I just got back from a fun vacation that ended with a twist. I went to Florida with my brother and sister...just us three kids on a trip together for the first time in our lives. We had a great time and on Sunday it was time for us all to fly back to California. During the week, there had been a software attack on systems relating to a number of things but seemed to hit the airline industry the most. The airline that had the most trouble was Delta and the airport that was in the most disarray was the huge one in Atlanta. Guess what my sister and I were facing? Yep, we were flying Delta across the country out of Atlanta! We got off in Atlanta from our flight from Florida and found that our flight to California had been canceled. So we got in a long line and found out that there would be not be any direct flights back to our hometown, so we decided that we would just go to San Francisco and take a train back to Fresno. We got out tickets and headed out to the gate and saw people were lining up. We waited and then the departure time was changed to “delayed”. And to our dismay, it too was canceled. We began to look at numerous gates and all of them were labeled “canceled”. We were at a loss as to what to do. We began to talk to folks and they said that all the rental cars were gone and that there were no more hotel rooms to be had. There were thousands of us marooned in Atlanta. There were a few Delta agents working, trying to get folks out of Georgia and we stood in the shortest line we could find...we were number 274! At 1:30 on Monday morning they all left and said that the next shift would come in at 6:00 am. Everything was closed by that time. So we just stayed in line. Well the line kind of fell down because we all just stretched out on concourse and spent the night on that walkway. Delta employees distributed about 100 blankets but that didn’t go far. The scary thing was that we began to talk to others in line and some had been stranded in the Atlanta airport since Friday. I was praying and others here were too. My sister went to lay on the carpet at one of the gates and I laid on the stone walkway to keep our place in line that night. At 6:00 am 8 new agents came to work and the line began to move. Our agent set us up with a trip to Salt Lake City and then to Fresno. This was our third shot at getting out and I kept praying (along with others back home) that we would actually get out of there on Monday. We cautiously lined up and waited and finally got on board a plane. But we didn’t relax until we got to Salt Lake. We waited to board our flight home and I was praying again! We got on and made it home to Fresno. I woke up late the next morning and started going through all my emails and found one from Delta Airlines. I opened it and it said that they were sorry that they had to scratch our flight to Salt Lake City and that they would reimburse us for meals and for hotel bills that we had as a result of that flight being cancelled! Delta’s system had meant to eliminate that flight, but God graciously kept it in place! I thought about what the prophet Jeremiah said in the Old Testament...that “In those days when you pray, I will listen”. I was reminded again of a verse we say a lot at our church... “With men it is impossible, not so with God. With God all things are possible” Mark 10:27. Pray about everything and don’t stop praying! Here’s our Bible verse for today...
Jeremiah 29:12-14 NLT In those days when you pray, I will listen. (13) If you look for me wholeheartedly,
you will find me. (14) I will be found by you,” says the LORD.
Remember I’m praying for you!
PJ
Jeremiah 29:12-14 NLT In those days when you pray, I will listen. (13) If you look for me wholeheartedly,
you will find me. (14) I will be found by you,” says the LORD.
Remember I’m praying for you!
PJ