May 2nd, 2024
by Geoff Henderson
by Geoff Henderson
As a family we don’t do layovers. Of course as in an individual, if I ever fly by myself, I don’t layovers either. It’s just that you can’t beat the convenience of the direct flight. You leave one place and then you arrive at your destination.
I would like to think that my family could do a non-direct flight, if we really had to do so. But I do know at one point in our lives, no amount of money could have lead me to entertain the idea. My brother and sister-in-law flew into Bradenton a weeks ago to visit. They have 3 kids under the age of 10 and do a great job parenting those kids.
But no amount of parenting skill in preparing a preschooler for a layover can temper her sacred anticipation.. Despite constant affirmations that there was sill one more flight, it just didn't connect. After all, they were so much closer now. But Ft Lauderdale, while still within the state of Florida, and much closer to Bradenton than Virginia, is not nor will ever be confused with Bradenton.
Except maybe just this once. We'e come so far, and were' still not there yet?
Full of rich expectation from a much desired family reunion that wasn't to be, tears saturated her disappointment. Can you blame her? For all she knew, they'd come all the way to Wallyworld only to find it closed for the summer.
But the Nance-Henderson family trip was not in any shape or fashion like a Griswold adventure. This was an entirely different story. They just needed to take one more flight. They just simply weren't there yet. But they soon would be.
The presence of tears didn’t indicate an absence of faith, but actually very much the opposite. We’re simply not where we want to be. And who is?
Our jobs, families, churches, kids, parents, lives are not currently where we want them to be. We’re not there yet. It's ok to cry and be disappointed. It's ok to question. I don't know how often I hear, "I can't question God..." Really? What bible are you reading?
The OT is full of questions like "How long, have your forgotten us, why, when?" Stop your sanctimonious pretension and just stop and cry. Stop and be disappointed. Stop and be frustrated for a hot minute. We're not there yet.
Jesus told us that even though His Kingdom was at hand, that there would days like this. And honestly even days much worse than this, with earthquakes, wars, and it was STILL not the end.
The Apostle Paul speaks of the layover experience as birth pains.
"For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies."
We're way closer than when we started, and that's exactly what makes it harder. We're not in Virginia (metaphorically speaking) which is great. But sometimes being in Ft Lauderdale can be even harder. So close we can taste it. So close we can cry. Layover tears.
I would like to think that my family could do a non-direct flight, if we really had to do so. But I do know at one point in our lives, no amount of money could have lead me to entertain the idea. My brother and sister-in-law flew into Bradenton a weeks ago to visit. They have 3 kids under the age of 10 and do a great job parenting those kids.
But no amount of parenting skill in preparing a preschooler for a layover can temper her sacred anticipation.. Despite constant affirmations that there was sill one more flight, it just didn't connect. After all, they were so much closer now. But Ft Lauderdale, while still within the state of Florida, and much closer to Bradenton than Virginia, is not nor will ever be confused with Bradenton.
Except maybe just this once. We'e come so far, and were' still not there yet?
Full of rich expectation from a much desired family reunion that wasn't to be, tears saturated her disappointment. Can you blame her? For all she knew, they'd come all the way to Wallyworld only to find it closed for the summer.
But the Nance-Henderson family trip was not in any shape or fashion like a Griswold adventure. This was an entirely different story. They just needed to take one more flight. They just simply weren't there yet. But they soon would be.
The presence of tears didn’t indicate an absence of faith, but actually very much the opposite. We’re simply not where we want to be. And who is?
Our jobs, families, churches, kids, parents, lives are not currently where we want them to be. We’re not there yet. It's ok to cry and be disappointed. It's ok to question. I don't know how often I hear, "I can't question God..." Really? What bible are you reading?
The OT is full of questions like "How long, have your forgotten us, why, when?" Stop your sanctimonious pretension and just stop and cry. Stop and be disappointed. Stop and be frustrated for a hot minute. We're not there yet.
Jesus told us that even though His Kingdom was at hand, that there would days like this. And honestly even days much worse than this, with earthquakes, wars, and it was STILL not the end.
The Apostle Paul speaks of the layover experience as birth pains.
"For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies."
We're way closer than when we started, and that's exactly what makes it harder. We're not in Virginia (metaphorically speaking) which is great. But sometimes being in Ft Lauderdale can be even harder. So close we can taste it. So close we can cry. Layover tears.
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