Part One

Every time I think I might quit blogging because I don’t feel inspired, God provides the inspiration I need! Our trip to New Mexico for our granddaughter’s wedding was no exception!

I was filled with gratitude that the wedding was this summer, not last summer when I’d have been in the middle of chemo and likely unable to travel. At the same time, we hadn’t travelled by airplane since 2018, and I was a bit nervous about meeting all the regulations that have been in place since 9/11.

When we were waiting to check our bag at the Pittsburgh Airport, the lady ahead of us turned and rolled her eyes when the woman checking in people in our lane walked away when it was her turn. I laughed and made some comment, and a conversation began.

The lady told me she was originally from Pittsburgh and now lives in Sante Fe, but had come back for her Dad’s “chicken party!” She said, “If I showed you some pictures, you’d be sure my family was crazy.“

We were directed elsewhere before I could ask what a “chicken party” was or look at her pictures to ascertain her family’s lack of sanity! When we got to our gate, I looked for my new friend but didn’t see her. However, later when I came out of a store where I was killing time because our flight was delayed, there she was coming out of a bar.

She joined me and said, “How long do we have to sit in a bar waiting for our flight? I’m liable to get in trouble. My mom said she isn’t responsible for us anymore.” (I think she was joking… Her age had to be at least fifty something.)

As we walked together, I said, “Well, your mother is right. We each have to make up our minds what kind of a person we want to be, what our boundaries are.”

The woman made some irritable comment that I don’t remember, and I changed the subject. I mentioned finding bottled water that wasn’t too expensive in the Hudson store I’d been in, even though someone had told me that water was $7 a bottle at the Pittsburgh Airport.

She said, “I don’t believe you!”

I shrugged, “It’s true. This bottle only cost me $2.50.”

When we reached our gate, she went on to another Hudson Shop, the same sort of store I’d come out of when we met outside the bar. Soon she returned and, to my surprise, handed me the largest bottle of water the store had.

“Thank you, that’s very kind of you!” As she walked away, I wondered if she’d thought I couldn’t afford to buy a bigger bottle of water? I returned to my seat and handed the bottle to my surprised husband!

But soon my new friend was back with a question. “What are your seat numbers on the plane?”

Thinking perhaps she was wondering if our seats were close to hers, I told her our seat numbers. Then she said, “Do either you or your husband drink at all?”

Surprised, I responded, “No, why?”

“I was going to buy you drinks on the plane.”

 “Well, that’s very kind of you, but neither of us drink.” Looking for a way to cushion my refusal, I added, “I don’t know if you know what Mennonites are, but we were both raised Mennonite and we just never drank growing up.”

“Mennonites,” she said. “Is that something like Mormons or a cult?”

“No, no,” I hurried to assure her, “Mennonites aren’t like Mormons and they’re not a cult.”

The woman sitting beside me said, “I’m a Mormon.”

Thankful she’d spoken up before I said anything else, I responded with a non-committal “Oh, are you?”

I didn’t want to get sidetracked into a discussion of Mormonism, so I turned back to my discussion with the other woman. She said something like, “Well, I just try to be a good person and be kind to people.“

“That’s good,” I said, “but I also want to live in a way that will effect my life in eternity.”

My new friend looked startled. “Well, if I think the plane is going down, I’ll just come and hang onto you.”

I stood up and said, “You could do that, but I can assure you that hanging on to me won’t get you to heaven. But if you came and hung on to me, I would spend the time we had left telling you how to get to heaven. And if the plane were going down, I bet you’d listen.”

We both laughed a little and she agreed that she probably would. Then I asked, “What’s your name?”

“Jennifer.”

“Jennifer, I’m going to put your name on my prayer list so I remember to pray for you. In fact, can I pray for you now?”

She agreed and I took her hands and started to pray. It was rather odd because she kept her eyes open and talked to me as I prayed, so my eyes were often open too!

After I finished, she said, “So what do we do next? Should we do this?” She started to make the sign of the cross that Catholics use.

“No, you don’t need to do that, but here’s what I want you to do. I want you to pray and ask Jesus if He’s real, to reveal Himself to you. Would you do that for me?”

Jennifer stared at me for a few seconds, then said, “I like you and I think you’re very nice, so I’ll do that for you.”

“All right, that’s all I ask.”

Before she moved away, Jennifer showed me pictures of her Father’s “Chicken House,” a very cool, large actual house!! Apparently, he had always wanted chickens but the family had talked him out of it. Now at a ripe old age, he had an elaborate “Chicken House” built, got chickens, and invited more than one hundred family and friends to celebrate!

I told Jennifer, “I always wanted chickens too, but Donn always talked me out of it. Maybe I should show him this picture to tell him what’s in our future!”

She took the picture over to Donn who had no idea what she was talking about. I just told him that perhaps there was a chicken house and chickens in our future!     

Please pray that Jennifer would keep her promise to pray that if Jesus is real, He would reveal Himself to her and that she would become a follower of Jesus.

Lord Jesus, we never know when you will put people in our path who need a Savior. Help us to have ears to hear the voice of your Spirit prompting us to be the hands and feet of Jesus regardless of where we are or what we’re doing. Amen.

The two pictures were both taken in Window Rock, Arizona, near the New Mexico border. This potter had beautiful wares.