The Phil Files

Got to London and Copenhagen late, but safe. Good ol’ ATT came through with another flop, promising me data access in Europe and so far they are a big bust on Blackberry.

Interesting flights. Both international flights, Dallas to London and London to Copenhagen took off late. After waiting 7 hours to get a flight out of DFW, we waited on the tarmac another hour more with problems to a seat, the movie system, and some unknown things “not to worry about” as we were about to take off over the Ocean. About an hour into the flight, about the time dinner was to be served, we received the ill fated, “If you are a doctor or a certified emergency medical technician, please punch your call button.” Thankfully, the guy who had the broken seat and was moved to a seat without the movie only took two Ambien and was in a sleep induced zombie state and not worse off, but it sure spiced up supper.

When we arrived in Copenhagen, having a real heat wave, our luggage arrived … but my bag was the very last one off the plane. Whew! Then we had a bit of hike from the central rail station to the hotel — Donna my describe the “hike” in more dramatic terms, but since we do not have internet access except in the hotel office, that will have to wait.

Headed to the water tomorrow. Can’t wait and maybe I am not supposed to have internet for awhile!

Grace ya!ll

Phil

Our View from the Gate - Lovely

Well, here we sit all tired and restless,
hoped for London, still in Texas.

Yep folks, we are off for a bit of respite in the cooler regions north of Europe. But having left the house at 9:15 this morning, we are still sitting at the DFW airport at 5:40 p.m. Saving $300 per ticket seemed like a smart move about 5 hours ago. Oh how the thinking changes over time.

We have heard from Zach and Mandy and they are on their way from Newark to Copenhagen. We will join them there some time tomorrow … Lord willing and the creek don’t rise.

We are still in a pretty good frame of mind for the view, the wait, and with the help of some baby back ribs and 43 trips to the bathroom. Of course, knowing that there will be no internet for the next 12 days is both terrifying and exhilirating … I will take the latter.

Grace to you all!

Such a lovely couple, especially with all that waiting!

I awoke about 6:20 this Black Friday morning, not to get up early and go shopping or even bow hunting, but I was awakened by the smell of roast beef and garlic. Somewhere around 5:30, Donna had put in a roast we will have for Thanksgiving, Day II. My folks will come over for lunch. No turkey today, we’ll have dead cow and carrots, mashed taters and green beans, and warm apple pie and a scoop of BlueBell Homemade Vanilla ice cream for dessert. In Texas, you can’t have white meat two days in a row, it’s the national law of the state — after all, beef is what is for dinner down in these parts. So cow will be the committed course for lunch and the involved course for dessert.

We celebrated Thanksgiving, Day i, all afternoon yesterday with Donna’s folks — two rounds of food with all the traditional yummies, with cards games and board games in between. Cowboys won — that was good, but boring. Longhorns won — that was great. Colt and Jordan are very involved with the church where I used to preach in Austin for 22 years, so how can you not root for two guys like that.

Today is kinda dreary, with a light sprinkle and a little chill in the air — Gray Friday in my book. Looks like winter will really come. Our trees have more color than usual this year, although the next big norther will blow that all away. But the gray weather suits the day. Rather than join the mayhem at the malls, today will be a restful day before we launch into Christmas decorations and reminiscing about Christmas past tomorrow. Everybody needs a sleepy, slow, dreary Gray Friday to rest up after all the excitement of Thanksgiving. It’s like taking a double-Sabbath to rest and recoup before the big rush to Christmas.

I’m not sure what you have planned for today, or this weekend, but don’t turn off the Thanksgiving spirit quite yet. Extend it with a touch of rest on the edges and invite God in to calm your spirit and restore your soul with a little slow drip of rain from the roof top and a good nap to chase away the blues on this Gray Friday.

Last night, as Donna and I lay in our bed praying with a candle flickering and the sound of the fan filling the room with its gentle white noise, I remembered. It was a long ago memory of having the room across the hall from my parents and hearing them talk and pray at night. Very seldom could I hear well enough to understand their words, but the sounds were soothing and reassuring.

Now that I am older than they were when they spoke those words to each other, just knowing they were spoken brings me comfort and joy. How blessed I am to have grown up in a family where mom and dad loved each other and gave their three boys a stable place to grow and develop into men. These times were cut short by my father’s death when he was 51, but these times also still live in the flickering light of a candle, the gentle whir of the fan, the tender touch of a partner, and the final “Amen” at the end of the day.

Thank you mom and dad … and thank you Donna, for a night to slip off into gentle sleep feeling secure in your love and the sweet grace of memories and a special moment of joy.

We are back home. On Tuesday, we got up at 3:30 Alaska time and arrived in our house at 9:30 Texas time. Connections went well, but it was a long day — the last hour was 25 minutes late boarding, 23 minutes waiting in line to take off on the DFW runway, and 22 minutes of flight time from DFW to Abilene. While we were exhausted, we felt for the mom of a two year old who was laughing hysterically waiting to board, but crossed that threshold from laughing hysterically to crying hysterically about 5 minutes on the plane. We were picked up by my mom and step-dad, threw our luggage in the house, watered our nearly expired plants, and then rushed to the hospital to see Donna’s mom. All in all, the day began at 3:30 a.m. in Alaska and ended at 1:00 a.m. in Abilene (that’s bed-to-bed). We got up early to head back to the hospital and work and were informed the next day my step-dad would have a heart cath and stint on one of his arteries. So … we’ve been home 2 days, spent more time in hospitals than at home, gotten caught up on most of our stuff, and are glad to be home. Looks like life is back to normal!

BTW, everyone appears to be doing better after heart procedures, major back surgeries, and driving each other crazy in the hospital room. For a light-hearted look at air travel, our daughter’s blog has a bit more fun take on flying!

Alaska was beautiful, cool, and wonderful. It was a gift to Megan for her graduation from college and acceptance into physical therapy school. I’ll post some pics somewhere — flickr, google, facebook — when I get some sleep and get past Sunday!

Being in around Alaska this last week has reminded me of the dynamic, ever-moving, always changing, contantly in motion nature of life. This movement is necessary for life. Tides come and go, stirring the oceans and impacting our atmosphere with constant motion. Seasons change, the amount of daylight varies, temperatures shift and life is enhanced. Glaciers move, ice melts, rivers run and life is stirred. People move from region to another — for a variety of reasons and lives collide and life is changed.

Clearly, some things shouldn’t and mustn’t change. Jesus IS the same — yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8 NAS). But even in His steadfast love and mercy, the LORD is constantly bringing fresh surprises into the lives of His people (Lamentations 3:22-23 NRS). Renewal and transformation are the vital dynamics, the ever-moving and always changing, constantly in motion parts of a living walk with God — the are evidence of the Holy Spirit’s essential work of conforming us to Christ Being in around Alaska this last week has reminded me of the dynamic, ever-moving, always changing, contantly in motion nature of life. This movement is necessary for life. Tides come and go, stirring the oceans and impacting our atmosphere with constant motion. Seasons change, the amount of daylight varies, temperatures shift and life is enhanced. Glaciers move, ice melts, rivers run and life is stirred. People move from region to another — for a variety of reasons and lives collide and life is changed.

Clearly, some things shouldn’t and mustn’t change. Jesus IS the same — yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8 NAS). But even in His steadfast love and mercy, the LORD is constantly bringing fresh surprises into the lives of His people (Lamentations 3:22-23 NRS). Renewal and transformation are the vital dynamics, the ever-moving and always changing, constantly in motion parts of a living walk with God (2 Corinthians 3:17-18 NRS).

So the question comes to me … and to you as well:

What needs motion a d change in my life and what needs to be more centered on what is unchangeable?