How Was Your Christmas?
Ours started out swimmingly – somehow both of our sons’ families were able to schedule time off from surgical call schedules and business end of year demands to spend 3 days together with a travel day on each side. Seven cousins and six adults had an amazing 72 hours celebrating – just talking, laughing, catching up, watching a few football games, eating meals cooking in and going out, and playing video games. We decorated Christmas cookies, played football in the back yard, walked through the Cincinnati zoo light festival, ate famous Graeter’s ice cream, finished last-minute shopping and enjoyed a pre-Christmas present opening. The dads even found time to sneak across the Ohio River into Kentucky and do a bourbon tasting at a distillery where our son knows the COO. So much celebration of family in 3 days.
Then the Texas Isbells headed home Christmas Eve morning – son and family on Delta Airlines nonstop to Austin, Mimi and Newt on American to Dallas to retrieve our car. What should have been a 3 hour trip for us to DFW turned into a 24 hour extravaganza of almost any annoying airline problem you could have. From technical glitches that grounded all AA flights in the US, to weather problems at DFW, then mechanical issues after we were diverted to Chicago O’Hare, our morning was filled with disappointment after disappointment. As our new plane pulled finally back from our gate at 5:40 and set off on the tarmac for DFW, the passengers, now diminished in number by many seeking other routes for connections, all breathed a sigh of relief. We would be home on Christmas Eve.
But alas, our pilot apologized once again…DFW said we could not take off because they were too backlogged with flights due to weather. We crept back to the gate, got off to stretch our legs, and were told to stay in the gate area so we could leave as soon as DFW gave the OK. At 9:15pm a new crew arrived as time ran out on the original crew, and we felt certain we would be in Dallas before midnight. But alas…again…DFW refused our attempt to land and said we would have to wait until Christmas morning. A quick overnight without luggage, 4 hours sleep in the O’Hare Hilton, a bleary-eyed walk back to the gate, and we finally were on our way. Got home at 7:15am Christmas morning, then drove 2 and a half hours home to be greeted by our son and his family who had patiently waited on us for Christmas brunch and present opening. Sweet.
As always in life, when these things happen, I ponder and reflect, cogitate and dissect and ask God if there are good reasons for what happened. The interminable waiting and lack of information, the questions that were never answered – our patience was stretched thing. And we can’t get Christmas Eve services back, time with family, Christmas morning when the grandkids see what Santa brought. It’s all gone – not retrievable. Which is very sad. But there are always life lessons in these issues…and we did arrive safely, despite the enormity of our sadness at missing much of Christmas.
So ask and ye shall receive – God immediately showed me 2 lessons – one I would say deeply spiritual and one very practical.
Lesson #1 – how long did Israel wait for the promised Messiah? Talk about some patience? “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus,” a Charles Wesley Christmas hymn, took on new meaning. God reminded me of the faithfulness of his people to look for the Messiah, though he tarry, keep looking. God had a plan and the Messiah would come in God’s own timing and God’s people kept their eyes on the anticipated deliverer. People waited patiently for God to move, believing that His timing was perfect and patience was their friend. Are we waiting expectantly for our Messiah to return? Are we patiently preparing ourselves for the magnificence of His second coming?
Lesson #2 – how many people in the world wait, wait, wait, and then wait some more? Refugees in camps who wait for food, wait for water, wait for medicine, wait for help…wait, wait, wait. People who are abused and marginalized who wait for someone to open the door to freedom for them. Christians who are persecuted who wait for asylum where they can practice their faith. People who are wrongly accused who wait for justice. Wait, wait, wait. People in poverty who can’t find jobs, single parents who can’t manage families, women who wait to be educated in countries that deny that right. Wait, wait, wait.
Our waiting in Chicago O’Hare had a different look to it. Despite the frustration, it was punctuated with some story telling with fellow passengers, laughter at the airline’s expense, checking the news on the phone or computer, texting with our family who was trying to figure out how to help us, reading a book on my Kindle. I did not sit and stare at the wall or waste my time – we ate a meal, walked around the airport, kept ourselves busy and looked forward to leaving and arriving safely home to be with family and have a magnificent meal, sweet time of fellowship, and too many gifts.
Much of the world has to wait in scenarios that are difficult, challenging, sad, life-threatening. We just had to wait a few extra hours to get home to something beautiful and cherished. God, please help me remember to wait patiently for your timing for Jesus’ magnificent return to earth. Remind me to be compassionate to those in this world who wait, wait, wait and often wait some more. Show us how to seek your perspective on life’s challenges and to find the beautiful lessons you want us to learn in all situations.
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