Wednesday’s Word

di·vine ap·point·ment

An arrangement for a meeting which is of, relating to, or proceeding directly from God

Wow, when I put those two definitions together, without any punctuation, I am humbly excited about this truth: These appointments really do happen!

Welcome to Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power and Wednesday’s Word with Trench Classes United. Come on in for a short story about what led to a divine appointment.

The ride to the airport was peaceful despite the traffic…until I looked at the clock and realized we’d been driving for over two hours and we were still quite a ways away. Immediately I retreated inside my head, spider-webbing with all sorts of thoughts, the predominant one being: I can’t miss this plane! I began fast and furiously texting my daughter-in-law, and two of my closest friends asking for divine intervention for me to make my flight.

Hope appeared as the off-ramp came into view but the closer we got to the off-ramp, the faster the hope diminished as the “CLOSED” sign loomed larger than life, almost like a slap to my face. It

My husband dropped me off in the “Arrival” part of Los Angeles Airport, gushing with stressful apologies as I assured him it wasn’t his fault. We both had thought that 2.5 hours would have been enough time, but traffic in Los Angeles is hard to describe, the conditions varying with such intensity that it makes winning the traffic game impossible. I was shaking with intensity, determined to not give up, to cling to the thread of hope; the alternative: disappointing my granddaughter who would be looking for me later that afternoon at the bus stop after school.

I can only imagine what others thought as they witnessed this half-crazed lady running through the airport desperately needing directions to get to the right place to check luggage and then make it to the gate before the door to the airplane shut. You’ve been there, right, that point where you couldn’t see past any other solution but your own?

I did make it to the line and frantically waited my turn. I even asked the lady in front of me if I could go ahead of her as my plane had just started boarding. She didn’t speak any English…really? That false truth was revealed as she made her way to the ticketing agent and appeared to hold some sort of conversation, laughter included! Finally it was my turn!

I put my suitcase on the scale and handed her my boarding pass, explaining I’d been driving for three hours in traffic and that the “Departing Flights” off ramp had been closed.

How pathetic I must have sounded to her as she quickly splashed a lack of empathy on my hope, informing me it was too late to check my bag.

“I can’t miss my flight!” She responded as if she didn’t even hear me: “Let me see when our next flight is.”

My tears splashed on the counter

“I can put you on standby for our 12:50 flight, or for $75 I can guarantee you a seat” she said without an ounce of care in her tone.

I could have caught flies with my opened mouth. I was in such a state of profound denial…or maybe even a bit of disbelief at the rudeness I was being handed so matter-of-factly, like a plateful of apathy!

I fumbled in my purse for my credit card only to come up empty-handed, forgetting whether I had brought it or not. I took a $100 bill out of my wallet and put it on the counter, unable to speak, choking in my tears.

“We don’t take cash, Ma’am. You’ll have to go to the kiosk.”

I swallowed an “Are you kidding me,” and handed her my debit card.

“Here’s your receipt and your boarding pass.” I was lost in my thoughts and guilt of disappointing my granddaughter.

“I need $25 for your baggage now, Ma’am.” Her tone of voice was like a hard yank on my emotions. She might as well have yelled it to try and mask the sarcasm a bit more.

I paid for my suitcase – which I later found out I wasn’t supposed to – and then like a child I ended our interaction with: “I’m never flying American again!”
Like she cared! NOT! Her response: “You need to get to your gate on time, no matter what airline you’re traveling,” again sarcasm dripping from her voice like a broken faucet.
I was stunned into silence as she finished taking my money. Her lack of empathy continued in her explanation of where I was to go for my new flight. No smile, no nothing.

I turned to walked toward the security check but I was so overcome by all of my emotions that I knew I just needed to go outside, make a couple of phone calls and reach out in an effort to calm down.

I let my husband know I had missed the flight but was booked for the next one 4.5 hours later. I then made the dreaded phone call to my daughter-in-law. Not only was I going to miss picking my granddaughter up at the bus stop but I had to figure out how to get to my grandson’s choir performance that evening at 7:00 all by myself! That was terrifying for me because the freeways in Austin are every bit as confusing as driving in LA looking for two-way streets.

At the sound of her voice, the sobs came immediately. In between sobs were pieces of my experience to give her a picture of not only missing my plane but the horrible interaction between myself and the ticketing agent. I don’t believe she has ever heard me this uncontrollably upset in the 23 years we have known each other.

But God used her mightily that morning to assure me that my granddaughter would completely understand and that there had to be a reason I missed my flight; that there must be some sort of divine appointment waiting for me on the other side of this.

The prospect of a divine appointment worked like a harness on my wild emotions, and this same theory was confirmed later by my two BFF’s when I called them to let them know of the answer to their prayers for me not to miss my flight. I wish I could say that I was all better immediately and I went off looking for my divine appointment in the airport, but honestly, it took me a good hour to begin thinking rationally again!

Have you ever experienced moments where you were so completely beside yourself you were coming out of your own skin? Has someone else’s lack of empathy or rudeness ever splashed you in the face like a cold glass of water on a chilly day? The last thing we’re thinking in those moments is about a divine appointment, right? Join me Friday for the conclusion to “Divine Appointment” in our Faith-Filled Friday series!

Baffled

Evinda