I did it on purpose and it went as planned. I got bumped from my 6:30 am flight to Atlanta. Tuesday was a travel day for a company meeting in Orlando Florida. I booked the early flight through Atlanta because it is always overbooked. Sure enough after checking in and waiting at the gate the announcement came. 'We need one volunteer to take a later flight'. I was that volunteer because volunteers get a $300 travel voucher and a first class ticket to their destination. One na done half hours later I was on a plane to my destination, sitting in first class (where I belong) with an extra $300 in my pocket with a nice hot breakfast in front of me!
The voucher will come in handy on our next family vacation or to take Sherri along with me on a business trip. This is the second time in a row this flight has paid off for me and both times the delays were minimal. As the leader on the 'A Team' used to say, 'I love it when a plan comes together'.
On the trip back, I wasn't so lucky. Due to extended meetings I got to the airport late. The reward for arriving late was seat assignment, 30B. Let me tell you 30B is nothing like 3B. 3B is an aisle seat with loads of leg room and a doting flight attendant. 30B is a dreaded middle seat with no leg room for a guy just over 6'3". There are no kids and babies around 3B, they surrounded me in 30B. They were not good kids either, the good ones must have been up front some where.
I laughed about that at work this morning. How our kids were awesome when we flew to Disney World so many years ago. I thought it was because we sat ready to give them 'awesome encouragement' in case they acted otherwise. You know that little thump you can use on the top of a kid's head when you are driving? I know for sure my dad knows about this. I always called that kind of awesome encouragement 'thinkin-helpin'. Say the word 'thinkin-helpin' to Caleb and to this day he'll tell you he hates it and it doesn't work. The threat of thinkin-helpin always worked better than thinkin-helpin itself did so thumps were extremely few and far between.
On my 30B flight, there was a quiet dispute (in my mind at least) over who controlled the armrests. My belief is, and this should be announced by the airline attendants with all the other safety announcements, that the person in the middle seat has claim to and first use of both middle arm rests. People on the aisle and by the window have their own private armrests on the other side. In my case, the guy on the aisle didn't understand this until he was distracted by one of the aforementioned thinkin-helpin needy bad kids and so I seized the moment and the armrest for the duration of the trip. Possession is 9/10ths of the armrest law.
Our flight was delayed after we got on the plane so I got to enjoy some additional time in my middle seat. We were delayed so long that my 40 minute layover was in jeopardy - could I make it to the gate to catch my flight to Omaha? 30B (way in the back) is not an optimal starting point to catch a short layover flight. As if matters weren't bad enough upon landing, my Blackberry had a message waiting for me that we had a gate change for the flight to Omaha - it was now flying out of a completely different terminal than where we were deplaning. Luckily it turned out the Omaha flight was delayed as well so my jog to the gate turned out to be unnecessary except as a reminder as to how out of shape I am.
On this flight of life, some have 1st class seats, some of us have middle seats. The Bible says it's harder to make your heavenly connection from the 1st class section because the last deplane first, so to speak. On this flight be kind to those around you, let the guy in the middle have the armrest. Encourage those around you including the kids who need a positive influence. Praise God for the Holy Spirit thinkin-helpin He gives you! In the end, I am confident your connecting flight will be held for you and we will arrive at an amazing destination for an eternity of blessings!
Blest Regards,
kp
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
The 800# Gorilla
Last week was a long week. That's because last week was test week - as in I had scans taken and after a couple days get the results back. I had the scans run on Wednesday and got the results on Friday. That meant three days of waiting to take the tests and two days of waiting for results.
I've felt pretty good lately and Dr. Soori has been pretty aggressive in massaging my neck looking for even the smallest bump and hadn't found anything. I've been continuing my weekly chemo treatments every Friday to try to prevent a reoccurrence of my cancer. All the signs pointed to a good report but cancer doesn't follow signs, it seems to have a mind of its own.
So Sherri and I were cautiously optimistic but also quietly realistic. Quietly realistic means living with an 800 pound gorilla of sorts for a week. He made himself at home in our lives and was quietly polite, really. Sherri and I tried to ignore him and we didn't talk about him. But we both knew he was there and we tried as best we could to wage a bit of gorilla warfare to keep him from becoming more than a quiet distraction.
Finally after five days of waiting, we sat in the doctor's office with our gorilla. Dr. Soori came in and asked how I was. I told him 'ok' but that waiting for test results wasn't easy. He said he understood and that it wasn't easy for doctors either. He then said right away, 'I have good news for you' and then went on to detail area after area of my body that came back 'all clear'. And with the final 'all clear' announcement, our gorilla put on his hat and left the room even before our time with the doctor was done.
It was great to see him leave but test results only have a 90 day shelf life in my world. In another 90 days I'll have the same set of tests run again - head, neck and chest, and most likely the same five day wait. And in 90 days he'll undoubtedly be back for a week - hopefully with a little less weight- maybe we'll have a 200 pound chimp instead.
Matthew 6 is what I call the 'don't worry, be happy' chapter of the Bible where Jesus reminds us that we can't add even a minute to our lives by worrying. He reminds us just how much God knows about us, how much He loves and cares for us. Focus on Him and you'll be fine. Even so, we all steal glances at our gorillas don't we?
Maybe an occasional glance at your own grape ape isn't worry as much as it is concern - which can lead us to take good and necessary actions like protecting our families or living healthier lifestyles or pondering even more important matters, such as God and faith and eternity. That seems ok to me. What we don't want to do is make gorillas the focus of our lives - we can't grab them by the hand and pat them on the head. In short gorillas are wild animals and don't make good house pets.
So this week I give thanks for the words 'All Clear!' I give thanks for good doctors and a very supportive and loving wife. I give thanks for all my friends and family who keep praying for me - and doing a great job of it I must add. Most of all I give thanks for a great God who tells me not to worry, that He loves me and has it all under control. And so He does, even the gorillas.
Blest Regards,
kp
I've felt pretty good lately and Dr. Soori has been pretty aggressive in massaging my neck looking for even the smallest bump and hadn't found anything. I've been continuing my weekly chemo treatments every Friday to try to prevent a reoccurrence of my cancer. All the signs pointed to a good report but cancer doesn't follow signs, it seems to have a mind of its own.
So Sherri and I were cautiously optimistic but also quietly realistic. Quietly realistic means living with an 800 pound gorilla of sorts for a week. He made himself at home in our lives and was quietly polite, really. Sherri and I tried to ignore him and we didn't talk about him. But we both knew he was there and we tried as best we could to wage a bit of gorilla warfare to keep him from becoming more than a quiet distraction.
Finally after five days of waiting, we sat in the doctor's office with our gorilla. Dr. Soori came in and asked how I was. I told him 'ok' but that waiting for test results wasn't easy. He said he understood and that it wasn't easy for doctors either. He then said right away, 'I have good news for you' and then went on to detail area after area of my body that came back 'all clear'. And with the final 'all clear' announcement, our gorilla put on his hat and left the room even before our time with the doctor was done.
It was great to see him leave but test results only have a 90 day shelf life in my world. In another 90 days I'll have the same set of tests run again - head, neck and chest, and most likely the same five day wait. And in 90 days he'll undoubtedly be back for a week - hopefully with a little less weight- maybe we'll have a 200 pound chimp instead.
Matthew 6 is what I call the 'don't worry, be happy' chapter of the Bible where Jesus reminds us that we can't add even a minute to our lives by worrying. He reminds us just how much God knows about us, how much He loves and cares for us. Focus on Him and you'll be fine. Even so, we all steal glances at our gorillas don't we?
Maybe an occasional glance at your own grape ape isn't worry as much as it is concern - which can lead us to take good and necessary actions like protecting our families or living healthier lifestyles or pondering even more important matters, such as God and faith and eternity. That seems ok to me. What we don't want to do is make gorillas the focus of our lives - we can't grab them by the hand and pat them on the head. In short gorillas are wild animals and don't make good house pets.
So this week I give thanks for the words 'All Clear!' I give thanks for good doctors and a very supportive and loving wife. I give thanks for all my friends and family who keep praying for me - and doing a great job of it I must add. Most of all I give thanks for a great God who tells me not to worry, that He loves me and has it all under control. And so He does, even the gorillas.
Blest Regards,
kp
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Guns and Rocks
Senseless, maddening, disturbing, and anger - these are the words that best fit my reactions to the killing of an innocent 9 year old girl and five others last week. I had to turn the channel when the father spoke about his great loss. And again, as in similar situations before I want revenge measured out now, here on earth, in a proportion double the pain the shooter caused. I want to be like the band of revenge dedicated Jews in the fictional movie 'Inglorious Bastards' who kill German soldiers and officers during WWII at such a rate and with such gruesome efficiency that Hitler himself wants them dead. This Tuscon bald Adams family look-alike killer needs pain and shame inflicted in large doses with no mercy and gruesome efficiency.
I've thought this through before and know that's not the right answer but still, its my first thought and a longer lingering thought than I care to admit. It takes me awhile to find a postiion of mercy in these situations - even though I'm not personally involved. Revenge is not what we are called to, it's just my first postion as a card carrying member of a sinful world. Maybe I'll get better as time goes on.
Last week I mentioned I was studying and reviewing the commentary on how often Jesus told us to forgive - and more importantly to keep forgiving. Right after Jesus tells Peter and his disciples to forgive 70 and 7 (or 70 times 7) times He tells a parable. Jesus tells a parable to help his disciples and us remember the main point.
Jesus tells about a man who owed mega bucks - some say $ 10,000,000 others say even more - as in 10 times the national budget. OK, we get the point but maybe the guy in the parable doesn't - he's under the illusion that he can pay this back and he says so. He also askes for mercy. What he gets is full forgiveness of his debt. Awesome! Then this same guy meets up with someone who owes him a $20 bill. The guy can't pay so he has the debtor thrown in prison, which then results in his own forgiveness being revoked.
In real life, I'm the guy who doesn't understand well enough just how much I've been forgiven. Somehow I think I'm not so bad really and I'm a guy who's quick to look for revenge on other debtors. Shamefully, I'd be a great addition to the 'crucify Him' crowd. And yet, even then, some of Jesus' last words were- 'Father forgive them for they know not what they do.' It was a final and exampletory 70 and 7 moment.
So in the Tuscon shooting case, punishment is deserved, revenge is not. We learn that in this sinful world terrible things happen, unexplainable things happen. Let these events remind us that we are forgiven much, that our own sinful actions won't allow us to cast the first stone. We've got to drop our rocks and go see if we can help the people who have been hurt or help others like them who hurt. At the very least let us be reminded that life is short and fragile and that our God-given faith is our most important possession. And that faith that requires forgiveness - even in Tuscon.
Your Much Forgiven Friend,
kp
I've thought this through before and know that's not the right answer but still, its my first thought and a longer lingering thought than I care to admit. It takes me awhile to find a postiion of mercy in these situations - even though I'm not personally involved. Revenge is not what we are called to, it's just my first postion as a card carrying member of a sinful world. Maybe I'll get better as time goes on.
Last week I mentioned I was studying and reviewing the commentary on how often Jesus told us to forgive - and more importantly to keep forgiving. Right after Jesus tells Peter and his disciples to forgive 70 and 7 (or 70 times 7) times He tells a parable. Jesus tells a parable to help his disciples and us remember the main point.
Jesus tells about a man who owed mega bucks - some say $ 10,000,000 others say even more - as in 10 times the national budget. OK, we get the point but maybe the guy in the parable doesn't - he's under the illusion that he can pay this back and he says so. He also askes for mercy. What he gets is full forgiveness of his debt. Awesome! Then this same guy meets up with someone who owes him a $20 bill. The guy can't pay so he has the debtor thrown in prison, which then results in his own forgiveness being revoked.
In real life, I'm the guy who doesn't understand well enough just how much I've been forgiven. Somehow I think I'm not so bad really and I'm a guy who's quick to look for revenge on other debtors. Shamefully, I'd be a great addition to the 'crucify Him' crowd. And yet, even then, some of Jesus' last words were- 'Father forgive them for they know not what they do.' It was a final and exampletory 70 and 7 moment.
So in the Tuscon shooting case, punishment is deserved, revenge is not. We learn that in this sinful world terrible things happen, unexplainable things happen. Let these events remind us that we are forgiven much, that our own sinful actions won't allow us to cast the first stone. We've got to drop our rocks and go see if we can help the people who have been hurt or help others like them who hurt. At the very least let us be reminded that life is short and fragile and that our God-given faith is our most important possession. And that faith that requires forgiveness - even in Tuscon.
Your Much Forgiven Friend,
kp
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)