Yesterday I got a lesson in perspective. Frustrating situation or answered prayer. It’s all a matter of perspective. My answered prayers were a irritating situation to a lot of others. And it got me thinking that maybe when I’m frustrated and things are working out exactly how I’d have them…maybe those moments are actually an answer to someone else’s prayers.
Let me elaborate.
I was headed home to Elkhart, IN. {The best place in the world.} Flights from Minot are sooo expensive. So to save some cash, I decided to take the Amtrak train from Minot to Minneapolis. Then I’d take a plane from there to Chicago, where the fam would pick me up.
The train from Minot ran over night, so I figured I’d sleep all night and be ready to go in the morning when I arrived. Well…this is what really happened.
The train was due to depart at 9:25. However, it ran about 2 hours late to Minot and didn’t leave the station until midnight. The staff assured me that we would make up time over night and I’d arrive in Minneapolis a mere 24 minutes late.
So I boarded the crowded train. The car they told me I needed to stay in had a broken air conditioner. I took the only open pair of seats so I could curl up and go to sleep. Then it started.
The coughing.
Right in front of me sat an elderly woman and her husband. And bless their hearts, they had the worst sounding coughs I’ve ever heard in all my years. You know the sound. A juicy, geriatric, flemmy, cough-a-lung-up…hacking, cough. The kind of cough that makes your stomach turn. Without any air flow I felt like I was sealed up in a Ziploc baggie with them. I thought…”If only I could get to sleep, I’d probably be able to sleep through it…”
But getting to sleep was the problem. Right when I thought it had stopped and I was about to drift off…hack-cough-hack.
I must have fallen into a decent sleep at one point because when I woke up it was 6:52 a.m. and we were about to pull into a station. And just imagine my surprise when I discovered we were in Fargo, ND. Three stops past Minot. A depot we were supposed to have passed through at 3:10 a.m.
I flagged down the nearest staff member, who proceeded to tell me that we would be 4 hours late to Minneapolis.
Well bummer…because that means I’ll miss my flight.
After this I talked to the airline, who told me tickets to Chicago were all sold out. If I wanted to change my seat to a flight for the next day I’d be charged $138 to cancel, then the going rate of $240 for a new ticket. Holy crap.
So I got off the phone and called Derek, my mom {who called my dad} and I texted my Sis. We all set to praying that the plane would be delayed so I’d be able to make it.
I finally got to my destination at 10:50. The original flight was scheduled for 11:10.
As I got into the cab to head for the airport my Sis texted me…Flight 708 was now delayed until 12:40.
Prayers answered.
As the plane taxied to wait for the runway to clear the captain came over the speaker. He apologized for the delay…and told us that there had been a hold up early in the morning that had delayed them all day.
Now…was it our 7 a.m. prayers? Was it just a coincidence that we prayed early in the morning…and they’d also been delayed? I don’t know. But I do know that this hold up was an answer to my prayers. A lot of other people were frustrated, but I was relieved.
Bringing me back to my original point. Just some food for thought, next time you are irritated or frustrated in a public situation…remember that a situation that is boiling your blood, just may be answering someone’s prayer.
Just a thought.
Amy
PS–I cannot wait to show you what I was up to today! A trash the dress session at the county fair!! So fun. I’m going to upload photos right meow, so you all can have a little peek tomorrow.
