Ezra 8:21Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might deny ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our possessions.
Every May, my husband, Danny, attends annual business meetings in Washington, D.C. Due to working and the boys being underage, I have never accompany him. Not so this year!
As excited as I am at the prospect of seeing our nation's capitol and spending time with Danny, there is one dreadful aspect I am not looking forward to.
Flying!
I have not been in an airplane for 23 years. Flying made me nervous enough then. Shake and stir vivid memories of 9/11, and full-blown anxiety takes hold. Thoughts of being 30,000 feet in the air with only a metal casing separating me from the wild blue yonder doesn't help either.
But, I have to do this. I want to do this. So, instead of dwelling on all the imagined disasters that could befall an aircraft, I focus on the destination and the fun we will share once we arrive.
And, I pray. A LOT!
Weeks prior to our trip, when apprehensions rear their ugly heads, I quell them by praying to God for travel mercies. I ask Him to bless our flights and see us safely to and from D.C. These never fail to soothe me. God assures me that everything, as always, is in His most capable hands.
So, how, you ask, does this flight turn out?
Super!!!
Except for the tears that inadvertently escape during the first take-off, a stomach bouncing like a kid on a trampoline, and my hand squeezing Danny's for dear life, the rest is fine.
The kind and attentive stewards and stewardesses are so compassionate. They read perfectly the initial distress on my face when I board. They stop by to speak words of comfort, offer extra snacks, and one even asks if he can get me a drink, and I don't mean Coca-cola.
It's ten in the morning . . .
His thoughtful gesture is so appreciated, but I politely decline.
These are, indeed, friendly skies after all!
By the time we board our flight for home, I am all smiles. I even manage to gaze out the window and revel in the billowing clouds and stunning sunshine.
I feel safe. I feel secure. And, I know . . .
I am cradled in the hands of God.
~
The next time you are planning a trip or vacation, will you pray for travel mercies?
Will you pray with me?
Help us to always remember, dear Lord, that all our going ins and coming outs are known to you. May we have faith and trust in your constant care. Remind us to fear nothing, for You are with us. Amen.
*Back in October, I promised to list for every day in November something for which I am grateful. Okay, I messed up. Here it is, November 4th, and I just now recalled my pledge. Think I could learn something from my own post yesterday entitled, "But, You Promised"? :) So, I'll give you the recap and then it's on to the scripture readings for today.
I am thankful for:
My God (Nov.1)
My husband (Nov. 2)
My health (Nov. 3)
My grandchild (Nov.4)
Readings:
Psalms 69:1-23 (24-30) or 73
Ezra 7:27-28; 8:21-36
Revelation 15:1-8
Matthew 14:13-21
my pray is this " god i am going __________ to do this would you like to come along as my guest it will fun if you are there." fill in the blank. i always comes along . god bless
ReplyDeleteLife is unpredictable,but I guess we need to have faith in God.
ReplyDeleteHi, Roy and Alpana! Thanks for stopping by today!
ReplyDelete@Roy - I love your prayer! It's the perfect invitation to Him.
@Alpana - Putting our trust and faith in God is everything.
Blessings to you both! :)
I flew a few times, to go to Germany to live when I was a child. It didn't phase me then, but now I'm not sure there would be any way I could :D
ReplyDeleteGood for you Martha, for trusting in God and not letting your fears get the best of you! My family and I took a plane ride to and from Florida a couple of months ago, and I have to admit, I loved the flight! I love the view from the window...I could do without the kids asking me every couple of minutes when we are going to be there though lol
ReplyDeleteIf you're leaving on a Jet Plane, will you be back again?
ReplyDeleteSometimes our anticipation of a situation is far worse than it actually is - and then we're very pleasantly surprised. I'm travelling on Monday and will be thinking of this reflection very much...Thanks, Martha.
ReplyDeleteI am so delighted that you wrote these words:
ReplyDelete"I feel safe. I feel secure. And, I know . . .
I am cradled in the hands of God." and meant them. I was going to tell you that I love to fly because it makes me feel even closer to God when we are up so high above the clouds. I do pray when we are landing especially if I'm on an economy airline. People also ask for traveling mercies more than protection, I notice. I think they go hand in hand.
Thank you J.R., Jessica, Debra, Corinne, and Galer for stopping by! I'm sorry I didn't respond earlier; please, forgive.
ReplyDelete@J.R. - Yes, you can! :)
@Jessica - I remember those days with my kids. :) So glad you love flying!
@Debra - Yes, I'll be back!:)
@Corinne - Have a glorious trip!
@Galer - it's so nice to see you here! Mercies and protection - I'll remember that for sure. Thank you for the compliment on the writing; the encouragement is always appreciated.
Blessings to all!