In the airport in Atlanta I had a pleasant conversation with a lady traveling to Jacksonville, FL, on business. On the plane, God blessed me with a new friend. This entertainer, who loves to travel and perform in musicals, had recently lost her daddy. She told me the wonderful story of his love for her, her Mom, and their family. I am sure I will get to meet him in heaven one day. And, I hope to catch her performance at the Fox Theater later this spring. What a blessing to meet her and offer God's comfort over the loss of her Dad. She loves, respects, and misses him greatly.
Also, I met an old friend on the plane. I had not seen him for 10 years or more. Besides a few sentences exchanged on Facebook, we'd lost track of each other. As I walked down the aisle of the plane - which seem to be narrower than they used to be (either that or I can't drive roll cases as well as before) - I heard him call my name and we exchanged greetings then met at the airport to arrange a meeting while I am in Florida for the conference. How cool to have made 3 great connections so quickly.
Then came the Jacksonville Airport where I was to wait outside Baggage Claim for my prearranged (or so I thought) shuttle to take me to the hotel. I waited.....and waited....and tried to give them the benefit of the doubt since our plane had arrived early and I had had no baggage to claim. I did finally get a call through to the agency to find that my reservation didn't actually "take" when I made it online in Atlanta 3 hours earlier. So, the lady, with whom I spoke on my 3rd or 4th attempt to call, made a real reservation. I waited....and waited....and - you get the picture. Another kind lady at the ground transportation kiosk helped me get the correct number for the shuttle dispatcher.
I was about to get really steamed but the Holy Spirit touched down to say, "You are in no hurry. Just enjoy the scenery and relax." I did, but I still was fighting the urge to tell my story as soon as the "big blue van" appeared. I waited some more and finally a Yellow Cab not a "big blue van" pulled up nearby (by that time I was about to jump in any public transit and go). The gentleman (we will call him Paulo for confidentiality's sake) motioned for me and told me he was my ride to the hotel. Great!
Paulo had recently lost an 18 month-old son to accidental suffocation. Don't know details but that was enough. Paulo's remorse and pain was palpable. He questioned himself and his God. He didn't understand and neither did I. But for the next 10-15 minutes sitting in the parking area at the hotel, I listened and comforted (or tried to) and gave him scriptural direction, which he'd requested, then outside the cab in front of onlookers we prayed. I thank my God for that opportunity and what He taught me about being still, listening, not getting my priorities out of sync with His.
Getting to the hotel was not the issue. Getting to know the people and loving them in Jesus' name is always the greater issue.
In this case and I pray from now on, I will show Christ and my transformed "new self" to the world not the dark side of my old self. That unproductive reactions of the old me are a waste of life and precious time when so many need so much from our Abba Father.
He is always ready with the provision...many times through you and me.
Be blessed, my friends!
