Waiting at the Gate

The routine is always the same. 

 Get up at 3 a.m., leave the house at 3:30, get to the airport at 5,

hunt a parking place, go through security, wait, and depart at 6:20. 

 Then we snuggle onto what my crazy man calls a flying culvert

 with the big galoot society of the oil patch. 

We've done it at least a dozen times since we've been in North Dakota. 

 

 When we land at Denver International Airport,

(not my picture)

 we usually exit the culvert onto the tarmac -

  climbing down the ladder-steps hoping we don't fall,

(my picture)

in all kinds of weather including snow and ice.

 

  We enter at Gate B58, walk a long hall, climb stairs, grab a bite of breakfast

 and wait for our departure at Gate B95 at the very end of the terminal. 

 

Then one day our flight was moved, and moved and moved again

 

(my picture)

 

 until we were up an escalator and in a new-to-us place in the terminal.

So we waited for our flight to a much anticipated trip to Texas

in a new place.

 

Then another day, not too long ago, our flight was delayed and

with a little time on our hands,

we ventured out of our comfort zone,

down three moving walkways

 

(not my picture)

 

 into a great unknown beyond the last familiar gate.

 

And there in the open space were restaurants, coffee shops, candy stores 

and wonderful shopping. 

We found an artisans jewelry shop, a chic western wear shop,

and the most eclectic gift shop ever.

 

It was wonderful.

It was too wonderful for words

and apparently too wonderful for pictures.

 

We could have waited at our familiar gate from now on,

and missed all those fun places.

 

Isn't that how it is in life?

 

We just sit at our same old gate and wait...

 

because,

we don't know what's over there

we might get lost

we might miss our flight

we might not like it

and for heaven's sake...

WE'VE NEVER DONE IT THAT WAY BEFORE!

 

and we miss...

new places

new food

new friends

new opportunities

and great adventures

 

Likewise, when we enter the narrow gate of salvation

and just wait for our departure to everlasting life,

we miss the greatest adventures of all.

 

We miss

the glories of living

in heaven on earth.

 

We miss

answered prayers

coincidences that aren't

truths in the Bible that take our breath away

being in His presence

love

joy

peace

abundant life

and knowing his other precious children.

 

The Kingdom of God,

is

 here and now.

 

Don't miss the greatest of adventures!