlookers. Several folks were staring at this gentleman and he obviously didn’t care. He was secure in his anonymity, knowing he was on a plane with a bunch of strangers. As for me, I like the accountability of Mitchell where friends and family help keep me in line.
