Look for the Good!

So, last week I took my first flight since COVID began.  I know, people have been flying all along and it shouldn’t be a big deal.  However, I’m a safety and health professional and since I understand the science around COVID, I just hadn’t felt comfortable about being on a plane for hours.  All that said, I bit the bullet and took a trip to hang out with a girl friend from college.  I hadn’t seen her in about 5 years and we were overdue to hang out and catch up.  I also had plans to see another good friend during the trip.   

To say the least, it was an interesting trip.  Let me lay it out for you.  I got to the airport Saturday morning and after getting through the chaos was able to find a parking space in a remote part of the parking lot.  The crowds were crazy and we had to wait for a while for a shuttle to the terminal, but we got there and after I checked my bag, it was a relative breeze through security (thanks CLEAR) and then just the wait until the plane boarded…..except it didn’t.  My flight was CANCELLED, not delayed, but cancelled…..10 minutes before we were to take off.  So after taking a few deep breaths and calling Delta to try and rebook my flight, I found out there was not another flight to get me to my destination on Saturday.  So a quick trip to baggage found that I had been rebooked and couldn’t get my checked bag back.  So the airline held onto my bag with the intention of sending it when I flew the next day.  So, I went home, got into my PJs to relax.  A few hours later, I got a call back from Delta and the agent rebooked me again on a direct flight (since the automatic rebooking was a flight with a layover).  She also confirmed that my bag would fly with me the next day, which would have been great except I got a text a few hours later informing me that my bag was on the carousel at my destination.  Thankfully, the airline had it and held it for me.

Sunday morning was a return trip to the airport after a great night’s sleep in my own bed.  I found an easy parking space upfront, got picked up within a couple of minutes of parking, breezed through security, and boarded the plan with no issues.  We took off on time.  I watched two movies on the flight and we arrived with no issues.  I went straight to baggage and picked up my bag which was waiting for me and was checking in my hotel shortly thereafter.  It was a one of the easiest trips I’ve taken.  The chaos on Saturday could have caused me to through in the towel for the entire trip, but when my flight was cancelled, I focused on the Lord and His plans for me. See, I don’t believe in coincidence – I believe everything happens for a reason. So, given that - what might He have been protecting me from – dangers seen and unseen (Psalm 91)?  Was this an opportunity for me to get some much needed rest?  What else could He be doing? I don’t know and I ultimately don’t need to.  God is in control and if I focus on Him, I can see the good coming out of even the most chaotic of situations (Rom 8:28).  One thing about this life is for us to stay open to the possibilities of things being different than we expect and continue pressing forward. 

Yes, the beginning of the trip was totally unexpected and somewhat frustrating, but I had the best time with a couple of really good friends that I otherwise would have missed.  After the initial issues, I appreciated the trip even more.  So, when you experience frustrating or even disappointing moments, keep your focus on the Father and look for the good in those moments.  It’s always there.