Romans 8:28 –  We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose. (HCSB)

My husband and I recently were scheduled to fly from Richmond, VA to Manchester, NH with a quick stop at LaGuardia in NY. The plan was to reach Manchester in time for a late lunch before the leisurely drive to our destination, but plans do not always become reality. Our pilot wanted the passengers to board at the gate where he had just landed. Someone at the dispatch center thought that would inconvenience the passengers. What started as juvenile bickering soon graduated to sarcastic comments and unprofessional behaviors. Each made a call to a supervisor, and passengers’ plans became the causalities of an even more heated battle. The time came when connections were being made in other airports but we sat in Richmond. We sat in Richmond when we should have been smiling as our luggage rode the carrousels. Instead of lunch in a nice restaurant, we snacked on overpriced candy bars as we continued to sit in Richmond. Each tick of the clock caused passengers’ frustration, anxiety, and anger to grow. I felt as if I were living out Ephesians 6:12 and struggling against powers of darkness and evil spirits that day. A man sitting near me pointed to a woman franticly texting through flowing tears and said “She thinks her life is ruined, but I’m okay because I’ve given up all hope.” We finally landed in NY to discover our next flight would be in eight hours. Since spending the night in an airport is not on our bucket list, my husband and I chose to land in Boston, not realizing we would be attempting to locate controls in an unfamiliar rental car in the pouring rain at rush hour just after sunset. So much for the leisurely drive! We arrived at our destination exhausted, many hours behind schedule, and a little damp but safe. The rest of the trip was very uneventful and I am still giving praises for that! I don’t know why two adult men got into a power play where winning the argument became more important than the waiting passengers or maybe Proverbs 12:15 explains it perfectly by saying a fool’s way is right in his own eyes. I don’t know why people allowed their frustrations to control their words or maybe they think James 1:19 advice of being slow to speak and show anger is for those with less important plans. Jesus told us we would have trouble in this world (John 16:33), but He also told us not to copy the behaviors of the world (Romans 12:2). Joyce Van Patten said, “Life can be difficult sometimes, it gets bumpy. What with family and kids and things not going exactly as you planned. But that’s what makes it interesting.” My extended stay in the airport was difficult, things did not go exactly as I had planned, and “interesting” may be a way to describe it. Someday (though not this day) it may even make a funny story!