Last Monday I was scheduled to catch a flight out of Philly to San Diego at 615am. I was super tired because I didn’t sleep all that night. I swiped my card in the itinerary machine, grabbed my ticket and moved on. When I got to the gate I tried to sleep a little. I woke and double checked my ticket. I was scheduled a little after 8am. “What?”
Somehow they switched me and I didn’t notice. Now I will be getting in over 2 hours later. Instead of getting upset I said to myself, "God has a bigger plan." Let me keep my eyes open for it. Now in Minneapolis (which I should have been in Detroit) I boarded my second plane.
In seat 13A looking out the window, ready for the warm weather, I noticed a problem. A man approached me and said I was in his seat. “They double sold my seat!?” He sat next to me, talked a little and we waited for the flight attendants.
He shared how this was just one of his problems today. Earlier in the day someone used his identity and boarded with his ticket. I laughed and told him how I was given a ticket that delayed me two hours and rerouted my flight.
Now the flight attendants came up and said "Robert Richards." We both said "yes," (my full name is Robert Guy Richards III) looked at each other confused and realized the whole dilemma. They thought I was him and gave me his flight.
Everyone around us was in an uproar, it was like a skit out of Seinfeld.
To my surprise God did have something in store. I was going to meet Sam Wolgemuth who is on the board of a school in San Juan Capistrano. The dad of the man the airline confused me with was the architect who built his school. What a talking point. Let me say this might sound weird for a lot of people but it happens all the time when people allow God to direct their paths.
It's very encouraging to hear how the most unpredictable and problematic situations (that are God directed) can be an opportunity to grow in Christ when we allow our eyes and heart to see it.
Posted by: Kathy | November 13, 2008 at 05:11 AM
What an awesome story! It put a big smile on my face, made me laugh, cry (almost) and I shared it with a friend at work. He thought it was pretty funny too. I love the way GOD works...when we allow HIM to work in our lives. Thanks for sharing this Roberts Richards aka Guy :o)
Posted by: Q | November 13, 2008 at 06:43 AM