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What I Miss About Being A Flight Attendant

If you have been on this journey with me for a while, you probably know that I am a former Delta Airlines Flight Attendant.

The other day I was sitting on my deck watching the big jets I used to fly enter into landing and flying patterns near my home. You would have to understand the altitudes of aircraft to relate to that. Anyway, I found myself becoming a bit nostalgic just seeing landing lights and the roar of the engines as the sleek airliner so ever gracefully glided through the air.

Things really have changed since I started my career in 1974. When I hear about things happening in flight these days, I tend to focus on how it was “back in the day.”

I always looked forward to going to the airport. This was the most exciting place I’d ever been. Many times I would get to work way ahead of time just to watch people as they moved about through the terminals. It was so wonderful to see people from all walks of life and different countries scurrying around with fierce determination to get to their flights or try to figure out where to find their luggage. This was hilarious at times and heart wrenching at other times to observe lost passengers who really didn’t have a clue. Either way, I never saw the same person when I took time to pause for this experience.

Most of the time the same flight crews would fly together so we really became like family for the entire trip. Some assignments were one, two or three day trips. There were a lot of layovers scheduled that allowed us to become temporary residents in a designated hotel overnight. And, if the layovers were long, which typically exceeded twenty four hours, dinner and sightseeing was par for the course- which was packed with a tremendous amount of adventure and fun!

Oh, did I forget being on board with passengers? That was an incredible joy for me because I really love people. There was more time to chat after the service was completed depending on where we we going. I learned quite a bit from investments to grandma’s favorite recipes and heard over 200 life stories! It was a pleasure helping a young mother quiet her fussy infant and to pray with the soldiers who were experiencing their first deployment overseas. The proper handling of a disgruntled passenger simply fine tuned my people skills, especially when I was awarded a commendation for excellent service.

When I began to fly international routes I was so excited! I had the opportunity to travel to: Paris. Rome, Milan, Munich, Frankfurt, São Paulo, Nigeria, Japan, Hawaii, Montreal, Toronto, Mexico City, Montego Bay, Zurich, Copenhagen, Seoul, Punta Cana, London, and some other extraordinary places that would take more time but I’ve got to finish this story! Whew!

Right at this moment, my best memories are the cultural differences and the FOOD! Good thing that I’m not still a Flight Attendant, because the food was so hard to resist. What was amazing is that I was not designated as a language qualified Flight Attendant, but I could communicate with any person even if I didn’t speak his/her language. That’s because speech is not the only way we communicate. We communicate by word, gesture and spirit.

Someone asked if I would be a Flight Attendant all over again? Yes, I would without hesitation. I believe that Flight Attendants are the most unique group of folks in existence; not perfect but perfect for what they do.

This job matured me greatly and instilled in me a great love not only to travel, but to embrace people from all over the world. It helped me to “connect yet respect” differences and be grateful that God chose me to be a FLIGHT ATTENDANT ❤️

Captain Greer commanded my last flight to Rome!!

Personal Development

Visibility

Commercial airline pilots are, in my opinion, an extraordinary group of professionals. Even before I began my flying career, I was mesmerized by their skillful maneuvering of the jet aircraft during some of the most unfavorable conditions. The present generation of highly sophisticated jetliners can practically land themselves, but a VISUAL PERCEPTION is required for every phase of flight. This is defined by the Flight Safety Foundation as, “The greatest distance under given weather conditions to which it is possible to see without instrumental assistance.” Different surroundings can affect a pilot’s ability to PERCEIVE the position of the aircraft during taxi out, take off, ascent, descent, approach, landing and taxi in. Instruments certainly were designed to assist in pinpointing an exact location, but VISBILITY (the pilot’s ability to SEE where he/she is and where he/she is not), is key to a successful flight. Some specific influences that decrease visibility are forest fires, dust storms, fog, heavy rain, haze and snow storms. Even on a clear night, the environment can simulate an entirely different position.

Have you been dreaming lately and have you visualized yourself doing something or being somewhere you never thought possible? Do you have a CLEAR VISION of how to accomplish your intended goals? I know things can get a little blurry and at times we can be blinded and miscalculate where we are and where we need to be. Then sometimes, we have no idea! Helen Kelle, acclaimed author, disability rights advocate and lecturer, lost her sight at a very young age. One of her thought provoking statements alludes to the the ability to see from a different perspective. She said, “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.”

When visibility is low during a landing approach, pilots must rely on all resources available to them to hit their target, the runway, to successfully touch down without any mishap. However, being able to see with their eyes, confirms their position. What if there is zero visibility? Well that produces another set of challenges. I’ve been on a flight when the pilot was on initial descent and the CONTROL tower suddenly routed the captain to land at another airport, or DIVERT as it is referred to, because visual contact was not possible. In other words, there was no clear vision that permitted him to land on the assigned runway.

Perhaps you and I lose sight because we have not connected our DREAM(S) with our VISION. Dreams precede vision in that they motivate us to get a clear picture of our life’s purpose. Keep in mind that If all we do is dream, nothing really happens! Consider that dreams provide the PATH to position us at a precise moment in time intended by God. Even if we are suddenly diverted to another place , we will still ARRIVE.

In addition to what we see with our physical eyes, we have been granted intrinsic values of love, compassion, determination, persistence, mercy, faith, and many more instruments that lead and guide us to vision.

Habakkuk 2:2 declares, “Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run. This vision-message is a witness pointing to what’s coming. It aches for the coming— it can hardly wait! And it doesn’t lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It’s on its way. It will come right on time.” MSG

Take the first step by writing the vision so that you can SEE and absorb it everyday. Wherever you are, whatever POSITION you are in, know that your vision will come to pass and deliver you to where you are destined to be.

Overcoming Challenges

Weight and Balance

How often have you observed an airport baggage handler load luggage/cargo into the cargo hold of a commercial jetliner? Maybe you were in possession of a boarding pass that gave you the distinct honor of a window seat assignment. If so, watching this important phase of preparation for flight departure, is quite intriguing . Each item is strategically placed inside the compartment according to WEIGHT and BALANCE which must be secured properly, to prevent its movement inflight. The correct POSITION of each item is instrumental in determining the influence it may have on the operational efficiency of the aircraft.

According to the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), there are specific effects of weight on a jetliner. Excessive weight reduces the flight performance in almost every aspect. For example, the most important PERFORMANCE deficiencies of an overloaded aircraft are: Reduced maneuverability, excessive weight on the nose wheel or tail wheel, and higher/slower takeoff speed, just to name a few. There have several fatal crashes in recent years because of weight distribution errors. The pilot in COMMAND of the aircraft has the responsibility of knowing the maximum allowed weight and its CG (Center of Gravity) limits. The CG is not a fixed point ; its LOCATION depends on the distribution of weight. In other words, the CENTER OF GRAVITY determines the correct BALANCE.

As a new flight attendant, I was very inquisitive about cockpit instruments more than I was about serving coffee, tea or milk. I can remember on one of my flights the captain explained to me that the ATTITUDE gauge displayed the position of the aircraft relative to the horizon. The jetliner’s position determined the ALTITUDE, or how high or low it would fly, taking into consideration weight, balance, traffic or weather conditions.

How does this relate to LIFE’S JOURNEY? So many times we are weighed down with challenges that interfere with the balance we need to continue on our ordained path. The center of our focus is shaken or even destroyed all because we don’t take the right attitude (position) of WHO IS IN CONTROL! We dwell on past hurts and disappointments which can be heavy burdens that will suppress our altitude.

To correct insufficient weight and balance data, the cargo on a jetliner has to be REPOSITIONED for flight safety. As mentioned earlier, too much weight will effect performance. WE must reposition our mindset to allow the One who is in total command to refocus and recenter.

The writer of Hebrews puts it this way: The preceding chapter 11 gives us a history of all the confrontations that God’s people experienced who possessed great faith. Chapter 12:1, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every WEIGHT that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us”. NLT

Overcoming Challenges

Jet Lag

I remember my first Transpacific Flight from Atlanta to Narita, Japan which was over 14 hours. It makes me tired just thinking about it. Are we there yet??!! The aircraft flew through approximately five “TIME ZONES”. Merriam Webster defines time zone as , “a geographic region within which the same standard time is used”. Traveling from one time zone to another has distinct affects on the body. According to the Mayo Clinic, these affects are due to exposure to sunlight and fluctuations of our body clock’s rhythm, called the circadian RHYTHM, that can produce symptoms of tiredness, fatigue, irritability, headache, insomnia and lack of concentration. The result of this disruption causes JET LAG. Airspace Magazine puts it this way, “jet lag derives from the simple fact that jets travel so fast through time zones, they leave your body rhythms behind.”

I was a victim of JET LAG for my entire career with Delta. If you’ve never experienced it, I want you to know that it is no picnic! For some crew members that chose to fly internationally, this condition was extremely severe and the recovery process was a matter of TIME. The amount of time for readjusting to normal sleep patterns was different for each individual.

Has it ever seemed as if you were out of RHYTHM or your TIMING was just a little bit misaligned for whatever reason? In your pursuit of PURPOSE, are you are traveling so fast that you get ahead of time or lag behind which causes you to become irritable, out of focus, unable to sleep, and extremely fatigued? Is it difficult for you to distinguish exactly where you are in life? Even after I left my flying career, I recall waking up every night trying to figure out where I was!

Consider this, each TIME ZONE of the earth has different characteristics relative to SEASONS. It’s summer in Georgia where I live, but winter in Rio de Janeiro. In different seasons of our existence, the experiences we encounter should help us locate exactly where we are. On our LIFE’S JOURNEY, we sometimes lose a grip on timing which is key in reaching our true DESTINY. We conclude that we are in the correct time zone or season by gauging external circumstances which often distorts our true perspective of SUCCESS. It becomes incumbent upon us to hurriedly get ahead of God’s TIMING when really we unknowingly LAG behind. This can result in feelings of despair and defeat.

In the RHYTHM of life, SEASONS speak to TIMES. As we constantly pursue PURPOSE without recognizing and embracing the necessary changes of the specific times we encounter, challenges orchestrated by the enemy will pursue us and cause distractions.

We tend to ignore the segmented (zones) assigned to destiny’s pathway. King Solomon explains it this way in Ecclesiastes 3:

For everything there is a season, and a time for every [a]purpose under heaven: 2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

Remember that your TIME ZONES are in His hands, as encouraged in Psalms 31:15.

Equipping for Success

Travel Documents

There are several items needed to successfully board a commercial jet liner when desiring a specific destination.

Among the most essential are TRAVEL DOCUMENTS. Why? Because our identity must be established for SECURITY purposes. This assures the airport authorities of proper AUTHENTICATION. In other words documentation verifies you are legally, without a doubt , the person who has obtained a RESERVATION on that particular flight, which grants you ACCESS to your ASSIGNED seat.

The process of reserving your space on board, is the starting point in obtaining travel documents.

Pertinent information must include your name, address, date of birth and country of citizenship. Passports are required for international travel which is more in depth due to strict entry rules of the countries involved in your journey.

To further explore DOCUMENTATION, an added benefit is created known as the ITINERARY, to assist you in your travel plans.

To use this in an everyday term, it is your PLAN enroute to your destination. The itinerary includes, your name, flight number(s), departure/arrival times, flight duration, connecting cities, meal preferences, etc.

Should all of these documents SEAL your identity, you are issued a boarding pass/passport which certifies you have RIGHTFULLY substantiated WHO YOU ARE. If at any time ACCESS is denied, that indicates there has been a question concerning your identity.

In our LIFE’S JOURNEY, there are many instances when we question our IDENTITY. In several of his teachings concerning PURPOSE, Dr. Myles Munroe often challenged us to ponder the following question, “WHO AM I?” Could it be that we are sometimes victims of IDENTITY THEFT orchestrated by the enemy attempting to steal the IDENTIFYING factor of Christ in our lives?

The word of God tells us in Jeremiah 1:5, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart for my holy purpose, I appointed you to be a prophet to the nation.” (God’s Word Translation)

Imagine that, God created a RESERVATION for us even before we were formed in our mother’s womb! The only documentation HE requires is evidence that we have received His only Son, Jesus, as our Lord and Savior.

The itinerary has been carefully and skillfully planned by Him and our identity SEALED (verified as God’s child). The latter part of Ephesians 1:13 declares , “When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promise of the Holy Spirit.”

Through the shed blood of Jesus, we have ACCESS to our Father, God and we can discover who HE says we are in HIM. This allows us to have the confidence we need to pursue PURPOSE. Understand that your times are in His hands, ( Psalm 31:15).

You and I have been made righteous (in right standing with God), because of the redemptive work of Christ, to reconcile (restore) us unto himself. Even though sometimes the journey causes us to doubt our IDENTITY, it is imperative that we TRUST THE PROCESS.

Embrace these words from the Apostle Paul, “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Jesus Christ returns”.

If you are unable to prove your identity to the airlines, you can rest assured that God knows who you are and all that you are meant to be.

Bracing Position

Life’s Adversities

Even though I’ve been silent for a while, rest assured, I am still navigating through my LIFE’S JOURNEY, and staying focused to continue with you.

I’ve begun to seriously recognize that God uses my Flight Attendant training to speak to every situation I’ve encountered to deliver CLARITY and PURPOSE at my doorstep disguised as ADVERSITY.

The training that Flight Attendants receive consists of more than just “coffee, tea, and milk.” It involves a broad spectrum of RULES AND REGULATIONS, mandated by the FAA, COMMUNICATIONS SKILLS, CONFLICT RESOLUTION, EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP and rendering FIRST AID, just to name a few.

These are all needed for successful flight operations and there are instances when that training is put to the TEST with the development of any of the aforementioned adverse situations.

I want to focus on BRACING POSITION and its relevance to our LIFE’S JOURNEY.

When faced with not so favorable landings, such as a main gear collapse which produces a belly landing, or a water landing, crew members must make certain that the correct bracing position is assumed to prevent the body from being tossed about on impact. This avoids any type of bodily injury to all passengers on board.

In any one of these scenarios, the CAPTAIN would have already briefed the cabin crew and passengers on what to expect and when to assume the bracing position. The Flight Attendant’s job is to instruct passengers on how to carry out these bracing positions and to secure any objects that could become projectiles upon impact. At the critical moment the CAPTAIN will give the command over the PA system, “BRACE, BRACE!” or “BRACE FOR IMPACT!”. Everything and everyone must be SECURED to minimize loss of life and serious injuries. In other words the crew members must prepare in advance to deal with the issue.

As you and I carry on with LIFE’S JOURNEY, there will always be adversities that we must contend with. God has given us RULES AND REGULATIONS and instructions to live by. It is called the Bible, or Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. By EMBRACING His holy word, we can learn to BRACE ourselves when the enemy hurls those “fiery darts,” Ephesians 6:16, into our lives that are meant to distract us from destiny.

As flight crews prepare for emergency landings, we must also BRACE ourselves by communicating with God (praying daily) , resolving conflicts with others and ourselves by studying His word, doing His commands and receiving first aid for the healing of our souls by applying His word to our lives . So to put it plainly we BRACE OURSELVES BY EMBRACING HIM. This prepares us for the challenges ahead, seen and unseen.

Jesus tell us in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken unto you that you might have peace. In the world you have have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Emergencies (trails and tribulations), are common in this life but our security comes from knowing that even though we encounter many adversities, they too have encased within themselves learning more about God, an opportunity for growth as well as a testimony of how our testing times are not in vain.

When it comes to LEADERSHIP, always know and believe that God is the Captain of Our Souls. He is SOVERIEGN RULER and in any crisis, He is always with us.

Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Purpose Stimulus Part 2

Persist Determinedly

In Part 1 of “Purpose Stimulus”, we examined the concepts of TAILWINDS, HEADWINDS, and CROSSWINDS. We concluded that all of these WINDS would eventually land us in our destiny to an on time arrival, delayed arrival or canceled arrival. Our final thought was, “WE NEED THE WINDS OF LIFE TO HELP US GROW.” WIND(s) is a formative concept that when encountered, we are shaped for our DIVINE ASSIGNMENT!

Contemplate on this thought, if winds were nonexistent, there are consequences that would ensue. The earth would not rotate, aircraft could not take to the skies, rivers would cease to flow, and temperature extremes would increase all over the world. When wind is evolving (DEVELOPING) and moving (IN MOTION), things change.

During a summer vacation to Aruba, I was extremely fascinated by a tree that grew all over the island. It is called the “Divi Divi” tree. This beautiful specimen’s shape is most unusual in that it only grows in one direction due to the persistent trade winds. These constant winds force it to assume a southeast position that acts as a natural compass. The root system is so deeply GROUNDED that it allows the tree to bend without breaking and prevents it from being tossed to and fro.

As we continue on Life’s Journey, I want you to seriously think about all the WINDS blustering in your presence. No matter what the direction, they were created for a PURPOSE to point us to God’s purpose here on earth.

At times WIND(s) seem to be slowing us down, or accelerating us faster than we intend to go. We may even appear to be defeated or knocked off course! These are the moments when we must be DETERMINED TO PERSIST and allow the CREATOR to MOLD us to be more like him.

Calm WINDS (the absence of wind), can trick us. We think that because there is no movement in our lives, everything is smooth sailing. This is the occasion to take stock and strengthen our foundation. It’s an opportunity to become grounded in our faith.

The Divi Divi tree takes years to develop a strong root system. It grows strong and stays attached to its source for strength and nourishment. When the winds come, it stands and is sculpted undeniably by an unseen force of nature.

My friends, embrace the winds of life and know that WIND(s) of life will always be here now, tomorrow and forever, BUT GOD is a NEVER CHANGING, CONSTANT, and PERSISTENT force in our lives that guarantees our direction to DESTINY.

I leave you with these words of life to meditate on:

Ephesians 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine, by the slight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.

Ephesians 3:16 I pray that from His glorious unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. v-17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.

Malachi 3:6 For I am the Lord, I change not.

Purpose Stimulus

Tailwinds/Headwinds/Crosswinds

I am certain most of us have been passengers on a commercial airline flight and have heard the pilot announce, “Due to TAILWINDS we will arrive at our destination 30 minutes early”, or “Due to HEADWINDS we will arrive 30 minutes late.”

Just for clarification, I’ll take a minute to define TAILWINDS and HEADWINDS.

A TAILWIND is a wind that blows in the direction of a travel of an object, while a HEADWIND blows against the direction of travel. They both have varying degrees of intensity.

Airline pilots do not turn the aircraft around and go back to the original takeoff city because it is too difficult to navigate when these atmospheric conditions exist. They simply make the necessary adjustments in order to attain the intended destination. On the other hand, they take advantage of the substantial TAILWINDS pushing the jet at a greater speed, which guarantees an EXCEPTIONAL, GREATER THAN EXPECTED, on time arrival! We can also label it as AHEAD OF SCHEDULE!

As we pursue purpose there are many opposing forces designed to hinder us and nonresistant forces that propel us. Surprisingly, both of these influences allow perfect timing to achieve destiny. Some flights do arrive AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, but in our LIFE’S JOURNEY, the PROCESS OF TIME, delivers us to our DIVINE APPOINTMENT according to the timetable which has already been prearranged or PREDESTINED. Woven within each situation there is a stimulation to PERSIST DETERMINEDLY.

Did I forget to mention CROSSWINDS? Let’s address these as well. Crosswinds are winds that blow across ones direction of travel. These winds are very dangerous in aviation because they have the capability of disrupting landings and takeoffs altogether. Mind you I said DISRUPT! Airline pilots must have total control of the aircraft to handle this type of interception.

When we encounter these winds in life, all of our plans can come a halt! We can get knocked off course for sure, but rest assured (God) the Captain of Our Souls, takes command!

When all of these winds present themselves as doubt, discouragement, unforgiveness, fear and temptation, we must be inspired (stimulated) to persist amid the opposing forces, and focus on those things that propel us to arrive to our preordained destiny at the appointed time, regardless of the circumstances.

We need the winds to help us grow and take us on our JOURNEY!

Sojourning

Reflections Part 2

I want to pause again to share another segment of my Life’s Journey that includes the first job I received before being employed by Delta Airlines.

The desire to travel increased with each passing day of my life and any indication of the idea, was constantly with me. While browsing through a magazine one day, I came across an ad that read,”Be A Stewardess or Look Like One.” I thought, this is my opportunity! The advertisement was from Atlantic Airline School and when I observed it a little closer it really had nothing to do with flying! What was interesting though was that, I could use this as a stepping stone to where I eventually wanted to be.

Atlantic Airline School offered training in Airline Reservations, Vacation Planning, Ticketing and Fare Construction. The training consisted of a six week home study course and after that, graduates were placed in selected cities across the country for in person training. The cost for this program was $800.00.

My father was not to thrilled about giving up that amount of money for something he wasn’t to certain of, but because he usually gave into my passions, I was enrolled right after High School with the condition of, “you’d better get a job after you finish.”

The three cities listed to attend training were Inglewood, California, Kansas City Missouri and Atlanta Georgia. My first thought was, California here I come! Not so fast missy-California was booked solid, so I tried for Kansas City. No openings were available there. The last place I wanted to be was in Georgia. The racial tensions were quite high in Georgia during the 70’s and I was gripped with fear at the thought of being in that state. Nevertheless, I would go anywhere to be in a totally different environment.

My application was submitted and in the year of 1972 I was notified of my acceptance. Placement for training was in Atlanta, Georgia. The very first thing that captured my attention, was the Hyatt Regency Hotel that could be seen from I-75 traveling North. It was referred to as, “the blue glass bubble in the sky.” All of the tall buildings were so amazing because of course I’d NEVER seen anything like them in Belhaven! What’s so hilarious is that, the Hyatt Regency in downtown Atlanta is now obscured by many skyscrapers overwhelmingly many stories high.

My place of abode for an additional six weeks of training was the Georgian Terrace Hotel on Peachtree Street. An allotment of rooms were purchased by Atlantic Airline Schools as dormitories. It too has undergone some massive reconstruction since the 70’s. I think it is referred to as, “The Luxurious Georgian Terrace Hotel.”

The training course was very detailed and challenging, but because I was so eager to learn, I excelled in all areas. I graduated with honors and was hired by one of the most prestigious Travel Agencies in the country, Henderson Travel Service. This company specialized, and still does, in Travel Tours of the African continent and has received many awards for distinguished service. When I arrived on the scene, there was a dire need for an expert in Domestic Travel. Yours truly fit the bill! I was in charge of front office operations and formulated travel arrangements for professors of Atlanta University, i.e. Dr. Benjamin Mays, local politicians such as Mayor Maynard Jackson, Ambassador Andrew Young, Dr. CT Vivian, Dr. Martin Luther King, Sr., Mrs. Coretta Scott King and Mrs. Christine Farris, sister to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. My interaction with these wonderful people is something I will always cherish. As a side note, I was thrilled to have Mayor Jackson as a passenger on flights several times to Washington D.C. during my career at Delta!

There were many others that I had the privilege of meeting as well. Marketing Representatives frequented the office with travel updates and I befriended several of them. One in particular was with Delta and I was always inquiring about working with Delta as a Stewardess, as they were called at that time. He kept urging me to apply. The only problem was I seventeen and I had to wait until I was eighteen years old. That my friends was about eight months away! I applied any way and I was invited for an interview a short time after my birthday.

Guess what happened? They did not hire me! That did not deter me because I know my destiny had been sealed. I contacted the office of another person I’d met who worked directly with hiring. I asked him why would I not be hired with my knowledge of travel and customer service. He put me on hold for about three minutes and returned to inform me that one more could be added to the next class for training.

My training with Delta Airlines began in September of 1974, two years after I first stepped foot on Georgian soil. This was a dream come true! This dream fueled my passion with determination that still views every experience as adding substance and value to the essence of who I am.

A final thought: NEVER LET GO OF YOUR DREAM!!!!!

Emergency Exits/Evacuation Slides

Equipping for Success

In our previous post (Emergency Equipment), we discovered there was an eminent danger on board the flight to Lagos, Nigeria. The Captain informed me that if we could not extinguish the threat of a catastrophic event, an emergency landing would be unavoidable. This meant that all passengers and crew members would immediately LEAVE THE DANGER BEHIND by the way of EMERGENCY EXITS and EVACUATION SLIDES. This required us to move as far away from the possibility of the development of hazardous elements, such as toxic smoke and intense fire. The EMERGENCY EXITS provided our WAY OF ESCAPE!

When a situation occurs such as this, there are commands and procedures flight crews must implement to initiate the EVACUATION PROCESS. Some examples of these commands are, “RELEASE SEATBELTS!, LEAVE EVERYTHING!, COME THIS WAY!, KEEP MOVING!”. It is so very important not to LOOK BACK or to GO BACK for any reason. Whether any passenger lives or dies in an attempt to seek safety, depends on LETTING GO of What was LEFT BEHIND inside the aircraft!

How is this analogy relative to our LIFE’S JOURNEY? Consider the process of forgiveness and how it speaks to holding on to past hurts and disappointments. Passengers would not be instructed to LEAVE without following several other directives. We’ve heard it said many times, “LET THE PAST GO”. However, what I’ve learned is that the undertaking of RELEASING negative circumstances we encounter requires a purposeful timing which produces a change of heart and mind.

Notice the succession of the EVACUATION COMMANDS: RELEASING >MOVEMENT > DIRECTION. As I previously stated, EMERGENCY EXITS are OUR WAY OF ESCAPE. They direct us to the EVACUATION SLIDES that MOVE us away from danger.

Forgiving is the forging ahead to a destined place by being liberated from the captivity of what poses a danger to our very existence, so we may experience safety and blessing.

God sent Jesus as our EVACUATION SLIDE to deliver us from sin to life everlasting! He frees us from our old sinful lives through the plan (process) of salvation, which is our WAY OF ESCAPE, when there are life threatening emergencies vying for our destiny.

LET GO and LEAVE BEHIND those things you try to hold onto, for they only hold you back!

MOVE far away from the past to a secure place, so that you may be able to serve the world with the greatness that has been bestowed upon you by the God of all creation!

1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as common to man, but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make a way of ESCAPE, that you may be able to bear it”. (NKJ)

Philippians 3:12-13, “By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us toward Jesus. I’m off running, and I’m not turning back.” (MSG)