Waiting Part IV

To go full-circle on the whole waiting-at-the-airport adventure from last week, I have to tell you that, I did meet up with my sister and niece in NYC after all. Also, after the days we spent there, I found myself … you guessed it… waiting at the airport… again, on my way back home.

I spent about 8 hours at JFK that Sunday… gosh… this time, it was not due to airplane malfunctioning. It was due to brain malfunctioning… my brain! Just to avoid taking a cab by myself from the hotel to the airport, I decided to leave with my sister and niece… both of whom had super-early-departing flights…sigh.

After the initial shock of realizing the insanity of my decision, I found a place to set camp for my wait. Feet up on my suitcase and hotel pen in hand, I began to write down my thoughts about the trip… o yes, and I also bought a really neat, but highly over-priced journal at the airport because I ran out of space to write on my itinerary and boarding passes…

…anyway…

In summary, the so long-awaited and anticipated visit with my sister and niece started on a high point at the Empire State Building, went down very quickly as we sailed under the Brooklyn Bridge, to then stabilize and go back up again thanks to some black-market dealings in China Town that shall remain unspoken. All I’d like to say is that a bit of retail therapy has an effectiveness rate rarely outmatched.

All in all, the trip was mostly a learning experience that allowed me to discover the power of prayer and the gift of self-control… or shall I say, the fruit. Saying that self-control is a gift is not only biblically inaccurate, but it may lead us to latching onto the idea that it is a gift we don’t possess; therefore, don’t ask me to display it ‘cause I don’t got it! Wink, wink…

Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit, one of which the Apostle Paul tells us we would be recognized by. – I’m in big trouble here -. But, once we are able to see this fruit’s richness appear…Oh, what a gift it is!

The same with every fruit… patience being anther one of them…

I also learned a lot about the fact that I don’t want the thought of lacking hope crossing my path anymore. I want my faith to increase. I want to be recognized by my fruits. I want the truth that I am a child of God to be evident to those around me on the way I act!

Isn’t it funny how things turn out so unexpectedly sometimes? I had been looking forward to this trip to New York City for a long, long while…and today, I can honestly say, that the most memorable, productive and positive thing about it ended up being the time I spent at the airports…waiting…maybe waiting, in a way, could be considered also a gift, after all.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5: 22-23