Arctic Hope

For years I dreamed of becoming a pilot. One day I had realized my dream and became a B-52 pilot in the USAF. Yet it seemed I spent so much of my time as a pilot in the B-52 frustrated.

Before each flight we would spend an entire day planning our missions in intricate detail. Yet invariably we would show up to fly and some sinister plot had been hatched to throw all of my plans out the window. The weather was bad or the thirty year old aircraft was broke or someone woke up with a cold and we had to get another crew member or an evaluator would show up to give us a ‘friendly’ check. Or worse yet, all of the above.

Our takeoff time would be delayed. Our plans went out the window. We would scramble to make the best of a messed up situation then try and fly for 12 hours after being delayed on the ground for three or four hours. You see we had to keep the schedule. Our tight schedule included air refueling, and bombing, and defensive training against fighters and pattern work. Let’s see, slip this, shift that, cancel this, rework that. But hurry up because if you delay much longer the thunderstorms will close the airfield. You see, we must keep the schedule!! I didn’t always handle these situations with grace and kindness.

Boy flyin’ is fun, huh? Yet somehow I learned to deal with the invariable upsets, adapt to the changes and enjoy flying. How? I came to realize that I am not in control. The weather? No mine to control. The condition of the aircraft? Not mine. The health of other crew members? Not mine. The results of the mission? In truth I don’t even own that.

Proverbs 16:9 tells us, “The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.” So how much control do we exercise over ‘the schedule’? Very little. I learned to trust God with the schedule and understand that schedules were made as a target. We always attempt to hit the target, but we often miss due to matters that are completely out of our control or influence. I learned that scheduling was good, and making an earnest effort to keep the schedule was good. But screwing yourself into the ceiling over things out of your control or influence is pointless. God is in control. He has a plan. He will direct my steps.

So why another airplane story from the past? This week we have traveled to Shreveport, Houston, San Antonio and Oklahoma City to make contact with friends and family on the way to Canada. We had many things rise up against ‘the schedule’. Most of them were small, but I find myself having to relearn old lessons about schedule. It seems, I had gotten in the habit of creating a schedule and trying to enforce it on others. The laughable thing is that my schedule means little or nothing to anyone but me. Lord remind me again the lessons from the past. Help me to deal with myself and others with patience and grace. Please help me to realize I can plan my way, but I must trust You to direct my steps.

Today we continue to toward the Arctic by flying to Colorado Springs. Tomorrow we plan to arrive in Calgary. We will continue making schedules and realize, expect even, that those schedules will be broken. But God is still in control.

Relax Jim!!! (Those of you who know me will understand this statement.)

We are still seeking a housing solution in Ft McPherson. We are praying that God will provide a 24-29 ft travel trailer that we can get moved to Ft McPherson. We have a plan to get it up to the Arctic, but we have no trailer at this time. Please join us as we look to the Lord for His provision.

This entry was posted on Sunday, June 1st, 2008 at 05:41 and is filed under Summer of Exploration, Blogroll. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.