A tale of two airports

Can you believe we are waving goodbye to June??

Me either.

We have had several big events in our life that have propelled us thus far and July is chock full of more fun stuff dotting our calendar to the point that I have to focus on making intentional choices each day or summer will slip past leaving me wishing I had followed through on some things we wanted to do.

I am winding down the two week series covering some thoughts and reflections from our time in Cuba (ok…not really permanently…because more may pop up from time to time…but….)

This morning I will finish with this observation gleaned from passing through the airports in both countries.

The contrast was incredible to me.

As we deplaned in Havana, we followed the flow of people to an area where lines formed.

There was a wide row of booths with official looking people sitting in them checking passports and pointing to a camera for each person.

A red line painted on the floor clearly marked where you stood just before you were motioned to a desk for your turn to pass through.

Once through this area, we followed the flow of people to the next line and whatever they were doing, we did.

Perhaps there would be someone with a uniform standing there. This one might offer slight direction or was just available if you had a question.

And we all managed to make our way through.

In the U.S. we were greeted by a barrage of signs and TSA agents who loudly repeated in robotic fashion a myriad list of directions with about as much enthusiasm as someone reading off the privacy agreement for Facebook over…and over…and over.

So basically, they were standing in front of a detailed sign with words and pictures depicting what they were saying, plus they were on a loop of monotone instruction.

And in case we didn’t understand what a line is, we had miles of roping looping back and forth to keep us in check and moving forward.

Yet, a large number of people had to be told several times about removing toiletries, emptying water bottles, taking off shoes…etc…etc…etc.

What is it with us?

The more information we have thrown at us, it would seem, the more we shut down mentally.

And I wonder if one of the greatest struggles of living in a thoughtful and engaged way in our American culture is to fight the temptation to close off our minds because…blah, blah, blah…we know, we know….

We scroll through pages of news feeds and media dismissing anything that doesn’t interest us or apply to us in that moment.

We half listen to the people around us as we check the ding on our phone for another message.

We grab snippets of devotions and Insta-Scriptures with pretty pictures…but are we absorbing any of it?

Like the fleeting days of summer, I pray to be more intentional to pan for the gold of what God is saying right now.

In the midst of excess and overload on our senses, we must become even more disciplined in our efforts to train our ears to hear the still small voice of our God…calling specific direction to us in the madness that is America 2018.

We must set up guards for our minds and hearts, but not shut down to the possibilities of what God is speaking to us in our daily journey.

What are you doing personally in your life right now to make sure your heart and mind are tuned into what God is speaking over your life?

I pray for each of us to be purposeful in our pursuit of a deeper and more intimate walk with Him every day.

His guidance and direction are available to us in pointed and personal ways if we will make the effort to focus in on what He is communicating to us.

May we be people who partake of His wisdom and learn from His ways

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