Delayed

DELAYED. The words screamed at me. I sighed, there was nothing I could do but wait. Eventually the plane arrived and we boarded. Relieved, I settled into my seat for the flight from Little Rock Arkansas to Dallas-Fort Worth Texas. It is just a hop, skip, and a jump of a journey but every second counted.  The descent into DFW airport seemed to take forever. Of course it didn’t take any longer than normal but I was getting a little anxious as I had to get a connecting flight to Los Angeles California and then on to New Zealand.

As soon as I was off the plane, I donned my backpack and took off running. At this point I was thankful that I was familiar with the airport. I took the Sky Train to my next terminal, then ran to the appropriate gate. It was cutting it close and I was breathless to say the least. A large crowd of people were standing at the American Airlines gate when I arrived. I assumed the boarding process had commenced. I was wrong.

DELAYED. A fellow passenger told me there were security checks.

At last we boarded the Dallas to Los Angeles flight.  When we touched down in LA the captain announced there was a DELAY at the docking gate, another plane was there so we sat on the runway. I was anxious, I didn’t know this airport and I didn’t want to miss my connecting flight to New Zealand.

“International terminal?” I asked the desk clerk. She pointed left and told me to go down the steps. Hurriedly I made my way and at the bottom of the steps I asked again. “Go outside and turn left, it’s the next terminal,” I was told. I followed the instructions.  I went outside where it was raining.  I was tired and I was not impressed with Los Angeles airport.

The international terminal was huge and quiet with very little activity. It was almost midnight and I knew in my heart I had missed my plane but I had to try. I imagined them calling my name overhead but all I heard was silence. I couldn’t even find the Tahiti Nui Airline desk that I was suppose to report to. I felt lost and alone in a foreign land.  Okay, I know I was still in the states but just saying I was out of my comfort zone.

My flight had indeed left without me and I would have to reschedule. This entailed going back to American Airlines terminal and back outside into the rain. I was not amused.

I found the rescheduling area and lined up with the multitude who also had missed connections. The desk clerk told me the next flight was in two days. “Do you have anything else?” I politely enquired. She eventually found a direct flight on Air New Zealand. Thank you heavenly father!

After a short sleep in a nearby motel I was back at the airport by lunch time. It’s surprising how different things look in the light.  What seemed like a cold and unfriendly place during the night was now a hive of activity with plenty of people to guide me on my way.

My journey was plagued with problems and my reaction was not always one of calm composure. I didn’t get mad at anyone and I remained polite but on the inside it was a different story. A war was going on. I grumbled and complained about the DELAYS and about missing my international flight. I was not at peace.

I sighed with relief as I buckled myself into the seat on board the plane bound for New Zealand. Subconsciously I told myself that it was safe to relax, I was on my way with no more DELAYS. The truth is the Lord had me in his hands all the time.  It was always safe to relax. I was always on my way, just not on the schedule I had booked through the airline.

“God’s Timing is Perfect”

I arrived a day later than the original plan and unknown to me, when I rescheduled, my friend had already booked us on a flight to Queenstown South Island which would be departing at 10.30 am. Before the desk clerk found my Air New Zealand flight she had offered a flight on Qantas Airline with a stopover in Brisbane, Australia. That flight was scheduled to arrive in Auckland mid afternoon. I was tempted but turned it down, it just didn’t sit right with me. My rescheduled flight arrived at 8am allowing me plenty of time to clear customs, meet my friend and catch the 10.30am flight.

God’s timing is perfect.

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Deuteronomy 31:8

Maybe you are in a time of delay or are now seeing the fulfillment of God’s perfect timing in your life. I would love to hear your story, feel free to leave me a comment.

Helena

*Disclaimer: I am not being paid by the above mentioned airlines to include them in my blog. They just happen to be part of my journey to New Zealand.