Exploration, Inconvenience, and Alignment NYC Style
Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work …
James 1:2-4 (MSG)
Writing an inspirational blog has been a journey of exploration for me and a means to encourage others in their journeys. A couple weeks ago, I wrote a post about the alignment of thoughts and prayers. Today begins a series of reminders from our recent getaway to NYC that God often gives us “tests and challenges” to help us put into practice what we need to learn.
Another Adventure Begins:
My husband, Ron, and I didn’t welcome the alarm that sounded at 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 1! Nevertheless, we pulled ourselves from our cozy bed and immediately went to work making it lest we give in to the temptation to grab a few more winks. At 2:00 a.m., we roused our nine-year-old grandson, Reeve. By 2:30 the three of us headed to Spokane International Airport for a 5:00 a.m. flight, the first leg of a trip to New York City where we would meet up with Reeve’s dad, mom, and older sister by dinnertime.
Our sports-loving grandson totes a Nike backpack, wearing a Mariner shirt and trendy baseball shorts, ready to head off to NYC
As any of us who have spent much time traveling realize, inconvenience often becomes our travel companion. Our travel day was filled with lots of delays caused by mechanical issues, nasty weather, and congested airspace. At one point, the pilot announced all air traffic was suspended at our destination, LaGuardia in NYC. Instead, we turned around to land in Chicago. That turned out to be a good delay, though, since Ron, Reeve, and I were all hungry and agreed the airport Chicago style pizza was scrumptious!
Sleeping in the City that Doesn’t:
New York City has many nicknames, including “The City that Never Sleeps,” but when we collapsed into our hotel bed around 1:30 a.m., we slept! Up early the next morning, we didn’t want to miss out on the sights and sounds of the largest city in the United States. With a population of over eight million people, NYC is comprised of five boroughs: Brooklyn, The Bronx, Staten Island, Manhattan, and Queens. I was fascinated to learn that one in 38 people in the United States calls NYC home.
Times Square bustles with activity day and night!
Appreciating a World Outside My Own:
NYC is the most linguistically diverse city in the world, and almost a quarter of households speak a language other than English. One of my favorite NYC conversations was with a Lyft driver. From the nation of Georgia, which was once part of the USSR, this gentleman won a lottery visa to the U. S. and immigrated to Brooklyn four years ago with his wife and two children. Our driver’s English was great, and my understanding of immigration expanded as we chatted about his beloved native land, the challenges of his family’s adjustment to their new home, as well as a shared interest in cooking. The blending of his Georgian and Brooklynese accents made me smile more than once.
This was my second time in “The Big Apple,” another nickname for NYC, and I know I’ve only scratched the surface of this amazing place. Yet, I’m fascinated with its diverse population; rubbing shoulders with tourists from all over the world; the city’s pulsing energy; and its rich history. I want to return!
The iconic Empire State Building, a familiar NYC skyline marker.
Our four-day trip this time was a whirlwind of activities that were exhilarating, at times exasperating, and for Ron’s and my great-grandparent bodies that have been dealing with some pain issues, exhausting.
This T-Shirt encapsulates our experience! Yes, we survived our trip to NYC! Along with surviving, however, we are grateful for every memorable moment!
Blessings on your journey to being free from fear and filled with power, love, and a sound mind!
