What's outside the window?

We are sitting on the plane with forced night time. Flying over Alaska, the flight attendants require the window shades all stay down so people can sleep. I want to see Alaska! I went to the back while on my 7 p.m. “midnight stroll” to a window in the open area of the back of the plane. I raised the shutter to see lakes and fields of ice. WOW-it’s Alaska!! But it wasn’t 2 minutes and a Korean flight attendant came communicating in rapid broken English, to close the window. People are sleeping. Bummer. God’s beauty is out that window, however I along with 300+ other Korean Air customers are held captive in the darkness of the cabin.

As I strolled up and down the isles, the surroundings remind me of people lost in the darkness of their lives, longing for relationships with vision, meaning and excitement. On flight #35, mini screens on the seat-back in front of each person keep them riveted to the flick of choice. Babies cry and are hushed back to sleep. Another round of food and beverage is served. Each person, each little family (there are a lot of children on the flight) engages with others only when necessary.

Life at 30,000 feet is really no different than life on the street level we live each day. Pre-ordered with what’s-currently-in-my-face choices, missing the opportunity to see the glory and beauty of what God has created for us outside our tunnel vision and tunnel experiences. I know I need to remind myself to pull up the shades, and I bet there are times when you do too…..to see God’s offer to experience life. As we approach another continent for the first time in our life, I hear Him nudging me to step into the sunshine of engaging in life and relationships beyond the familiar what’s-currently-in-my-face. So we will land in about 15 more hours. Ready to experience a view (other than a seat-back) as well as experiences.