Keep Calm
Hebrews 12:1 (NKJV)
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us,
and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
The trip out to Thailand was nothing short of hilarious. To begin with I realized at five in the morning that the airport I was flying in to on my first leg was not the airport I was flying out of on the second leg. The airport I was flying out of was actually two hours away. I know what you are thinking..rookie error and you are right. As I shared that with my husband I could sense that he was worried, as I was, but at that moment I made a decision not to stress out and add to his concern but to keep calm and carry on. I went into the next room and called the airline.
"There are no seats available on the flight that you need." Not what I wanted to hear from the agent.
Keep calm..
" Please check again" I said and as she put me on hold I simply sent a prayer up to heaven. You see, I know God can easily find me a seat on a plane..how hard is that for the God that created matter?
"Actually, I was wrong, there is a seat on that flight. Would you like me to put you on it?"
"0f course and thank you!" Carry on.
I had some frequent flyer mileage and so I used it to upgrade my ticket so that I could sit in the seats that fully recline and get some much needed sleep on the thirteen hour flight to Japan. After the plane took off, we realized that the whole row of seats I was sitting in was broken and the seats would not recline. Thirteen hours sitting straight up caused panic in my heart. The plane was fully sold out and the flight attendants were incredibly sympathetic but had no options. The man next to me was very angry and the attendants took the brunt of his anger. I realized I had a choice. I could keep calm and carry on knowing that there was nothing they could do and choose to be kind and gracious towards them, or I could exercise my right to make them miserable.. Either way my seat was going to remain broken.. I chose calm, thanked them for trying and made the best of it which I know they appreciated. They took really great care of me during the flight, genuinely thanked me, and wished me luck on my mission as I left.
Two flights and thirty hours later I arrived in Thailand to find that my driver had the incorrect time and was not at our meeting place. Keep calm and carry on. At this point it was after midnight and the lack of sleep was getting to me. keep calm and carry on. I finally found my driver and began the journey to Pattaya. In the course of communication I also discovered I had neglected to request my own room for the mission..rookie error number two...so I would be be sharing a room when I got to the hotel. This is not typically something I am comfortable with. I am an old lady set in my ways. Sadly, I don't
share space well.. Keep calm and carry on. I arrived at the hotel after two in the morning. The front desk person, hotel manager and two security personnel had a difficult time understanding that, yes I know someone is in the room with my name on it. We are sharing. Yes I know her. We are room sharing. I am supposed to be with her. I realize she is already checked in but I also need to check in to the same room and yes you can DO THIS FOR ME because I am tired and my seat didn't work and I couldn't find my driver and I haven't slept much in thirty hours and am trying to keep calm and carry on! After much discussion I was allowed to go upstairs to my room. It was my intention to get a room by myself the next day but as I lay there thinking about the sweet 19 year old kid who was to be my roomie for the next week I realized that staying would give me an opportunity to bless her both in a financial way by sharing the room cost and also by just being a good example of Christlikeness. Carry on!
I plopped down in bed at almost three in the morning expecting to sleep and my mind, which was still on San Diego time decided to wake up and wanted to mull over all the moments of the past thirty six hours. That is a road I cannot let myself go down so I make a decision to keep my thoughts calm and carry on.
I love that God created me with the ability to choose what I think about and the strength to choose wisely.
Love from the road,
Julie
