Making Course Corrections

Learning to fly was an amazing experience and flying solo was the part that sure got my blood pumping. When flying alone, there is no one else to depend upon except yourself. It was empowering, but it was also one of the most terrifying things I ever did. I made that first solo flight just fine, but then came the time, still as a student pilot but with the required skills, to make a cross-country solo flight (within 25-miles away). I learned early on about course corrections. I had put in an initial heading, but when I had flown the 25-miles, I didn’t see my destination airport in sight. I assure you that my heart was palpitating a mile a minute. I hadn’t anticipated the strong winds that pushed me off course. The scripture “Lo, I am with you always….” (Matthew 28:20) came to me and it offered me no solace because I was flying at about 3,000 feet up in the air. “Help, Lord, please be HIGH with me always!”

Logic said the airport is right in front of me, but I had not played close enough attention to making course corrections along the way. Wind changes in directions and intensity changed my course, but fortunately, only a few degrees. I wasn’t that far off course because, eventually, the airport I was to land at, was in sight. If it had been a longer and further flight, a few degrees could have put me in Timbuktu!

This scenario applies to our lives as well. Proverbs 16:9 says, "A man's heart devises his way, but the Lord directs his steps." In other words, we make plans, but the Lord makes course corrections along the way. Sometimes, we aren’t so thrilled with those course corrections. When Jesus left this Earth, our Father gave us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit helps us make right decisions. He guides us in right living and right thinking.

Our heavenly Father wants us to succeed. He wants us to live in joy and in peace. He desires for our path to be straight. He wants us to reach our destination. The Holy Spirit is the One who continuously guides us. He softly whispers, "Turn this way. Go that way." He helps us make course corrections.

As we start out on our “solo” ride each day, it’s important that we pay close attention to our journey. The enemy of our souls wants to take us off course. He uses the slyest tactics to maneuver us in the wrong direction. But when we “eagle eye” and listen for the promptings of the Holy Spirit Who cautions us that we’re getting off course, He will help us make the course corrections to get us back on track. Simple course corrections now instead of waiting until our lives are in a mess and things are out of control will certainly save us time AND distance. Quite often a very small course correction will avert and prevent a tragedy.

God is for us. He lovingly desires to help us adjust our direction and get us back on course. May our sensitivity to His leading be fine-tuned so that we stay on the right path. Maybe you haven't been "flying" in a straight line and you can't even see to tomorrow. Stop and listen for His voice. He is speaking. Heed His course corrections and you will reach your destination on time, every time!

This Frisco/Dallas Traffic is MY Traffic -- Mine Versus Mind

Have you ever seen a baby that’s just beginning to talk, and one of the first words he speaks, especially if he has an older sibling, is “Mine”! The sibling or little friend may be trying to play with one of his toys, when the baby grabs it back and says “Mine!” Undoubtedly, the parent’s watchful eye will navigate the situation and endeavor to teach the little one to change his mind, “Yes, they’re your toys, but they are for you to share with your brother (sister or friend)!”

A couple of days ago I took Denise, Staci’s family’s valuable assistant/caregiver/BFF, to the airport for a trip home to see her family in Indiana for a few days. It was an early morning flight so the Dallas/Ft Worth traffic was less than other times going to the airport. But, on my return home, the traffic increased substantially. And I was starting my usual consternation about “all this traffic”.

Then I remembered a conversation my son told me that he had with Pastor Ryan Malouff when Ryan and Shawntel were contemplating a move to Austin. They were driving together and the traffic was heavy. Ryan W. asked Pastor Ryan “How in the world can you live here and deal with this Austin traffic?” Pastor Ryan’s response was “Because this is MY traffic and this is MY city that God has called me to, and this is MY opportunity to impact MY traffic and My city!”

That was a heaven-to-earth moment for me, because I could sense God “schooling me” about some poor attitudes I’ve had. Since I’ve moved to Frisco, people have asked me “How do you like Frisco?” And my common first response was “Well, it’s a big city with a lot of traffic -- after all Frisco is the 4th fastest growing city in the U.S., and I had a collision, and I’m still trying to find my rhythm.”

I had a personal epiphany and said to myself, “Donna, (I often speak to myself that way – please don’t judge me – LOL!), are you kidding me that you would lead any conversation with a negative? This is YOUR city now and this is YOUR traffic.” The lightning fast MIND of MINE suddenly thought “Rather than complaining and thinking negatively about this traffic, OWN the traffic and the people inside those vehicles and do what God has called you to – to be a difference maker and pray for those people to become followers of Christ; pray for their financial needs to be met, for their bodies to be healed and for their relationships to be restored.” So, I began to pray. My thoughts then turned to “assignment”. God told His disciples, and to us, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel message”. (Mark 16:15) Why wouldn’t I being speaking “good news” over all this traffic? God gave me an assignment to pray instead of being prey to the enemy’s tactics to bring me anxiety and stress.

Every single day is a learning experience for me. I get it. I know God is still working on me to be the best version of me so that He can use whatever I am and have for Him.

Maybe today there are negative situations that bug you. Maybe it’s the barking dog next door, or the grumpy boss, or the annoying co-worker, or the kids riding their bicycles across your grass, or the traffic you have to deal with on a daily basis. Why don’t we turn it all around and look for the opportunity to speak into those situations “good news” with good prayers? And in that case, “ALL THINGS (including morning and afternoon traffic), will be used by God for good for those who love God and are called according to His purposes.” (Romans 8:28) Even traffic can be something that can be used by God to bless His children!!

The Operative Word in Dallas Love Field is LOVE

Day 104 of Photo Inspirations -- The Operative Word in Dallas Love Field is LOVE!
Okay....so I get sappy at times -- especially when a sweet memory catches up with me!  Yesterday -- we had a layover at Dallas Love Field Airport.  No big deal -- it's just another airport -- but, yes, it is a big deal to me.  In 1966 Dallas Love Field was THE airport for Dallas.  My family lived just North of Love Field in Walnut Hill -- in fact, our home was right in line for the final approach of the runway and where the planes were descending for landing.  We lived there so long that we didn't even notice the sound, but guests who visited us...DID! They wondered how we put up with that sound that seemed to shake our home.  It didn't phase us anymore -- we didn't even notice it.

And isn't that what we do with thinking about negative situations -- the more we give attention to them -- the worse they become.  But, when we, instead, focus on all that is good -- then the negative has a way of just slipping out of our minds.  That's why when situations and circumstances come, I do my best to replace them with "Him I will keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon me!"  Isaiah 26:3

But the best part of this stopover at Dallas Love Field was the sweetest memory of all.  Like I said, we lived in North Dallas (just North of Love Field), and my boy friend, Ronnie Wuerch, lived in South Dallas.  He would come North and we would have our little sweetheart time "parking" just on the outside of the airport and watch the planes coming in and taking off.  That's where we dreamed about our future together, and quite honestly, didn't really pay that much attention to those planes at all.  But it sounds good for this explanation.  Eventually, in January, 1966 -- Ronnie took me to the La Tunisia Restaurant that was located in the terminal of Love Field.  It was a swanky restaurant and Ronnie spent a lot on that meal for us that night (we were 17 & 18 at the time) but best of all -- that restaurant in Love Field Airport is where he proposed to me.  Yes.....sweetest of memories.  And so sweet that my daughter came to spend time with me during my layover and I got to share that sweet memory with her.

Yes, cherishing the moments and the memories is what I do really well these days.  I don't look back and want to stay there.  It's recalling the sweet times that made for special memories.  Today was one of those!  That season represented a sweet chapter in my life.  I'm still writing this story and this season is another chapter.  I expect this chapter to be one I'll be remembering with sweet joys too.  That's just the way I roll.  Living the abundant life promised to me by my Father and capturing the moments!   SWEET!

Only Listen to the RIGHT Voices!

I did my flight training at a small airport in Cleveland, OK. Getting my pilot’s license was my husband’s idea. Since we often flew cross country with our children on board, he felt it important that I should, at least be able to land the plane….just in case the unthinkable happened to him. He was an extremely conscientious pilot, so very thorough, and did everything according to flight regulations. He took no chances. I think he was prouder for me than I was of myself when I did my first solo flight. My instructor was the best around, and it was easy to listen and follow any instructions he gave me. He’d coach me when flying with me, and, from the radio while I would be performing a solo flight. On one of my “touch and go” training days (that’s when you repetitively land the plane and take off again), my husband got on the airport radio (mind you, this was a very small airport) and was pressing upon me to use flaps (they’re on the wings of the plane and they increase the angle of descent for landing, and they slow the aircraft down). Not having practiced landing with flaps without my instructor, I was uneasy about going for it, but I did. And, listening to the WRONG voice coach me, I didn’t account for the slower speed and I barely landed on the runway, AND I took out several runway lights along the way. Thanks be to God, the plane and I survived, but not without incident. Though gentle, my instructor scolded me for listening to a voice, other than his. He knew what I was capable of handling and what I had been adequately trained for, and a landing using full flaps wasn’t one of them.

We have to do much the same thing where the voice of God is concerned. If I’m going to follow the instructions He gave in Proverbs 4:20 “My son (or daughter), attend to my words, incline your ear to my sayings”, I must always be tuned in to what He’s saying to me. I must be continually listening for HIS words…..and none other. In life, just as in the cockpit, that’s not always easy. There are all kinds of voices out there making a lot of noise. But I’m determined not to let them distract me, because God’s voice is the only one I really need to hear. His words are the only ones that can provide a beautiful and abundant life,,,,,and a perfect landing. Other voices can lead me to destruction – His voice is the one to follow!