This summer I did a book study/Bible study with several teacher friends, He Still Moves Stones by Max Lucado. My favorite chapter was about Jesus’ first miracle. Strangely, He didn’t start out with raising people from the dead or giving sight to the blind, choosing rather to simply help out a friend who was in a bind. To save a friend from the embarrassment of running out of wine at his wedding, Jesus rescued him by changing water into wine – not just any wine – the finest wine. The message of that chapter was that He will do the same for us today. We don’t have to limit our prayers to grand events like wiping out disease or achieving peace between warring nations. It’s ok to make requests for our own personal needs – great or small.
Sunday afternoon it was time to say goodbye to a wonderful weekend in Chicago spent with Darrell, Jonathan & Erica. It was also time to say goodbye to a wonderful summer and get my butt back home to return to the teacher start of school the next day. Darrell, Jonathan & Erica were driving back to Springfield after they dropped me off at the airport. As we neared O’Hare it was just starting to rain – perfect timing – no rain on our baseball game at Wrigley Field, no rain on our viewing of the Air Show or the fireworks, no rain on our boat tour & walks through the city. As I waited at my gate for the plane, the rain turned into a pounding storm & my flight was delayed. A little nagging thought was “Will I make my connection?” There came a dreaded announcement that my flight was canceled and all other flights to my destination were oversold. “Call our 800# and see what they can do to help you rebook your travel plans.” Eek, my nagging thoughts changed to momentary panic. I was by myself looking at spending the night at the airport. No, no, no! My first call gave me all the times for flights the next morning and I was telling the lady how that would not do because I had to be back at work at 7:45 am – how silly, like that would change a schedule for American Airlines, what was I thinking?
Then I started praying & it was not even a nice prayer – more like, “Please God Get Me out of O’Hare and Back Home Soon!” Guess what He did! My next call was answered by a lady who said she could help me. She told me to start walking down the terminal to a certain gate number and she would have me on the list by the time I got there for a direct flight out to DFW leaving in a half hour. I had not even given her my name & I asked her if she needed more information (I’m a doubter) and she said she had all my info in front of her. I asked if I needed her to stay on the phone with me (I’m still a doubter) & she said no just hang up and walk on. When I got to the gate where she had sent me there were lots of people waiting in line & some were shouting their complaints. While I waited in line I watched the list of names scrolling on the screen for the 52 people who were on standby. (I’m even more of a doubter now.) When I had my turn to talk to an agent I gave her my old boarding pass & told her I was sent there. She punched a few keys on her computer and a new boarding pass was in my hand for a direct flight to DFW that was scheduled to put me home 2 hours before my original flight with a connection. Remember the old Monkees song, Now I’m A Believer? God worked a small miracle for me & I am so grateful. I just had to pass on this wonderful story – what a blessing to be helped out of a bind!
No comments:
Post a Comment