shut up and pray!

Yesterday I was flying home from North Carolina (writer's conference) with a 3 hour lay over in Houston. Exhausted from a long, busy weekend full of classes, appointments and networking. I booked the window seat just so that I could sleep while propping my head against the side of the plane. By the time I boarded the plane in Houston at 9:40 pm, I was almost salivating with the excitement of getting some much needed--in air, rest.

As we waited in line, just in front of me was a woman who seemed annoyed. She was talking on the phone right up until she stepped onto the plane. It was obvious that she had had a bad day as she was speaking on the phone in a voice that could be heard by all trying to board this flight. I found myself hoping that her seat wasn't next to mine...however as luck (or God) would have it...it was. Why is it that that always happens??

When we got to our row, she climbed right in and planted herself in MY window seat, so I politely pulled out my ticket so i could show her that I was in fact in 17A and I asked her, "does your ticket say 17A?"

"No, my ticket says 17C...the window seat is the 'C' seat!" She was confident that she was right and I was wrong.

Stunned, I sat in the isle seat and pondered what to do or say...after all, I HAD the window seat ticket and could easily prove it. I just spent the last 3 hours waiting to prop my head against the side of this plane and rest.

However, for whatever reason, the Lord kept impressing upon me that she needs this more than I do.

For the next 20 minutes I found myself upset over the whole situation. If I was to gift her the window seat, then by golly she should at least know that it was indeed mine and I graciously relinquished it to her, right? How will she ever be grateful if I don't at least mention that I let her have that seat? She is sitting there thinking that that is her seat...not mine!

Finally, I decided that I was going to say something...just to give her an FYI. That way she would know that it was not her seat to take...it was mine to give. However when I looked over to speak to her, she was sound asleep. Only 20 minutes into our flight and she was out.

"you just need to pray for her." Is what I felt the Lord was telling me. So that's what I did.

"Lord, she's obviously had a bad day so whatever it is-I pray that you will give her peace. I don't know if she is a believer but I pray that she would turn to you in her time of need. Please bless her, give her rest and help her with whatever is going on." Amen. "Oh, but wait Lord...how will she ever know that I blessed her with giving up that seat? Shouldn't I say something to her about it?"

"No--you shouldn't. How would you feel if I told you of every inadvertent mistake you made? Or I revealed every time you thought you were right when in fact you were wrong?"

I started to think about the few times in my life when I was corrected in public. Those times when I thought I had my facts straight but in fact I was wrong. It's embarrassing...and sometimes humiliating to have someone point out when you are wrong!

God showed me that just as this woman will never know the gift I gave her that day...I will never fully understand all the things the Lord gives me. Each day is a good and perfect gift from above. Even the ones that are full of chaos, busyness and stress are truly a gift from the Lord.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights...James 1:17