Last Friday I sat in the Cleveland airport for 10 hours watching flight after flight get cancelled. Since it was a holiday weekend and all flights were booked for the next several days, there was no chance of me getting home to Chicago by air in time to teach at the Saturday services. So early Saturday morning I hopped in my mom's bright yellow VW bug and made the trek by land through fog, wind, and rain to make it back to the Yellow Box. For those of you who follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you might have lived the ordeal with me. But today I am feeling like the entire thing was a bit of grace. My travel headache turned into...
- A teaching illustration that fit perfectly with the talk I was giving Saturday and Sunday. I didn't like the opening of the talk before all of this happened. I got back to the Yellow Box just in time to rewrite the beginning and ending and I think it made the entire thing work. One of my co-workers said to me today: "My wife and I were talking and we kind of wonder if no matter what you did you were going to have to go through that ordeal for the purpose of that teaching." Who knows? Maybe that's true. Regardless, it took an irritating situation and made it worthwhile to me. (If you are interested, the video of the talk is up on our church website).
- An impending visit from my entire family! Next week my entire family is coming to visit me for 3 nights and retrieve the borrowed car. I've never had them all here at the same time...never anywhere I've lived for that matter. I think we all decided this would be a good opportunity. How fun!
- A solution to a transportation need. This morning I drove my normally problem-free car to work and the heat was out. A little later the "Check Engine" light came on. I left work a little early to take it to the shop and had to leave it there. Still don't know what's wrong. But even if it takes a week for them to fix it, I don't have to worry. I just happened to have a spare bright yellow car on hand as a back-up. What normally would have created a pretty big disruption in my life isn't even noticible. Well, until I get the bill. But for now I'll just be thankful for the provision.
Who knew that cancelled flights could turn out so good? Kind of reminds me to roll with the other punches a little better too. There usually is a bit of grace to be found in our problems.
Loved your presentation! I listened to it this afternoon and laughed out loud at the thought that just because you ride in a yellow bug, people automatically think you are a cheery person!! I did enjoy the serious parts as well!!! : ) Amazing how the story had such a wonderful way of making your points come to life! I am blessed! Glad you have the provision of the yellow dot and what an awesome way to spend the first part of 2009!! Praying you all enjoy!
Posted by: Heidi | December 30, 2008 at 10:03 PM