So we departed from Bowling Green, Ohio on Monday evening and traveled the 1358 miles to Colorado. It was a lot of fun! Along the way, we stopped in at Chicago for some site seeing, then onto Davenport, Iowa where we hung out with one of our old roommates, Jamie. After that we ventured to Omaha, Nebraska to visit with our dear friends, the Core family. It was so nice to be with all of those people, and just enjoy our time together. Finally on Friday afternoon, Becky dropped me off at the Denver International Airport, where I started my trek back to good old
O-H-I-O!
While I was waiting at the airport for the plane to arrive, I couldn't help but people watch. Airports are such great places to people watch, seriously! What a good variety of characters Denver had to offer that day too. For about forty minutes I sat across from an Austrian man who delighted in picking his nose and wiping it on the stand next to him. To be honest, I was disgusted, however I couldn't help but find humor in the situation, full grown man picking his nose... gross, yet funny.
Out of all the situations I got to witness at the airport, one in particular sticks out to me. I'll never forget this image either, it's a beautiful reminder. As we boarded the airplane, I took notice a little girl, she looked like she was probably 12, and with a middle-aged man, who I assumed at the time was her father.
So I boarded the plane, tucked my old Adidas gym bag carryon up into the overhead compartment, and settled into my window seat for the three hour and 25 minute plan ride back to Detroit. The little girl, and her father were seated right in front of me, I was intrigued by all of the questions this curious pre-teen had, it must have been her first time flying. In the beginning most of her questions where about the plane, and the airport. Her father let her imagination run wild with different thoughts of pilots, flight attendants, run-ways, ect. When we took off, she was giggling uncontrollably, so naturally I couldn't help but giggle and smile myself at her child like spirit. Once the plane was stabilized, I put my headphones in and turned on the Glee playlist on my iPod to tune out my surroundings and take advantage of the stillness for a bit. Don't you judge me... Glee is awesome.
After about forty-five minutes into the flight my playlist had come to an end, and in the few seconds of my scrolling through other playlists to see what musical options was next, I couldn't help but over hear the conversation going on in front of me between the little girl and her father. I pulled out my headphones and just listened. The young girl was asking her dad a series of questions about Heaven. She wanted to know what it would be like, if we would sit on clouds, if we could see our friends and family on Earth, if her old pet turtle "Snaps" would be there.... listening to her father answer each question so patiently and lovingly was beautiful. She would pause after each of his answers, I'm assuming soaking in everything he was telling her.
After about a ten minute break in their conversation, I figured that she was done asking questions and their conversation had come to a complete end. It even looked like she was preoccupied staring outside the window. I was about to find something else to keep myself busy for the remainder of the flight, until... she spoke again. This time, I too was anxious to hear what her father would say. She asked her dad, what Jesus' love felt like.
Her dad paused, and then stumbled over his words a little bit, trying to find something satisfying to say to his little girl. Then finally, he formed a sentence and said, "Indescribably magnificent, I cannot give words that come close to comparing how I feel knowing Jesus loves me". He compared his love for her, and asked her how she felt knowing that he (her daddy) loved her. And then, he said that it was like that times infinity plus one. She laughed, and told her him that he was silly, and then continued to stare out the window.
Indescribably magnificent. Words cannot describe how it feels to be loved by the God of the Universe. I feel like I often get caught up in an intense desire for the Young Life girls I lead to know the God I know, and to understand His love, beautiful love for them. Don't get me wrong, I know that this is a good thing to have, but at times I forget what it really means to be loved by God. To be loved by a powerful, fearing, strong tower of compassion, hope, and peace. To be loved by a God who knows my heart, who created me perfectly in His image, just as I am.
I needed the reminder of how great the Father's love for us is... I needed to have that image again. It resurfaced through the curiosity of that little girl, and I am thankful for it. I am amazed how He uses His children to breathe light and purpose back into the lives of His other children. Her child like faith reminded me of the truth I needed, the truth that I all too often forget.
I am loved by Jesus.
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