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Up until this point, our experience in coming to the Greater Seattle area for the Lord can be likened to taking a long trip on an airplane.  If you have ever planned a long trip and flown to your destination, I think you will know what I'm talking about.  One could argue that we have had the complete experience including baggage delays, delayed landing, other frustrations.  Let me attempt to paint the picture for you using this metaphor.

We packed our bags diligently and loaded up.  Everything was checked many times, plans were made.  What items would we need access to in the short term?  What items would we need in the long term? How long would the journey take, and what kind of clothes would we need, and how many?  We scheduled the trip thinking that we had accounted for everything.  We had our boarding passes, our provisions, and a takeoff and landing time.  We made it through security, got on the airplane on time, and felt that we knew when we'd arrive at our arrival airport and gate.  We felt good about things because everything fit within nice, neat parameters.  As you now know, the Lord had other plans and chose to change us via this journey.

I'd like to stretch this airplane metaphor a bit further so you have a clear idea of what this experience has been like for us.  

We took off in our jumbo jet (our family is large, after all) and navigated to Seattle from Houston.  The flight time was pretty much guaranteed because we had good weather ahead.  No bumps or turbulence was expected, and in fact we arrived uneventfully into Washington airspace.  At this point, it is normal protocol for the pilot to call into the control tower to receive further instructions prior to landing.

"Tower this is Edwards flight.  Requesting permission to land."

Tower:  "Edwards flight, maintain altitude and heading."

Me:  That's funny.  Something must be going on.  "Copy tower, will maintain altitude and heading."

(An hour later)  Me:  "Uh, tower, this is Edwards flight.  Requesting permission to land."

Tower:  "Edwards flight, this is tower.  Maintain altitude and heading."

Me:  "Tower, requesting estimated time until landing."

Tower:  "Edwards flight, please maintain altitude and heading until further notice."

Me:  I don't understand this.  We had a scheduled landing time and we've already exceeded that.

(one hour later)  Me:  (impatient)  Tower, this is Edwards flight.  Requesting permission to land.

Tower:  "Edwards flight, maintain altitude and heading."

Me:  "Tower, we have been circling for quite a while now and should have landed.  Our passengers are tired and restless.  We need to land soon."

Tower:  "Edwards flight, your passengers will be fine.  Maintain altitude and heading."

(one hour later)

Me:  (still impatient)  "Tower, this is Edwards flight.  We are running low on fuel.  Requesting immediate clearance to land."

Tower:  "Edwards flight, you are not low on fuel.  Maintain altitude and heading until further notice."

On a whim, I check the gauges.  Yes, the tower unfortunately was correct.  We had plenty of fuel.  How could that be?  We've been flying forever!

So the Edwards flight circled and circled, and I alternated between great encouragement and great discouragement.  Day after day passed with no indicators on when we might be able to land. 

Then one day as we continued to circle and after I had resigned to the fact that we'd be circling the airport for an indefinite time, we got an unexpected radio call.

Tower:  "Edwards flight, you are cleared to land on runway 3-7."

Did my ears deceive me?  Did I really hear that?  Is it really happening??

Suddenly, you feel the plane bank to the right and hear a whine as the flaps come out.  The landing gear also comes down with a shudder of the aircraft.

"Gear is down.  Flaps engaged."

And then it hits me.  I didn't bank the plane to align it with the runway.  And I didn't extend the flaps.  It also was not I who called out that the landing gear is down.  I look around me, expecting to see either the pilot or copilot seat and all of the instruments, but instead I'm looking at the back of the seat in front of me.  I'm not in the cockpit.  In fact, I'm not even near the cockpit.  I have a window seat and am just a passenger.

I'm not the pilot.  I'm not even the copilot or the navigator.  Someone much better is in the cockpit.

I look out the window to see the ground rising to meet us as we gently land on the runway.  We are really here!  We have arrived!  How did this happen?  

It may seem silly to relate our experience to that of flying on an airplane, but I have seen so many similarities over the last few days that have made it very real to me.  Years ago there was a very silly bumper sticker I used to see on many cars that said something to the effect of "God is my copilot."  How false.  If you are living the way He wants you to live, you aren't even controlling the airplane.  We are all passengers, sometimes hostile in that we want to bang on the cockpit door and demand that the airplane change its course.  Some of us even push the pilot and copilot out, thinking that we are better pilots.  And He will allow us to make this mistake, but He also will come back to take over if we will just loosen our grip of the wheel and step out of the seat.

Finally at Home

On Thursday afternoon of last week while I was at work, I received a call from our real estate agent that was quite unexpected.  He asked me if we might want to close on the house early, as in on Friday.  I remember my pulse quickening, but the answer was very easy to give.  YES!!!!!  This was a week earlier than expected.

I quickly was able to make arrangements to get utilities turned on, get a drop off of 5 of our U-boxes, and rent a truck to carry our stuff from the apartment to the house.  Mysteriously, it all worked out.

On Saturday, we had many friends from our church show up to help us move.  They got us out of the apartment within about an hour and a half, and we were at the house by about 10AM to begin unloading.  By about 2PM, we had unloaded everything we could unload.  Exhausted but ecstatic, we were home.

So this is our new home.  It was formerly a bed and breakfast, and was built in 1910.  It has been completely renovated inside and out, and has more bedrooms and bathrooms than we could even have imagined to have.  It is a mere 2 blocks from downtown and everything in Everett is within easy walking distance from it, including my workplace.

View from the kitchen window

So what was it that the Lord taught us in the 2 months of "circling the airport?"  Plenty.

• Our stuff isn't ours and we shouldn't hold on to it as though it is.
• Timing is the Lord's, not ours.  Just because things don't fit into our timetable doesn't mean He isn't involved.  
• Solitude is a great teacher.
• The Lord is all we need.

What will the Lord do with this house?  I have no idea.  But I have to take notice when it contains more space than we need and is PERFECTLY placed in the community to impact people from all walks of life.  A walk out our front door is all that is needed to see what the Lord is doing here.

And so it begins...

Psalm 91
Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
    will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
² This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
    he is my God, and I trust him.
³ For he will rescue you from every trap
    and protect you from deadly disease.
⁴ He will cover you with his feathers.
    He will shelter you with his wings.
    His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
⁵ Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
    nor the arrow that flies in the day.
⁶ Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
    nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
⁷ Though a thousand fall at your side,
    though ten thousand are dying around you,
    these evils will not touch you.
⁸ Just open your eyes,
    and see how the wicked are punished.

⁹ If you make the Lord your refuge,
    if you make the Most High your shelter,
¹⁰ no evil will conquer you;
    no plague will come near your home.
¹¹ For he will order his angels
    to protect you wherever you go.
¹² They will hold you up with their hands
    so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
¹³ You will trample upon lions and cobras;
    you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

¹⁴ The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
    I will protect those who trust in my name.
¹⁵ When they call on me, I will answer;
    I will be with them in trouble.
    I will rescue and honor them.
¹⁶ I will reward them with a long life
    and give them my salvation.”