40 yr old found as stowaway in 1st Class

I have on a few special occasions considered indulging just once in a "first class" airline seat.  The crazy expense of such exclusive tickets never once superceded by intense frugality. 

Chipolte Chicken or Tortellini with Red Sauce

This trip all the rules were tossed out the window.  I bought an "economy" ticket to go to Santiago which is the class of ticket I always purchase.  Somehow though, 2 of the 3 legs placed me in 1st class.  I felt like a little kid trying to sit at the grown up table at Thanksgiving.  Totally out of my element.  But admittedly, the last leg pushed me over the top.  As we took off and the slow beverage service of the rest of plane proceeded, we were handed warm cloths to clean our hands.  Warmed mixed nuts (the good kind with pistachios, cashews, etc. No peanuts in this one!).  Then we were served a wonderful meal complete with available wine and cheesecake.  WHAT?!?!

 No lie, it was nice to be doted on.  However, I seriously question if this lifestyle would be for me in a broader sense as I was privy to the musings of the 2 gentlemen in front me discussing the finer points of how life should be lived in the moment for ourselves.

Uh, NAH...

"You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love."        Galatians 5:13

JUMP!

For those faithful few followers, you will notice a glaring omission in the timeline in this blog.  I do intend to blog on Melissa's death but I'm not there yet.  So, somewhere in the twisted psyche of my mind I think I'm holding a spot for that special blog until I'm really ready to say goodbye.

Fast forward from last September to today.......

I have been struggling with my "place" in the Haiti missions since we lost our sweet 'Lissa.  It felt most days like I was walking around to an off note tune.  Recognizable song but off key.  There was an attempt to coordinate with a team from our North Alabama Presbytery and I went that path for several months but never quite felt like I was to be on that team.  Love the people going just wasn't feeling that Heavenly shove push.  A couple months ago, Greg Roberts who is our main man in Haiti called and we began talking about the heart program with Chadasha.  When I hung up the phone with, I knew.

KNEW!

So, plans went underway for me to travel with the next group of kiddos in May to come to Santiago, Dominican Republic to have surgery with International Children's Heart Foundation.  Time then went into super overdrive with work challenges, end of school mayhem, etc.  I found excuse after excuse to postpone the purchase of my airline ticket.  The original plan was to leave on May 26th.  The Memorial Day weekend came and I began to seriously feed the doubts of the mind on going. 

Was the use of resources like money and time out of work being used wisely by my going to Santiago?

Was the strain on my family leaving for several days right?

and on, and on, and on...

Monday I then recalled how a friend had once advised me in another big decision in my life:

Next week will come regardless of the decision.  Do I want to be at the end of the week with the same old routine or be at the end of the week having "jumped"?

So, I jumped...less than 24hrs before leaving a one ticket was purchased to Santiago...
God I trust you are there to catch me...