Sunday, March 17, 2013

Trust - or not!


When I am afraid, I will trust in you. – Psalm 56:3 (NIV)
      
  
Last Sunday we broke out the grill from winter storage and enjoyed hamburgers for supper. Monday the first robins of the year hopped about in the yard. Tuesday I snapped pictures of the first spring flowers—snowdrops. Wednesday winter returned.
  
“Let it snow this week and get it out of its system,” I told my husband.
  
For months I’ve looked forward to a trip to Colorado for a 4-day residency program that’s part of the fiction writing course I’m taking. When I booked my flight, I figured the end of March should be safe. Right.
  
Weather forecasts predict still another winter storm early in the week—just when I plan to travel. While it appears the snow will go north of us, I’m still not happy. After all, I’ve prayed for months for good traveling weather.
  
I’m flying out of Johnstown, a small, regional airport with three outgoing flights a day, and one runway. The last time we flew out of Johnstown, we were delayed 12 hours because of the wind. Not so much the mph, but the direction it was coming from. Our flight was supposed to leave at 6:30 a.m., but we waited all day for the wind to shift (while the snow came down sideways). Of course we missed our connecting flight—twice. We finally arrived at our daughter’s in the wee hours of the morning.
  
But the distance to Johnstown is half the distance as to Pittsburgh, I don’t have to drive through the city, the line through security is much shorter, and parking is free. Plus my youngest son lives in Johnstown, so we’ll get some time together, as I’m spending Monday evening with him before my 6:30 a.m. flight Tuesday. (No deja vu, please.)
  
My first class is Wednesday evening—I wanted to play it safe and figure in travel delays. But I really didn’t think there’d be weather problems. After all, I prayed about it, right?
  
Friday morning’s quiet time was anything but quiet. I grumbled. I mumbled. I complained. I reminded God what I’d been praying for and for how long.
  
“What about all those Bible verses that promise answered prayer? ‘Call unto Me and I will answer you’ (Jeremiah 33:3), and ‘Ask and you shall receive’ (Matthew 7:7).”
  
It isn’t Monday yet, He reminded me.
  
“Yes, but the forecast—”
  
You’ve driven in snow before. And ice.
      
“True. But I don’t like it.”
      
Do you trust Me?
      
“Well . . . yes.”
  
That’s what it comes down to.
  
Did Martha still trust Jesus after He didn’t come as soon as she summoned Him when her brother was dying? She, too, was asked point blank. She, too, had a choice to trust Him or not.
  
I don’t know what the weather will be like on my travel day. It may be a windy, wintry mess. Or not. But this I do know: I can trust God.
  
      
Remind me, Lord, not to be anxious about anything, but to pray and be thankful. For that’s the only way I’ll have peace (Philippians 4:6–7). Amen.
      
Special-Tea: John 11:1–44

3 comments:

  1. Johnstown is in my neck of the woods! I hope everything went smoothly in your travels out this way. I enjoy reading your blogs and wish you the best with your writing.

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  2. Thank you, Karen and Suzanne. Suzanne, I'll be writing about my travels in an upcoming blog--I certainly got enough material today!

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