Airports are my Friend

Airline flight numbers are rattled off in Chinese on the intercom…. And I recognize the numbers!  I listen… Nope, that’s not our flight.  I find our flight number on the TV screen, and I notice the area to get our tickets is not yet manned.  I know that no one ever mans these booths until one hour before the flight.  I look at the time.  3 hours to kill before we can even get our tickets…  Time for KFC and a little downtime while my students work on homework! 

This weekend, I was travelling…again.  Since August, I have taken 4 weekend trips and one week long vacation!  There is only one more weekend trip to go for this first semester.  I never thought I’d travel this much.  I never expected to get use to airports, much less navigate one in China! 

The trip I took this weekend was to Tianjin, a city I have been to before!  I was asked to go about two weeks before the trip.  Although I had short notice, I understood that God knew what he was doing.  I accompanied 2 students to a spiritual weekend retreat, hosted in the city Tianjin.  Other ISC schools met us there, and I could tell God was working.  The retreat was a success on multiple levels, but what I’d like to focus on for this blog, is how the retreat aided my heart.

If you’ve read my last blog, you’d understand that recent times have been difficult as God has been teaching me and molding me.  When I was asked to go on this trip, my initial heart reaction was, “I really just want to have a lazy weekend!”  With everything going on at work and at home, I thought God could speak to me most after a long night of rest, some morning reflections, and maybe some coffee while I listen to God in my pajamas and in silence.

Instead, I got about 6 hours of sleep each night from Thursday to Sunday.  I was around 60 screaming teenagers for 17 hours each day.  However, I did get some coffee.   The weekend was insane!  Along with all of the craziness, though… I also got to praise my God with 60 teenagers, and often yell at the lunch table, “I love Jesus, yes I do, I love Jesus how ‘bout you?!”  I got to serve alongside 12 students who gave up their weekend to serve other students.  I got to meet and talk with amazing staff members that spoke into my life.  I got to see a great friend who never ceases to be a blessing! Finally, I got to meet my God in a chapel service that was meant to reach the students…. God decided to also reach me.

The weekend was not what I wanted.  However, the weekend was what God knew I needed.  Despite the craziness and lack of sleep, my soul is restored.  I can enter this week with thanksgiving, and sit in his presence with praise in my heart.