Friends and inspirations
One best friend from LeTourneau wrote me last week and told me he had 'news'. These days, 'news' from my close friends usually is synonymous with 'i found a girl and i like her alot.' Such was the case for Michael. He met a brilliant young lady who's the lead singer and violinist for a small Christian band. She jives with the concept of courting, so that's what they're doing. Michael feels she is the One. Well that is one of my prayers answered, so i'm glad for him. He's quite infatuated by this girl, but as he echoed, it is a reasonable infatuation. My infatuation for girls, especially those previous, has been unreasonable although i'm proud i was there. Tim Harbeck said to me one afternoon at a shindig at Dwayne King's that he envies me for feeling the way I did for Daisy. I mean, he envied me for being capable of possessing that feeling, as if his own is unexcitable.
Speaking of envy: i've been surrounded by unlikely encouragers this year. As i've experienced the various phases of meeting Abby's parents, meeting Sunghee, and joining OfficeMax, I've heard many times over that my abilities and privileges are envied by those who don't have them. I adimately concur with them too, because in recalling the feelings that nagged me after i got sent away from the pipeline patrol, i sense that flying is a privilege and pleasure not to be taken for granted. For weeks in the wake of that bitter January day, i supposed that i was hardly good enough to be near airplanes, much less fly them. But i've since taken a turn for the better, and i bring out a lesson from that which is worthwhile. More on that later.
Michael Field says that he sometimes wonders where he'd be if he followed through with his flying goals. Although i can't seem to ever formulate the words when i'm with him, my response to him is that he should be content with his taking another career path because he has spared himself much hassle and raised a fabulous, God-honoring family. I am proud of him for that.
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Today came a rare occasion: An inspiration came to me. And it arrived at the almost-usual place: the shower. As I go back to leTourneau, I wonder what will I be and who I will be. I was the hesitant, nervous, yet diligent and minute-detail trainee as I came up through the program. I hit my low points-- redesigned the Duchess checklist and, while using it on a cross-country, neglected to lean the engines and landed with sub-LeTourneau minimum fuel; i took forever to get through the MEI curriculum; i finished practically every rating at the very last minute. But i also hit some high points along the way. I created a little book on the said Duchess that has proven an invaluable knowledge aid to myself and many other pilots; I built a small scale model of the Duchess out of balsa wood, also a valuable training aid; I received an A on my CFI notebook; and I passed the initial CFI checkride on the first attempt. I felt under some unstated expectation that I was supposed to do the pilot and become the pilot, too. Just do it so intensely that the pilot figure becomes my identity. And as I accomplished a bigger step each year, I would come home with a chip on my shoulder. "Me pilot. Me multiengine pilot. Me instrument pilot. Me flight instructor!" Then it was "Me Alaska pilot. Me have job as pilot!"
And at that point, you all know what happened. Gone. Fired. Insufficient. Unadult. Worthless.
Since then has come to me one of the most important lessons that sinks into the mind of a follower of Christ. Nothing in this earth is worthy of your attaching your identity to it. Only One is worthy of that, and He is our Jesus our redeemer. He offered all he had as a symbol of what you are worth, and now I am infinitely valuable because of His infinite love for me. To attach my identity to anything of this earth is futile because the heavens and the earth will pass away but His righteousness stands forever. Upon the truth of His lovingkindness I place my value; if I am desired by my very Creator, then being accepted by anyone else matters nil. This frees a person to really live his place in the kingdom of God.
As a flight teacher, i would like to introduce my students to their aviation careers by sharing my testimony and confronting them with challenges that will, hopefully, direct them wisely through the flight program.
1. As i discussed above, don't get your identity from being a pilot. Not only do you lose your fixation on Christ but Satan can also use this as a snare bigtime to make you feel worthless in your low seasons.
2. The interim between flight lessons should consist of the following elements: Reinforcement, Refreshment and Preparation. Reinforce what was taught in the lesson by constructive practice in the skills, knowledge and mental discipline. Then get refreshed by getting away from the subject by means of physical activity, a nice meal and plenty of sleep. Then prepare for the coming lesson by looking ahead and anticipating what is expected of you next.
3. You involved yourself in flying in college so that you may use your privileges for the rest of your life. Put the firstfruits of your energies to this cause. Don't allow anything else in school to take precedence over flying. Know that when it is time to fly, unless outside factors prohibit, it is time to fly. You'll notice many spiritual figures in flying, and one figure to note here is that the time to fly is like the moment to come when we will rise with Christ to meet Him in the clouds.
4. Study, schedule and fly with alertness and vigor.
5. Always try to be unlocking ways to simplify your life.
-------
Well i've written enough.
Goodnight
Speaking of envy: i've been surrounded by unlikely encouragers this year. As i've experienced the various phases of meeting Abby's parents, meeting Sunghee, and joining OfficeMax, I've heard many times over that my abilities and privileges are envied by those who don't have them. I adimately concur with them too, because in recalling the feelings that nagged me after i got sent away from the pipeline patrol, i sense that flying is a privilege and pleasure not to be taken for granted. For weeks in the wake of that bitter January day, i supposed that i was hardly good enough to be near airplanes, much less fly them. But i've since taken a turn for the better, and i bring out a lesson from that which is worthwhile. More on that later.
Michael Field says that he sometimes wonders where he'd be if he followed through with his flying goals. Although i can't seem to ever formulate the words when i'm with him, my response to him is that he should be content with his taking another career path because he has spared himself much hassle and raised a fabulous, God-honoring family. I am proud of him for that.
--------
Today came a rare occasion: An inspiration came to me. And it arrived at the almost-usual place: the shower. As I go back to leTourneau, I wonder what will I be and who I will be. I was the hesitant, nervous, yet diligent and minute-detail trainee as I came up through the program. I hit my low points-- redesigned the Duchess checklist and, while using it on a cross-country, neglected to lean the engines and landed with sub-LeTourneau minimum fuel; i took forever to get through the MEI curriculum; i finished practically every rating at the very last minute. But i also hit some high points along the way. I created a little book on the said Duchess that has proven an invaluable knowledge aid to myself and many other pilots; I built a small scale model of the Duchess out of balsa wood, also a valuable training aid; I received an A on my CFI notebook; and I passed the initial CFI checkride on the first attempt. I felt under some unstated expectation that I was supposed to do the pilot and become the pilot, too. Just do it so intensely that the pilot figure becomes my identity. And as I accomplished a bigger step each year, I would come home with a chip on my shoulder. "Me pilot. Me multiengine pilot. Me instrument pilot. Me flight instructor!" Then it was "Me Alaska pilot. Me have job as pilot!"
And at that point, you all know what happened. Gone. Fired. Insufficient. Unadult. Worthless.
Since then has come to me one of the most important lessons that sinks into the mind of a follower of Christ. Nothing in this earth is worthy of your attaching your identity to it. Only One is worthy of that, and He is our Jesus our redeemer. He offered all he had as a symbol of what you are worth, and now I am infinitely valuable because of His infinite love for me. To attach my identity to anything of this earth is futile because the heavens and the earth will pass away but His righteousness stands forever. Upon the truth of His lovingkindness I place my value; if I am desired by my very Creator, then being accepted by anyone else matters nil. This frees a person to really live his place in the kingdom of God.
As a flight teacher, i would like to introduce my students to their aviation careers by sharing my testimony and confronting them with challenges that will, hopefully, direct them wisely through the flight program.
1. As i discussed above, don't get your identity from being a pilot. Not only do you lose your fixation on Christ but Satan can also use this as a snare bigtime to make you feel worthless in your low seasons.
2. The interim between flight lessons should consist of the following elements: Reinforcement, Refreshment and Preparation. Reinforce what was taught in the lesson by constructive practice in the skills, knowledge and mental discipline. Then get refreshed by getting away from the subject by means of physical activity, a nice meal and plenty of sleep. Then prepare for the coming lesson by looking ahead and anticipating what is expected of you next.
3. You involved yourself in flying in college so that you may use your privileges for the rest of your life. Put the firstfruits of your energies to this cause. Don't allow anything else in school to take precedence over flying. Know that when it is time to fly, unless outside factors prohibit, it is time to fly. You'll notice many spiritual figures in flying, and one figure to note here is that the time to fly is like the moment to come when we will rise with Christ to meet Him in the clouds.
4. Study, schedule and fly with alertness and vigor.
5. Always try to be unlocking ways to simplify your life.
-------
Well i've written enough.
Goodnight
posted by Radar | 8:35 PM
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