This blog (My Journal . . . ) was begun in anticipation of our planned trip to the Philippines in January 2008. That's the Journey that's referred to in the blog title, but I also would like to weave in some insights into the Journey of faith that I began travelling when I was still in my teens (almost a half century ago), and which brought me to the present. But, as David Livingstone once said, "It is far easier to travel than to write about it." Nevertheless, I do plan to try. All prayers for this endeavor are much appreciated.
Travis (My DH) has made fourteen previous trips to the Philippines, and plans to leave on his fifteenth trip next month, partly to see about a place for us to live for the three months we plan to be in Davao City on the island of Mindanao. But he also needs some planning time to arrange things in order to spend time working on the other projects he's been involved with for several years now.
I am obeying Paul's injunction in Ephesians 5:22 "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord." Travis has been able, by God's grace and the gifts God has given, to work with the Filipinos and be of aid to an impoverished people, and he refers to God's gifts often, so it's given opportunities for witnessing in natural contexts. One concern of mine is the 17-hour plane trip to get there . . . I'm probably more tense about that than I am about possible terrorism. I tend to agree with Orson Welles who said "There are only two emotions in a plane: boredom and terror." I'm rarely, if ever, bored, but the thought of a heavy plane filled with people high up in the air makes me shudder. And I have mild claustrophobia, but because of having so much mileage and points accrued from previous trips, we got upgraded to business class, so that should help with that concern of mine.
Mostly, I want to do God's will. And this much I can know of God's will in everything . . . it's plainly stated in 1 Peter 2:15 "For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:"
Any and all prayers are greatly appreciated, and I say here a heartfelt "Thank You".
God bless,
Elaine
Travis (My DH) has made fourteen previous trips to the Philippines, and plans to leave on his fifteenth trip next month, partly to see about a place for us to live for the three months we plan to be in Davao City on the island of Mindanao. But he also needs some planning time to arrange things in order to spend time working on the other projects he's been involved with for several years now.
I am obeying Paul's injunction in Ephesians 5:22 "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord." Travis has been able, by God's grace and the gifts God has given, to work with the Filipinos and be of aid to an impoverished people, and he refers to God's gifts often, so it's given opportunities for witnessing in natural contexts. One concern of mine is the 17-hour plane trip to get there . . . I'm probably more tense about that than I am about possible terrorism. I tend to agree with Orson Welles who said "There are only two emotions in a plane: boredom and terror." I'm rarely, if ever, bored, but the thought of a heavy plane filled with people high up in the air makes me shudder. And I have mild claustrophobia, but because of having so much mileage and points accrued from previous trips, we got upgraded to business class, so that should help with that concern of mine.
Mostly, I want to do God's will. And this much I can know of God's will in everything . . . it's plainly stated in 1 Peter 2:15 "For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:"
Any and all prayers are greatly appreciated, and I say here a heartfelt "Thank You".
God bless,
Elaine
5 Comments:
We will be praying for you both here in Cincinnati. Please keep us updated on your journey, both physically and spiritually.
Godspeed!
Rebecca Huffman
Thanks, Rebecca -- prayers are very much appreciated, and we will surely plan to keep you updated!
Looking forward to the Cincinnati Annual Meeting -- my first, thanks to Jeff Winfrey's generosity in letting me ride to the meeting with him. Sister Rita Ridley, my 80+ dear friend and sister in Christ, plans to travel with us, so it all should be very nice, right from the start!! Praying for the meeting, and looking forward to seeing you as part of the highly anticipated meeting time . . .
Dear Sister Elaine,
Oh how I love to fly! Every time I have ever been up in a plane, I have felt such a magnificent wild joy and freedom! As an adult, it has brought me near tears with gratitude to God for such a priceless gift---the gift of flight. I have never feared crashing or trouble--I know the Lord has me in His Hand, and should it be my time to go to Him, I feel sure that I will truly fly!
I wish so much that I could somehow transmit these feelings to you and relieve your trepidation. My dad was in the Navy during my entire childhood, and we did two tours of duty on the island of Guam. There were no non-stop flights in those days, and the flight time was extraordinarily long. I remember every minute of those times to this day! I will be in prayer for you for your journey, Dear Sister Elaine, and beg the Lord to give you exultant and immediate feelings of His grace and power. Especially during takeoff! :-)
love always,
sis cheri thomas
Dear Sister Elaine,
A small Post Script.....I have always loved this poem, and felt deeply the same feelings that this poet has expressed here. Enjoy!
sis cheri
High Flight
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence.
Hov'ring there
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,
I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untresspassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.
Pilot Officer Gillespie Magee
No 412 squadron, RCAF
Killed 11 December 1941
I appreciate your comments, Cheri, and the poem -- that actually does help. I just have to keep my focus correctly adjusted on Christ, and I think I'll be fine.
The first time I flew, I was 18, went to see a friend who had moved to Chicago to attend Moody Bible Institute, and I was excited. Everything went fine, and I didn't think anything about it. Later, I flew to Mississippi after we moved up here. My grandfather was ill, and I needed to be there. The plane hit rough weather, and we "bounced" from Kentucky to Mississippi via Texas. The man sitting next to me must have sensed my "discomfort" because he tried to comfort me by saying he flew all the time and "this was nothing", and everything was going to be alright. But when the bouncing got more frequent and more "pronounced", he began looking around apprehensively, and all his "comfort" flew out the window! But he was right -- everything was alright, plane was just delayed a bit.
I'll be thinking of you at takeoff, and as we fly over the Pacific (if I'm awake -- Travis says I'll probably fall asleep, and miss a lot of the flight.) We'll see . . .
Elaine
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