So there we were starting out on what we thought was the normal 35-40 minute drive from our home to Reagan National Airport. We left the house in plenty of time to catch our 10 pm flight, in fact we gave ourselves a little over 3 hours. As we raised the garage door we saw snow falling gently to the ground. What is this? The big storm is not supposed to start until Friday, where is this snow coming from? But no worries, this is only a dusting of an inch so no problems right. Well when you take a light dusting, with 20 degree temps and untreated roads you get the perfect storm. The roads were like an ice rink.
It was one of the more dangerous driving experiences we have ever had. It took us 5 hours to go 15 miles. Fortunately we were right next to Fort Belvoir where we drove into the hospital parking garage. This would be our location for the next several hours as we tried to get some rest while waiting for the roads to clear. We were able to catch our rescheduled flight which left at 6:55 am. What an adventure!
The reason I’m telling this story is not for you to feel sorry for us. It’s to show a couple of things we need to always understand.
First, there are some things we just have no control over. It caught everyone by surprise when that snow hit right in the middle of rush hour. And once it started coming down there was nothing any of us could do to stop it. That’s God’s power being demonstrated. The traffic problems which ensued from the snow and ice were also completely out of my control. I could do nothing to make the cars move any faster. That 10 pm departure of our plane was going to happen whether we were there or not, again something I couldn’t control. So with all these things not in my control even though it would be understandable to get frustrated and upset, what good does it do?At these times we have to step back and ask God what His purpose is in this.
Second, our Fruit Store is always a great resource. I had to reach into my Fruit Store for several bites of Patience last night. I was so worried about meeting my timeline that I could see myself losing patience for those around me. And there was nothing they could do about it, it’s not like they wanted to be stuck out there on the highway with us. I thought if we didn’t catch this 10 pm flight then it would throw everything off. We wouldn’t be able to make the trip out to Minnesota as planned. I needed to take several bites of Faith. Once I realized we weren’t going to make the 10 pm flight I had to take a deep breath and give it over to God. I had to remind myself He has the ultimate plan and all things work together for His plan. If He wanted us to be in Minnesota this weekend, we would get there.
As always He came through! We were able to reschedule the flight at no charge, the hotel room we had reserved in Minneapolis was used by Jen’s sister, and the rental car reservation was pushed back with no problem and we received a free upgrade. And most importantly, we are here in Morris, Minnesota to celebrate the life of Jen’s grandfather who just passed away.
This is just another example in my life of God’s complete control over the moments of our lives. There will be times when we have to fully let go and follow His lead. The circumstances will show us there is nothing we can do to change them. Will we just get frustrated and upset or will we trust in Him to lead the way as He always does!
Truth in Love! ~ Chuck