CINDY TRANE CHRISTESON -- The Moral of the Story

“God not only orders our steps, he orders our stops.”

-- George Muller

“I think that God just cleared his throat, and he sure got my

attention,” I wrote in my journal one afternoon last spring.

I was on my way home from Northern California. I’ve made the flight

often to visit our daughters in college. It’s a quick and easy flight,

and I’ve done it frequently enough that I boarded the plane as if I was

on automatic pilot.

I wasn’t paying attention to much, especially not to the safety

lecture the flight attendant started giving. My mind had already landed

at home and was thinking about the talk that I was to give the next

morning.

But my mind returned to the present and the plane when the attendant

stopped talking mid-sentence. Another attendant went to talk with a

passenger several rows ahead of me.

I couldn’t see what was happening and hoped the passenger wasn’t ill.

A second attendant joined the first, and then left to talk with the

pilots.

Soon the plane stopped moving, and one of the pilots came back and

joined the discussion. By now, all heads were leaning out into the aisle,

like sunflowers pointing toward the sun.

The pilot left to talk to the other pilot but kept looking back for

some signal. The attendant clearly tried to listen to something, but she

kept shaking her head. I noticed many nervous looks among the passengers.

At first I thought of the inconvenience of changing planes. I quickly

changed my mind though, once I thought that there might be any question

of safety. It’s funny how priorities change.

That’s when I felt as if God cleared his voice. I sat up straight and

realized I’d broken a routine that I do when I fly. Typically, I say a

quick prayer for safety while I buckle my seat belt, close my eyes as we

taxi down the runway and pray.

That particular day, however, I was too preoccupied. I was taking my

safety for granted. Worse, I was taking God for granted. I decided to

pray.

After a few minutes, the crew returned to their places and finished

the safety lecture. The plane started moving again, and the pilot came

over the loud speaker.

“I’m sure you’re all wondering why we stopped and what we were looking

at,” he said.

He explained that a passenger heard an unusual sound behind her. They

checked it out thoroughly, and it had something to do with the way the

air was circulating through a valve. I didn’t quite understand it, but it

didn’t sound dangerous.

“It’s something we’re very familiar with. It just seemed a bit louder

than usual, but it’s perfectly safe,” he said. “We’ll take off

momentarily.”

A collective sigh of relief went through the plane.

I thought about the incredible amount of complex components and valves

that go into the design of planes. I’m glad they were so familiar with

them all and knew just what to do.

I also realized the incredible complexities that go into the design of

God’s plans for our lives. I’m thankful he is familiar with them all. I’m

especially grateful that he always knows just what to do.

And you can quote me on that.

* CINDY TRANE CHRISTESON is a Newport Beach resident who speaks

frequently to parenting groups. She may be reached via e-mail at o7

cindy@onthegrow.comf7 or through the mail at P.O. Box 6140-No. 505,

Newport Beach, CA 92658.