the departure debacle

The fiascoes began shortly after i reached the boarding area. I had made sure not to arrive too soon, lest the waiting make the flight drag on. But the waiting itself kept getting longer. Announcements of please-be-patient-we-have-mechanics-looking-at-some-issues, turned into successful engine checks but shortly soured to postponed approvals from headquarters. After over three hours of asking for our patience, they cancelled my departing flight. I therefore missed a flight in LA which was nonrefundable. So i had quite a project ahead of me.

I called my friend to come back and get me. He was a doll about driving back out at midnight. I was told that we were all rebooked on a flight at 2.30 pm today. I woke up this morning and called to confirm the time and was unimpressed to find there was no such booking for me. Just showed a cancelled flight and no rebooking.

After staying up till three (and waking my dear father in a later time zone) booking a new and rather spendy flight to the midwest (had to do an alternate airport) based on the new LA arrival time i was given, this you-are-not-booked-on-any-flight news was not acceptable. Finally the representative revealed that there was a couple seats on a noontime flight if i could make it- and indeed, i can make it.

Can i just say that sometimes it pays to be the sort to check and double check?!

Had i not tried to confirm the departure time, I would have gone to the airport this afternoon and found i had missed the only daytime flight out and hence missed the connection to my newly purchased flights the following morning.

I am so glad the Lord guides our steps...even if the pattern looks more like a mosh than a waltz sometimes.

NEWSFLASH: The Lord continues to provide as the saga unfolds!

I am heading to the airport in just an hour to catch the aforementioned flight, but my sister called and has used frequent flier miles to get me on a new flight directly into my original city...on the same flight as her. I was able to cancel the expensive reservation i made in the wee hours of the morning, and now all things done and said i will arrive less than a day late, receive a full refund for the cancelled ticket, and not miss more quality time with my family! Please pray that these new flights go off without a hitch.

thinking of flying

There is a journey afoot. In my spare time i have been puttering about making strategic little piles of belongings designated for packing, while all the while absently thinking of flying.

This week I embark on a month of family visits and personal travels. The treasured first stop will be in South Dakota to spend time with my entire family- including my absurdly doted on niece. The next will be Spain, followed by several days in Morocco. After that its on to a brief stay in Malta, then up to England for a fearfully abbreviated visit with friends. From there my last stop will be back Stateside in Florida (Cape Canaveral area) for a long deferred visit with a dear friend. Then its home to Maui.

A great deal of this journey comes to me courtesy of frequent flier miles. In the midst of these important family visits, the miles gave me an opportunity to extend my trip to include this personal time to explore, breathe, read, and reflect. When i have had these personal times away in the past, they have always proved to be a great blessing in life and vision. I am so grateful for this gift!

I'd like to thank the Academy...

Dah-ling, the chauffeur is here...

Walking the red carpet with my past student (now staff herself- I'm so proud of her!)

We gave the Lifetime Achievement award to our base director and his wife...

Rising stars, and the nominees for Most Diverse Class of the Year: our new students!

A time honoring the Eternal Director of All Things, our God and Savior, who alone is worthy to receive all praise and glory!

fresh air

A little fresh air, a little sissy level spelunking, a little pine forrest wandering... not bad for two hours on a Saturday afternoon...

getting in gear

After over a month of doing base maintenance and catching up on all kinds of projects, its time to welcome yet another class of students! The base is shifting gears- and getting back down to what we're all about: training young people to know God and make Him known.

Though the course I help facilitate is not running until September, we all contribute to these students' experience here- "it takes a village..."

I will be in Maui the next two weeks to support the intense kick-off of the school, and then will be headed out for a couple weeks of family visits, and a couple week vacation! Details will be forthcoming:)

the sunset moments

tide pools and sunsets

Jason, Jasmine and I went to the south side of the island to take in a Sunday evening sunset. So pleasant just to wander the lava rock tide pools and watch the sun sink into the sea...

free people

together we stand

This week we have had a staff conference- where we spend time meeting together to bond, gain vision, and get on the same page for the coming quarter. Praying together, worshipping the Lord together, doing wheelbarrow relays together across the yard- these are the things staff conference is made of! I believe the Lord has plans to really touch the lives of our soon arriving Discipleship Training School students through this staff of young people. Its a privilege to both be a part of this staff, and to participate in the growth of individual staff members as we serve together.

remembering

While Maui sometimes seems oblivious to the seasons which so define the passing of the year elsewhere, it sometimes occasions a reflection upon the heart that can be lost in the cultural observation of holidays. Here there is little fanfare or trappings surrounding even the most prominent holidays, so I find myself in little danger of going through the cultural motions, as it were. If there will be Easter, it will be because I stop to reflect upon the resurrection of our Lord in the company of the Family called by His name. If there will be Easter, it will be because i look at fresh life around me...and remember.

And i do remember.