Realizations
As I throttled up the sporty Diamond Star at the beginning of runway 18, a thought occurred suddenly to my mind that was, quite frankly, striking. That thought was, "I'm a pilot. I fly airplanes." Whoa. The effect was as if I were a younger child having a dream about something he wanted in all his fantasies to be. Except that dream wasn't; this is reality. The collision between dream and reality brings to the mind an enchanted, fulfilling feeling. It brings revival to the mundane, appreciation of the difficult and gratitude for one's disposition. Sometimes, things just don't seem right in this life of mine. But, as one author said, "that's not because where you're at is wrong; it's because you just aren't where you expected." This past Sunday, the commentator at the Bears-Green Bay game said of Brett Favre that he needs to stop his "I am--I'm not" thought pattern. Brett Favre was there in the game, and he's Brett Favre, by golly. Because he is where he is, he is what he is. And the same can be applied to myself.
So last night I stayed up far later than healthy so i could write quite an important letter precisely how i wanted to. It took me awhile, but after i sent it, i had a gut sensation that i'd written one of the 'heaviest' letters to my credit. Despite my assurance that i wouldn't write 'heavy' letters to this person anymore, i did anyway. Sheesh. Owe i an apology? To this minute, that is unknown. As i reflected on that letter and went through my regular business around airplanes and people, I discovered that the letter i wrote had profound applications for myself. Not only did i write that 'heavy' note for the prayerful benefit of the recipient, but I was also writing it for myself. Suffice it to say that i experienced a perspective shift today as a result of that letter. I have to believe next that it was an edification to the reader. God will answer that prayer soon.
As i flew over the east edge of Midway airport this afternoon, I looked over to where just weeks ago, Southwest flight 1248 plowed through barriers and fences onto the very near road, causing a little boy to be killed. The damage was all repaired, and the area looked normal again. Yet, I knew that only that fence at the end of the runway would remain normal. At Midway and Southwest and within the family of the boy and their lawyers, nothing will be normal again. And that is a shame. Because we all are aware of the consequences of this accident; it's about money. This will suffocate one of America's only airlines that is still breathing of its own air, Midway will suffer, the FAA will suffer, and aviation as a whole, fragile as it is, will take yet another hit. And it's all about getting easy money from the many to give it to the greedy few. You know what? People die. One way or another, and at one time or another, each mortal body will be deceased from this earth. That time and manner in which a body dies is one thing everyone must just accept. Why then, I beg, why must the lives of the living be made miserable by the unfortunate death of one? In this case, America may prove that money and materialism is more highly valued than the very quality of life --nay, life itself.
ID. Know what those initials mean these days? Intelligent Design. In Pennsylvania, ID has been banned from school curriculums because it is a Trojan horse for God and creationism. My heart is grieved for those authorities who have waved 'good-bye' to God. They don't understand. "They will deceive and be deceived." "There is no one that searcheth after God, no not one." I am humbled to have been sought and drawn by God's own heart to come into a relationship with Him. It's the best thing that can happen to one on this side of eternity. Once He has one, He places craving for truth in the heart, and to the mind He gives a capacity to understand it.
I was inspired by my water bottle during my flight today. If I drink from my bottle at 800' and replace the airtight cap, if i don't open it again til after landing, it will be somewhat crushed because of the air pressure. My water bottle can't automatically adapt to the changing pressure when it needs to because it keeps closed most of the time. But one physical feature of created beings is that we have a capsule that normally keeps closed except when it needs to adapt to different air pressure--the middle ear. When we go up in altitude, instead of blowing up, the middle ear releases the difference in air pressure. It does the opposite when we descend. How did that evolve? Airplanes didn't exist, mammals we 'descended' from cannot fly, and no mammal could possibly climb and fall hundreds of feet in seconds for years and generations on end to that the trait would be acquired. I find this little feature of our anatomy another wonderful testimony of our Creator and to these marvelous bodies He stitched together one by one.
So last night I stayed up far later than healthy so i could write quite an important letter precisely how i wanted to. It took me awhile, but after i sent it, i had a gut sensation that i'd written one of the 'heaviest' letters to my credit. Despite my assurance that i wouldn't write 'heavy' letters to this person anymore, i did anyway. Sheesh. Owe i an apology? To this minute, that is unknown. As i reflected on that letter and went through my regular business around airplanes and people, I discovered that the letter i wrote had profound applications for myself. Not only did i write that 'heavy' note for the prayerful benefit of the recipient, but I was also writing it for myself. Suffice it to say that i experienced a perspective shift today as a result of that letter. I have to believe next that it was an edification to the reader. God will answer that prayer soon.
As i flew over the east edge of Midway airport this afternoon, I looked over to where just weeks ago, Southwest flight 1248 plowed through barriers and fences onto the very near road, causing a little boy to be killed. The damage was all repaired, and the area looked normal again. Yet, I knew that only that fence at the end of the runway would remain normal. At Midway and Southwest and within the family of the boy and their lawyers, nothing will be normal again. And that is a shame. Because we all are aware of the consequences of this accident; it's about money. This will suffocate one of America's only airlines that is still breathing of its own air, Midway will suffer, the FAA will suffer, and aviation as a whole, fragile as it is, will take yet another hit. And it's all about getting easy money from the many to give it to the greedy few. You know what? People die. One way or another, and at one time or another, each mortal body will be deceased from this earth. That time and manner in which a body dies is one thing everyone must just accept. Why then, I beg, why must the lives of the living be made miserable by the unfortunate death of one? In this case, America may prove that money and materialism is more highly valued than the very quality of life --nay, life itself.
ID. Know what those initials mean these days? Intelligent Design. In Pennsylvania, ID has been banned from school curriculums because it is a Trojan horse for God and creationism. My heart is grieved for those authorities who have waved 'good-bye' to God. They don't understand. "They will deceive and be deceived." "There is no one that searcheth after God, no not one." I am humbled to have been sought and drawn by God's own heart to come into a relationship with Him. It's the best thing that can happen to one on this side of eternity. Once He has one, He places craving for truth in the heart, and to the mind He gives a capacity to understand it.
I was inspired by my water bottle during my flight today. If I drink from my bottle at 800' and replace the airtight cap, if i don't open it again til after landing, it will be somewhat crushed because of the air pressure. My water bottle can't automatically adapt to the changing pressure when it needs to because it keeps closed most of the time. But one physical feature of created beings is that we have a capsule that normally keeps closed except when it needs to adapt to different air pressure--the middle ear. When we go up in altitude, instead of blowing up, the middle ear releases the difference in air pressure. It does the opposite when we descend. How did that evolve? Airplanes didn't exist, mammals we 'descended' from cannot fly, and no mammal could possibly climb and fall hundreds of feet in seconds for years and generations on end to that the trait would be acquired. I find this little feature of our anatomy another wonderful testimony of our Creator and to these marvelous bodies He stitched together one by one.
posted by Radar | 8:19 PM
1 Comments:
I dont' entirely agree with your synopsis of WN flight 1248 and the greedy few.
I'll have to think a while. You know me- any thinking takes at least one while, and sometimes up to two whiles.
While I agree with you on creationism, I would point out one thing about the function of the ear:
speak for yourself- lucky you, yours works properly!!
Some of us have to work real hard to get the pressure balanced out right, and even then, it's not right. Climbout is fine, I can wriggle my jaw around and get it to equilize. But descent is killer. I have to overcompensate through my eustachean tubes, and then things are off kilter. They don't fix themselves for a couple days, either. Once, as a boy, I went deaf in my right ear after a flight... it lasted 2 days! I didn't tell anyone- I was afraid dad would send me to the doctor.
Okay, I am up WAY too late!!
God bless, and have a happy New Year!!!
I am flying (commercially, of course) to Houston tomorrow to visit Benjamin and his family. We're going bowling for New Year's Eve, some place that puts the bowling alley in blacklights... should be fun and easy.
Take care! Fly friendly- like we do in Texas.
Do you miss Texas any, by the way?
okay, random thoughts are aggravating to you, so I'll quit now.
:)
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