A desire to visit with his mom prompted the decision to head south.
His mother hasn't seen him since the accident and it will do both the mother and son good to spend some time together.
Our visit will be thirteen days in length and includes a couple of days with his aunt, which we are just concluding, and the opportunity to attend a special young woman's wedding!
We had our boarding passes in hand, so once we had checked our luggage in at the curb, we headed to the gate. Of course, one cannot get to the gate without getting past the scrutiny of the TSA!
My honey must have looked suspicious to the staff because he was taken aside for a more detailed examination.
I was bothered as I watched them manhandle him. If they moved or touched his arm one more time I was going to clock somebody! (I was a little out of sorts, as I am in some pain from sore ribs-thanks to a major muscle spasm!)
Before leaving home Ray went looking for a hat to take with him. He briefly entertained his retiree hat that a friend gave him as a joke. It is a bright red fisherman's hat that is covered with patches and badges with silly comments about being retired. I told him to choose something a little more subdued if he intended to walk alongside his wife. Watching the TSA in action made me think that I should have let him wear that hat. Maybe he wouldn't have looked so much like a terrorist then!
Ray seemed to appreciate the attention. My dear friend Joan suggested that it made sense. One minute he was the mild-mannered retiree, the next minute Steve McQueen!
Meanwhile, all I wanted was to finish up and get a little something for my rumbling tummy before having to board the plane...
Muffins in hand we made our way to our gate...
Along our route was a shoeshine stand with two men in earnest conversation....
I only heard a few words as we passed by...
"Oh no, you see faith is believing with your heart...."
Right there among all the hubbub of the airport, with my heart and mind a little grumpy those words broke into my awareness.
That man was focused on what mattered. He was sharing the essence of life!
God's grace in evidence there!
Once settled into our seats on the plane I took some time to study and meditate on Psalm One Hundred and Three. As I did His peace settled over me.
By His grace!
As I reflected, I wrote and a page and a half of my journal is now filled with the reasons I found in that Psalm for blessing Papa.
Here's a few:
His Holy Name - He is worthy.
Redeems my life!
Loving kindness!
Compassion!
He looks at me as a Father!
There are many more, but I would encourage you to find the rest and claim them for yourself...
The bottom line of all of that is found in that psalm can be summed up in one word: Forgiveness!
Spending time in His Word was a grace in itself.
I began to recognize more evidence of his grace...
That my honey was calm during TSA's search...
The kind woman who sat on the other side of Ray on the plane and acted very thoughtfully...
The worship station I found to listen to for most of the trip...
Additional thoughts that came from Psalm One Hundred and Four...
Papa cares for all of His creation. He did not, nor does He create and then ignore any of it or us!
It is His Spirit that breathes life into us at conception and then when we are born into His Kingdom.
The Seventeenth chapter of Acts,verse twenty-five speaks of this also.
"..since He Himself gives to all life and breath and all things..."
Now that gives more than a glimpse of grace!
No comments:
Post a Comment