Jetting to Joy When Your Flight is Cancelled

I've spent a lot of time in airports these last couple of days. Flying internationally on a stand-by ticket is filled with crazy inconsistency and, when your focus is solely on an exciting trip ahead, it can turn joy to misery if you are not careful. Yesterday painted a vividly coloured metaphor for life. After finally getting on a flight to Washington DC, we were listed for, then bumped off, then listed for and cancelled on more than one flight.  Finally, at around 11:30 pm, we were sent to a 4 hour customer service line. It took about an hour just to collect my bag (which was checked on a flight from LA that I got bumped off of at the last minute).  With 2 days of no sleep, I still thought the situation was semi-poetic. There we all were, clinging to our baggage, exhausted, and waiting for frazzled gate agents to change our situations so that our lives can be better. Many people were vocally refusing to be consoled and cursing their situations and cursing the people there to help them. They were upset that they were not receiving immediate help or compensation they thought they deserved. They forgot that there were 600 people in the same boat as they were. They lost sight of the shore and gave into panic. Okay, maybe that was just me.  But, think about it. How many times in our lives do we "board a plane" with happiness and expectation as a destination and end up with a layover in defeat? And how many times during that layover do we only focus on ourselves and begin cursing everything (or maybe just at everything) that isn't making us feel comfortable? How many times do we cling even tighter to our baggage and desperately look to unqualified people to improve our situation so we can feel better?  When the truth is, there is joy in every airport. Although, in some airports, it might be in a terminal that's far away and so will take some work to get to. In the Dulles airport, it's in a very distant terminal. But it's there. After a night in a hotel room bed having finally gotten some sleep (thanks, mom and aunt Jenny!) we were able to regroup and pray. Pray that we get on a flight, pray for peace, and give thanks for the opportunity to even be on a trip. It gave us a chance to realize what's important in life (because once you start thanking God for things, you usually get back to the cross which puts everything in perspective). The frustration and headache is still real and still there, but there is joy in knowing that we are not in control and that the one who is in control knows how badly we want to get to our destination and always knows what's best for us. Who will be with us in every airport and gives good gifts to his kids. This all shifts perspective.  As for us now, we are stuck in a really cool city where a good friend of mine lives and has offered to be a refuge if we get stuck again. Worst case scenario is time with a good friend in our nation's Capitol.  Not too shabby. Here's to Jetting to Joy this June. Good luck with catching your flight! 

Jet to Joy June: Choosing Joy

In general, it seems that we are a people of reaction. We jump to action or inaction quickly based on an occurrence or event. Something happens that makes us feel a certain way, so we then view the world in that way, which causes us to make decisions based on that view until something else happens to change it.

I can't even count the times I've left my place in a good mood- sunglasses on, a good song playing on the radio, the world as my oyster: an amazing place full of God's grace and mercy- Life is good. Thoughts of hope and goodness filling my mind as I prepare for a good day. Then, suddenly - POP! - the bubble is burst immediately by heavy traffic, erratic drivers (not me, of course) and the rude clock that wants to shove how late I am in my face. Suddenly, life is chore. Nothing is stable. To-do lists to check off, broken relationships and fears flood my mind instead. The world is hard.

Sadly, this picture has been all-to-real in my life. This year has been a little bit different. Well...most of the time. You see, the truth is this: The world really IS hard. There will always be traffic and there will always be hardships. LAME. But the good news is that God has seen it and overcome it already. NOT LAME.

Thanks, Jesus!

I found this really cool Lion King rock that jutted pretty far out into the ocean in Laguna beach the other day. After singing a few rounds of "Ahhhhhh sabenia badadisimamo", I just stood on the rock and stared at the water. I was full of joy. 

 It was kind of a grey day and the water was choppy. The tide was pretty high and the waves crashed right up to the rock on all sides. It occurred to me that I was in the ocean. That I was right in the middle of these turbulent waters, but I was untouched (except maybe by the occasional ocean spray) and I was totally secure as long as I stayed standing on the rock.

It was a cool, real life picture of Truth. 

I guess it's just the circle of life, right?

Our circumstances and emotions change at the drop of a hat and the push of a button. They are inconsistent and, often times, turn out to be liars.  Like the waves, they can be turbulent and choppy. However, if we are standing on the Rock, then we are able to be stable and secure and have joy right in the middle of them. 

The trick is choosing to acknowledge it. I find that I often forget about the Rock and only see the water. Instead of choosing Joy, I'm tricked into actually jumping into the water of my troublesome circumstances a lot of the time. I get rocked and tossed, then somehow claw my way back onto the Rock. I have to purpose myself to choose Joy- to actively choose to focus on God's truth and grace and all that has been done for me. I have to fight for peace. And it's exhausting. But , as time goes by, it seems to get a little easier to get out of the water. It's work, but it's worth it.  Always.

Since it's Jet to Joy June, I encourage you to try to choose joy this month. The next time your mind is overwhelmed with your circumstances and you feel yourself shifting into a low gear, I encourage you to try to choose joy. To focus on even one good thing God has done for you. And repeat it to yourself over and over if you have to. Even if your circumstances stink, you can choose to cling to the rock of Truth and find some joy there. 

Here's a thought to get you started....

Good luck as you Jet to Joy this June.

Jet to Joy June: Jetting to a Dream

So the thing is, when you are out trying to make things matter, you lose track of time and, all of the sudden, it is Jet to Joy June.

May was a great month. When you begin to try and make each moment significant, it's amazing what sort of things fade to the background. I watched a lot less television (well, Netflix anyway) and spent more time with more people. I also forced myself to get off of my behind and try to get organized.

Phew! I'm glad that's over! Time to hit the Hulu queue!

Being focused and productive for things that matter can be frustrating and our circumstances can make them even more so. Finding joy in the midst of all of it is a battle, but a battle worth fighting. 

This month is Jet to Joy June in the Year of Dreams.  It is a month where, despite circumstances, joy is what will be [attempted to be] chosen. 

For me, this may be easier than some. This month (16 days to be exact) I will be jetting to Europe for a two-month long adventure. 

In case you didn't know, this is Europe.

When I was 15 years old, I dreamed of traveling to the places I learned about in history. Having visited my grandparents in Kenya when I was 10, then later visited them in Costa Rica in my teenage years, I developed the travel bug pretty early. Exploring new places and new cultures was kind of an obsession. 

At 18, I went on a mission trip to Mexico and made a new friend, who quickly became one of the closest I'll ever have. We clicked immediately and began talking of the travel adventures we would one day have together. At 18 years old,  I began a Euro-trip bank account. An external savings account that paid a little more than average interest and would take three days for me to get any money out of it (preventing me from frivolous spending). The account spent most of it's life with under a $500 balance that would get depleted for car maintenance or college textbooks or lab fees...etc...) and replenished when I'd get an extra babysitting job or with Christmas money. 

And then it grew.  I set a tentative date for "the summer after I graduate college". Well, that summer is here and, a couple of weeks ago, I transferred all of the money from that account into my main checking account and began booking hostels and transportation. 

It's happening.

The very friend I shared a bunk bed with, cracking jokes and dreaming of traveling Europe with 7 years ago will be my travel-buddy for half of the trip. We will be joined by another mutual friend, making it even more fun.

Not to mention, God has been opening doors for this trip all over the place. The power of Global Community is being witnessed through the planning of this trip. Friends, friends of friends, friends of friends of friends, and even safe and helpful strangers have generously opened up their homes to give us a place to stay in many of the cities we are visiting. 

And so here is the itinerary 16 days out:

June 22-28: South Germany

June 28-July 4: South England (the third of our trio meets us here)

July 4- July 20: Driving a Rental Car throughout Northern England, Scotland, and throughout Ireland (after a ferry ride), then back to London via Wales - Staying with friends, friends of friends, couchsurfing and in a cabin or treehouse at a protest site.

July 20-24: Rome (both of my travel companions fly back to the US on the 24)- Couchsurfing

July 24-30: Florence- staying at a Camping Hostel

July 30-Aug 2: Vienna - Couchsurfing

Aug 2-4: Salzburg - Hostel

August 4-10: Paris- Couchsurfing and Friend

August 10-13: Bruges - Couchsurfing

August 13-16: Amsterdam - Hostel 

Two months. One dream. 

It will be easy to Jet to Joy this June.

Hopefully it will not be too difficult for you, either.