Travel Tip #1: always carry an orange in your carry-on bag
And that is exactly what my first flight from VA to my layover in NC looked like. But when I boarded the plane again for my final destination in TX, I found myself sitting next to two women from Nigeria with an adorable baby in tow. His name was Mikey, and at just 9 months, he was already taking part in his first transatlantic flight from the Caribbean to Dallas. He had a full head of hair on his head and was squirming with delight, showing off those endearing dimpled cheeks. What struck me the most, however, was the fact that he looked JUST like THIS BABY:
He didn't give me the evil eye, but he sure was one happy little child. When I offered to hold him as his mother ate a late dinner, she was thrilled. Baby got cranky when mom tried to feed him pieces of her burrito, so I pulled out the orange that I brought from the apartment. The mom peeled it and placed it in his little hand. He grasped it so tightly that the juice began to run down his arm. When he sucked it the first time, he squeezed his eyes shut, reacting to the tart surprise before proceeding to eat some more. The mom laughed, saying it was the first time he ever tasted an orange! I was ecstatic to witness this baby's discovery of one of God's many tasty gifts to us.
I begin to tell her about how much I loved the fruit in Africa as her eyes widen--she tells me that she'll tell her friends in Cameroon how much I enjoyed their country. I tell her about Bible translation and she tells me about her own tribal language. God, you are so good.
On my lap, Little Mikey stands on his little legs and begins to stare out the window. So do I.
Here I am humbled by your Majesty
Covered by your grace so free
Here I am, knowing I'm a sinful man
Covered by the blood of the Lamb
Now I've found the greatest love of all is mine
Since you laid down your life
The greatest sacrifice
Majesty, Majesty
Your grace has found me just as I am
Empty handed, but alive in your hands
Majesty, Majesty
Forever I am changed by your love
In the presence of your Majesty
Oh, how could I describe what I saw out that window? You see, it was dark outside. But the stars, those brilliant stars. They were so clear through that tiny plane window. Right above us were those jems, and right below, a blanket of clouds. Once in a while, lightning would flash and light up the entire sky. Three shooting stars later, I glimpsed the moon glowing from afar.
Sometimes I just need to press my face against the window to be reminded of His majesty.
While rain was pounding down upon the Texan earth, I was suspended in His peaceful presence right above the clouds. As the plane dove towards the Earth, for a moment I wished that I could just stay there, suspended in the air, void of fear and filled with calm.
The second the plane passed through the clouds, however, we hit turbulence. The plane shook and that calm I experienced a few minutes ago instantly left me. How quickly that happened. As I gripped the arm rest, I looked over at the baby who by then was sleeping peacefully in his mother's arms. Head on her chest, eyes closed, a hint of a smile lingering on those little lips.
I leaned back against the seat, yearning for that kind of peace. A peace that remains even when turbulence hits. A peace that lets me close my eyes and rest my head against Him, without a care in the world.
Just like Mikey.
