All Things Work Together for Your Good

My husband and I were nearing the end of our fabulous vacation in Los Cabos, Mexico when we got word from one of our deacons that the weather conditions were declining in the Kansas City area. The main reason we take our annual anniversary trip in January is because our goal is to escape the cold Kansas winters. We also are aware that we run the risk of not being able to get out or return as scheduled. However, in our fourteen years of marriage and traveling we have never been delayed in leaving or returning home.

In Los Cabos, it was way too beautiful to spend our time worrying about the weather or watching television, so we said we would look at the weather forecast later. We continued to hang out, swim, eat, take siestas, and watch the views from our lovely patio. I felt like we had our version of the movie “Eat, Pray, Love” but add sleep to the menu since we were exhausted when we arrived. Why do I continue to book early morning flights where we have to leave our house at 4:30 am in the morning? This year we decided to try Uber and leave our cars at home. Turns out our first experience with Uber for airport transportation was very convenient. Sandy arrived on time and was a gracious driver.

 The week went by fast and before we knew it the time had arrived to check in on our Southwest flight to attempt to get into the A boarding group. I set an alarm and like magic we were able to secure a great place in the line and be able to sit together. Friday morning we checked out and the shuttle had arrived to pick us up for our return trip to the airport. We were silent on the drive soaking in the last amazing views of the countryside and the Pacific Ocean. Thirty minutes later we arrived at the airport, checked our bags, and made our way to our gate.

 Once we were lined up for the flight we began a conversation with the couple behind us. There is something empowering about being at the front of a Southwest line, it makes you want to talk to the people around you. Soon we learned that they were also going to Kansas City but were disappointed that their connecting flight was cancelled. We smiled to ourselves having checked the weather knowing the ice storm had been delayed and we already had our boarding passes for the connecting flight in Orange County later that day. They insisted that we check our boarding passes for the date of the flight. Uh oh! Our flight was scheduled for the next day, the same as theirs. We had to laugh at ourselves because we had not bothered to look at our boarding passes. Our experience had always been that we would receive an email or a text if we had flight changes. We were disturbed that no one had contacted us.

 Before we took off, I sent a few texts requesting friends and family to pray for us to arrive back to Kansas City as planned on Friday night. Our goal once we arrived back in the states was to clear customs and head straight to the Southwest ticket counter to get rerouted and be able to get home the same day. Obviously, we were not the only ones who were scheduled to fly to Kansas City, as we recognized others who were on our incoming flight.

We got to the ticket counter and found other’s with the same plight. There was one ticket agent giving a lot of orders to international travelers to not stand in line but to drop off our bags at the counter. We ignored her demands and agreed we did not want her as our ticket agent. We anxiously awaited another ticket agent to wave us over to the counter. Our agent, Javier did everything he could to get us to Kansas City as early as possible since they were expecting another round of ice on Saturday. He tried rerouting us through Dallas, Phoenix and Portland deliberately avoiding Denver because of an impending snowstorm. We soon realized we were not going to make it to Kansas City that night.

The ticket agent must have seen the look on our faces and assured us he had tried everything to get us back home. The flight we were booked on would leave at 7:15 am on Saturday morning, stop in Portland and get us home by 4:45 pm. We kept asking was there anything else he could do. The entire time we were at the ticket counter my youngest daughter was texting to me that they weather was fine in Kansas City and it was going to be worse Saturday. We were concerned about another cancellation with the weather predictions being worse for Saturday. Our agent found a nonstop flight for Saturday that would leave at 10:30 am and arrive at 3:30 pm. We told him we would take it.

 Things started looking up when he informed us that because he liked us he would give us a hotel for the night paid for by Southwest airlines. He recommended we enjoy our extended vacation and get a good night’s sleep and be assured we would get home safely Saturday by 3:30 pm. The hotel shuttle picked us up 10 minutes later. The staff at the Atrium Hotel near Orange County airport were very kind and offered us a wonderful king suite for the night. They even provided transportation for us back and for to the local steakhouse where we had a delicious prime rib dinner. After dinner we made a few calls and went to bed. After a great night’s sleep we had a delightful breakfast in the hotel restaurant. As we continued to monitor the weather in Kansas City, we found out that had we flown in on Friday night, we would have encountered ice on the way home. Saturday’s forecast was showing the temperature was going to stay above freezing until nighttime.

“Hallelujah” and “Thank you Jesus” was all we could say when we realized that what we thought was an inconvenience was really a blessing and divine protection and favor for us. We did not have to deal with the treacherous icy roads on Friday, plus we were blessed with an amazing and peaceful evening at the hotel paid for by Southwest Airlines who normally will not cover your costs when the weather is the cause of the delay or cancellation. Albert, our head deacon informed us that he would be waiting for us when we arrived safely in Kanas City.

 I went through all of that to say that just when you think that God is not working things out on your behalf, actually all things are working out for your good. We were praying and had a lot of other people praying for us to arrive home safely. We could not control the weather, the airlines or the hearts of the people we came in contact with, but we serve a God who can do anything. Most people who know me are aware that my favorite scripture is Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” It looks like great things are in store for 2017 and all will work together for my good! The year just got started but maybe you have already experienced some disappointments and setbacks, but I encourage you to stay alert, prayerful, hopeful and thankful and watch things work out for your good too!

 Blessings,

 Janice

If you are a blended family, visit our website at https://stepwithlove.org for tips on managing your blended family.