Saturday, June 2, 2007

Ready, Set, Wait

Well,

Marge and I are sitting in the Detroit airport watching a delightful thunderstorm. The airport is closed due to lightning. It's pouring like mad, so we might be delayed for a bit.


Our plane is an Airbus A330. I think it holds around 430 people. It's not as big as a 747. Cruising speed (in mph) is about 580, at about 35,000 feet.

Let me back track to this morning. This morning, just before it was time for the Arledge's to show up to take us to the Detroit airport, there was a knock on our door. Instead of Pastor Dana, it was a couple from our church, the Keisers. The Tom and Pat Taylor showed up. We chatted a bit, laughed a lot, and then prayed with us for our safety, and that God would give us clear direction.

It was deeply moving, and it felt nurturing. I've always said that the people of Bethel Baptist church are my family, and today some of our family stepped forward to make certain we felt loved and cared for.

The drive to the airport was uneventful. No traffic jams or other delays, and we've had a relaxing time. This is my first international trip as an adult, so we weren't entirely sure what to do.

You get your boarding pass using a computer kiosk, and part of that involves passing your passport through a reader to verify your identity. The security line was fairly empty, and I helped talk Marge through what she would need to do. I carry ankle weights when I travel. Wearing them when I'm seated helps me feel more comfortable and grounded.

Unfortunately they were flagged initially because they registered as an unusual extra five pounds on one side of my carry on. The security person went through all of my carry-on, used a special chemical scanner and then passed them through the X-Ray again with the ankle weights out separately. My ankle weights are spandex and Velcro bands with sand in a few spots and four little metal bars in these little pockets on the ankle weights. The security personnel looked at them, scratched them a little, and then eventually let me repack my bag and then be on my way.

I was very low key and on the outside quite calm and unimpressed, but on the inside, I was a little freaked out. I've never been searched by security. They do a great job, and I'm not surprised that they took a second look at the weights. On the way home, I'll take them out right away and send them through the scanner by themselves.

We were thrilled to run in to a dear friend of ours, Donna Brown and her sister inside the terminal. They are flying Northwest to Frankfurt to visit an old friend of their mothers. It was encouraging and relaxing to be able to talk together and pass the time.

Their gate room was only a five min. walk from ours. I also ran into five people from the Pfizer plant where I work. They are waiting on the same flight Marge and I are. They are staying in Amsterdam to examin and test some pharmaceutial manufacturing equipment.

So, who will we see next? Hard telling? Gotta go. I think it's almost time to board the plane, and my 15 min. of rented computer time is up.

Adam

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

My Dear Brother and friend, I am so glade to see God using you more and more. I am truly proud to say that I know you. Deanna and I are praying for you on this trip I know that God will bless and use you. I also know that this is only the begining. As you already know, stand fast in what God has told you. Watch and pray, and see the hand of God move! Godspeed my friend!

In Him,
Ben