Have you ever had a really bad day? Not just the kind of day where a few people are unkind but a really bad day where you are sure Job is smirking just a bit. From time to time we all have things go wrong, to the point where we can see the next thing coming.
Over the last week I was blessed to attend a dental conference with my coworkers at the dental office I work for during the week. Serving as a pastor in rural New Mexico means doing a little tent sowing and mine doing administrative work for a highly trained and experienced cosmetic dentist in Socorro.
The dental conference was held in Toronto, Canada and we had a great experience seeing Niagara Falls, learning to improve our skills and eating well. In fact, as we headed to the airport on Sunday to return home, someone remarked that nothing bad had happened on this trip and I knew it was time to brace for impact.
We had arrived two hours early at Toronto’s impressive airport and almost immediately we saw the trouble. The normal lines faced us but we soon realized that this was Canada Air’s VIP line, the real line for boarding passengers was around the corner with hundreds of people vying for access to the kiosk that would print the boarding pass and baggage tags but there were few kiosks and many people and no one giving direction.
Nearly an hour had passed but I had printed the needed documents and waited my turn in what I hoped was the baggage drop off line as an airline employee started asking when our flights were scheduled to take off. When she approached me, I casually gave my time and she told me that I would not be able to catch my flight and that I must re-ticket which was another long line in another area.
But soon I found out that my coworkers were getting though and they had gotten in line after me.
Long story a little shorter I choose to get out of the re-ticketing line because I had my boarding pass and thought I could get on board with my garment bag or leave all my work cloths behind and get on anyway, I needed red and green chili and I missed my wife.
I was able to make my way through customs and then security and board the plane just moments before they closed the door to the plane. They were kind enough to check my bag but I felt like I had run a marathon carrying the almost heavy bag and my computer case all around the airport, the rude Canada Air folks, the scrutiny of the customs agents and the undressing at security not to mention we left at 6am and I had yet to have any coffee.
When we landed in Denver I thought the worst was behind us but we soon found out the flight to Albuquerque had been cancelled because there was not enough crew to work the United flight and there would not be any flights over the next week to get us home.
So, we rented two cars and drove from Denver back to our respective homes from Albuquerque to Magdalena and one person did not yet get her bag.
I don’t tell you this to have you feel sorry that I did not get home until 1am but to say that in all of problems we faced and the challenges we overcame, I was struck by how thankful I am for my relationship with Jesus Christ.
You see, I made it home. The Lord gave me a calm spirit during all of this that only can come from Him. He allowed me to find a solution that did not leave me in Canada by myself. There was the cup of airplane coffee that was actually a comfort to drink, it warmed my heart as well as my body.
I had an employer who was willing to spend the extra money to rent two cars to drive home and the Lord allowed me to stay alert as I drove even though I only had 5 hours of sleep. I was blessed by the snow that fell in Colorado but it was not enough to make it dangerous crossing the Raton pass.
I was so very blessed to have my son meet me in Socorro to pick me up at 12:15 in the morning and drive the rest of the way home and to be greeted by my loving wife Jo and my dog Honey as I entered.
So you see, I’ve had worse days but I certainly have had better days and God is good all the time and so I give Him thanks. I hope that on your really bad, no good, rotten day that you are sure to have, that you will find ways to thank Him and count your blessings.
