The Day I Left Training

To my fellow classmates and servants of Christ our Lord.

I hope this letter finds you well. I so enjoyed the time I got to spend with you during our IFOC chaplain training. I have been compelled all week by the Holy Spirit to write about what happened the day I left to come home to California. The intent of this letter is to, first of all glorify God, and testify of His wondrous works. The book of Revelation tells us that we shall overcome our enemy by the Blood of the Lamb, the Word of our testimony, and that we love not our own life unto death!

I can only imagine the scene in heaven, my brother Jesus leans over to the Father and says, “So, You’ve called her into Chaplaincy?” Hand under his chin, “Hmm’, “shall we afford her the opportunity to put into practice what she has learned this week?” “As she has been studying to show herself approved?” The Father, responding with a smile, “yes, she will do well!”

So I arrive at the airport, and I get to the ticket counter, I am expecting to get my seats near the wing of the plane. I always get a window seat, near the wing. So one, I can sleep with my head leaning against the wall of the plane. It is always my habit to sleep through a plane ride. And secondly, if the plane goes down, (Lord forbid) I am seated in the strongest part of the plane.

The young man at the counter hands me my boarding pass and says, “Your seat assignment is not on here for some reason?” “But don’t worry they will just have to seat you at the gate.” “Ok,” I said. “But that’s never happened to me before?” (There will be several of those “that’s never happened?” on this trip.

So I get to the counter at the gate and they seat me in the bulk head of the plane. (That is the first set of seats in the plane, with a wall in front of you.) In the 25 years of flying, I have only sat in the bulkhead once, with a baby on my lap, and I don’t care for it because, I like to have my backpack at my feet, under the seat in front of me. (just my preference)

I am thinking this is odd, but whatever?? Go with it. My first leg of the trip was uneventful.

So I get to Salt Lake City, and once again inquirer about my seat assignment, and they confirm once again I am in the first row. So I grab a bite to eat, and chase it down with a Redbull. For some reason, (I don’t know why?) I put the last of my drink in the side of my backpack to finish later. (not a typical move on my part, but that’s what I did.)

So we all get called to the gate to board. I waited until the last to board, no sense in rushing to sit down, just to watch everyone, sit down. As I get on, I have to put my backpack in the over head bin, because I am still in the bulkhead seat. So as I do, I ‘anointed’ the poor kid sitting in the seat with my half full Redbull! Ugh!

Just then a grouchy gentleman yells, “Hey lady!” “You are spilling stuff all over people!” Of course I felt so bad. So I grab the napkin left over from my lunch out of my backpack, and start to dab his knee! He says, “It’s Ok. I got it.” Then the steward hands him another paper towel, and a wet nap. Needless to say I felt bad. And the grouchy gentleman of course made it feel worse than it was.

So, sitting there on the plane, we were delayed, waiting for three more passengers. Two came right away. But the third one still had not arrived, and it had been more than a half an hour. There was the grouchy gentleman, starting to fuss to my left, and I kid you not, a screaming baby right behind me. I got the distinct feeling the Lord was squeezing my fruit! Just to see what was going to come out of me. Laughing to myself!

Then the steward, talking to the grouchy gentleman, say’s, “Someone higher up than me, is holding this plane up.” “It’s not like this is the only flight to Palm Springs today.”

Well, that turned out to be a profound statement!

So, finally the passenger we had been waiting for arrived at the gate. The airplane workers cleared the first two rows out to bring her on the plane. She was paralyzed with MS. An older lady. She was moaning in pain, as the two guys assigned to get her on the plane were doing their best not to tussle her too much. Her trip was long, and she was just not sure she was going to make it home at that point.

The two men that were trying to get her in the seat were so way out of their element. These guys handle jet fuel, grounds crews, and big tools. Not elderly, sick crippled lady’s in pain. The best way I can describe the looks on their faces is like this. The look on a new fathers face in the hospital, when the nurse hands over the baby, “Here, take it, it’s yours!” And that total look of “I am not sure I am qualified to handle that job yet?” Sheer terror!

So, of course, I could not stay in my seat. I was compelled to get up and help this poor lady get in her seat. I had to put my hands on her bottom to get her in position. Can you just imagine those two guys trying to do that? Then I helped get her jacket off and get her buckled in the seat. I just kept speaking to her, “you are going to make it.” She was moaning in pain from an ulcer, she had developed during her month long trip away from home. I just wanted to make it better for her, as much as I possibly could.

It was during this time she looked up at me and said, “I love you!” And of course I said “I love you too!” So once we got her in her seat I asked, “could I please sit with her during the flight?” The one guy said “You would be willing to do that?” I said, “I would be happy to do that.” You don’t think I was going to let her sit with ‘mister grouchy.’ This woman had already been through enough, without having to endure that! They kept on thanking me for my help, and asking me for my name. I was just happy the Lord set it up for me to be His presence with ‘skin on.’

So, now we are taxiing to the runway, and I say to her, “Don’t worry, we are almost home.” “From your lips to God’s ears!” she said. So I spent the plane ride not sleeping, but praying. Praying that the Lord would send her just a fraction of the eternal peace that we will someday have in the heavenly realm. That He would ease her pain, and give her rest. I sat forward the entire hour and a half trip. Keeping my shoulder in position to hold her head up as much as possible. Patting her on the knee, holding her water as she needed it. And most of all, praying for her and thanking God that He had found me worthy to be His servant. The Comforter who dwells in me, became the comforter clothed in flesh and bone. A gentle ‘foot washer’ a ‘humble servant’ oozing out the ‘Anointing’ and ‘Love’ of the Holy Spirit.

As I sat there looking out the window, with great joy in my heart. I could hear Gale’s words resounding in my ears, “We are a ministry of presence!” I soooo got that in such a profound way! Preaching and teaching have their place. But we are called to be ‘living epistles‘, to be read of all men!

All of this took place in front of an audience of the world. And it is my hope that my actions spoke to all, and to that young man whom I had anointed with ‘Redbull,’ who turned out to be Mr. Grouchy’s son, that there is a better way. A humble and contrite spirit the Lord will not despise.

As I waited for the woman to get off the plane, she once again looked at me and said, “Thank you Doris, I love you.” Now we all know, that it is the Jesus in me, whom she loves. Of course I said, “I love you too.” As the Apostle Paul writes, “It is not I, but the Spirit of Christ who dwells in me!”

When I arrived at the gate in Palm Springs, the airline presented me with a travel voucher. I graciously accepted it as a gift from my Father. He longs to give us gifts, it brings Him as much joy as it does us, when we are able to give gifts to our own children. I could once again hear the Lord in heaven saying, “Well done!”

Please hear me when I say, the telling of this story is to bring Glory to the Lord. This experience edified me, and it is my hope that it will edify and encourage you in your adventures in chaplaincy!

For the Lord is worthy of all our praise!

Be Blessed in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!