60 Seconds
60 seconds were left remaining on the clock.
I am not typically a last-minute traveler. Sure, some of my friends would kindly disagree (they would be the ones laughing if they read this), and their points would be valid. As I admit, I am the person who packs the night before, throws their clothes in a laundry basket (for local road trips by myself, I might add), or that friend who packs with a strategic system – you know you will never understand the system no matter how much you attempt to.
I admit it. That’s me. Hand raised high.
But I know I’m not the only one out there. It’s okay, you can raise your hand too. No one else knows, well except your friends. But that’s no secret.
I’d rather you not know those things about me, however, if we’re going to be friends you might as well know now what you’re getting into. But for real, my heart behind this online space is to not falsely paint a perfect picture of myself or my life. Often it’s to share the reality of life and how it just happens. Sometimes out of our own control, and other times, we know we could have planned better. That’s where I found myself last Friday. I’ve never missed a flight before. There’s only been one other close call when I was on my way to study abroad in southern France during college. My connecting flight landed in Madrid, Spain and I “thought” I had more time until I heard my name on the intercom…”Final boarding call for flight to Marseille, paging passengers Addison Ott….” I was fumbling through my toiletry bag attempting to wake myself up while still feeling like a zombie due to jet lag, and I stood there thinking, “That’s funny someone with the same name as me…hmm…wait, oh crap, THAT IS ME!” I threw my toiletry bag into my backpack and fully broke out into a dead-on sprint through the Madrid airport. Spoiler alert, I made it, out of breath of course. But thankfully I didn’t miss my flight.
Now that was a close call.
Since that experience, I’ve never tried to be late for a flight again – I honestly didn’t before that, but after Madrid, you understand. I’ve done extremely well since then, especially for being “the last-minute packer” type. But this past Friday, I felt like I was right back in Madrid again, except this time I didn’t know if I was going to make my flight. It had been a full day at work attempting to complete revisions for a large project. I got done what I could with the extra time I could afford to lose. I picked up my dog, finished packing my backpack, and loaded up the car to begin driving from northern Indiana toward Indianapolis. Kodak (my dog) and I began our routine and familiar two-hour drive down US 31. The majority of the time I was thinking, “I might not make it.” I didn’t want to be thinking that way, but after I arrived at my mom’s house and we continued driving, the reality of time and poor management on my part began to sink in. I was sitting in the passenger seat on the way to the airport, listening to my mom and simultaneously attempting to not pay attention to reality.
As I replay the day of me sprinting in the Madrid airport and speed walking through the Indianapolis airport with only seconds left, the Lord reminded me this is a similar mindset we can shift into with our relationship with Him. We might not even realize it, but that’s exactly how it happens by not paying attention to reality. The reality God reminded me of is we can attempt to plan, strategize, arrange, and organize – except when we live our lives in this posture we become the ones in the driver’s seat and we are attempting to control an uncontrollable life. Planning, preparing and stewarding are all good things. They are not inherently bad or evil. But the posture of our heart reveals so much more. The small decisions matter. They lead us toward Jesus, or bend us away and toward our flesh. We will always be in constant battle with the world and our flesh, but the good news of The Gospel reminds us of hope.
Hope is the opposite of control.
Hope encourages us to trust.
Hope through Jesus redeems us from our sin.
Hope reminds us this is not the end.
Hope sees trials as a privilege because it refines our faith.
Hope holds life with open hands.
Hope models a life of stewardship.
Hope guides us back to the garden with Jesus.
Hope will look different each day, but it is always there. Ask Him to reveal to you a new perspective on hope. He will provide the hope you need to walk through life without holding the things of this world with clutched fists.
Gate B24. My gate in the Indianapolis airport is all the way at the end of one of the two terminals.
I quickly said goodbye to my mom and Kodak as I hauled my luggage inside. I was so thankful I had TSA pre-check or so I thought…I managed to get through security until I saw my backpack get pulled for an in-depth security check. This was not an unusual occurrence with all of the technology I cram into my backpack. You mean to tell me you don’t pack three cameras on every trip? Now you see my point. Now I have to note, I greatly appreciate the TSA workers who help make our public places safe and make the security process a welcomed experience. But today of all the days to have to hand check my bag? Let’s just say it was challenging to remain patient as I watched the remaining minutes I had to board my flight turn into a couple of hundred seconds. Yes, you read that correctly. Seconds. The TSA officer was kind enough to let me quickly repack my backpack immediately after he had concluded his security check.
I initially had 10 minutes left before I realized my bag had been pulled. Now I was down to five or three minutes. 300 to 180 seconds left before the doors were closed. I had never been in a situation like this and I highly do not recommend it after experiencing it. Speed walking through the airport. Walking all the moving walkways (there are only two, but still, it helped). And praying with every step I take, I don’t miss this flight. I couldn’t even process an alternative plan because of how risky the situation I had gotten myself into was.
I hear the call for my flight on the intercom again…
I see the gate, B24.
I let out a slight sigh of relief still mixed with concern.
I am a few steps away from the gate with 60 seconds left…
The flight concierges look at me and say, “Cutting it pretty close there, huh?” as I hand them my mobile boarding pass to scan and thank them as walk down the jet bridge with weight lifting off. I did not miss my flight. Thank you, Jesus. I still felt guilty for unintentionally cutting it extremely close. As I walked onto the plane as the literal last person to board, I could finally breathe knowing I was actually on my way to Texas. But when I found a seat (a window seat if you’re wondering, yes I was surprised too), I began to scroll through my camera roll and before I knew it we were up in the sky casually cruising at 10,002 feet.
I scrolled through one photo after another, after another, and an immense weight of gratitude and peace washed over me.
There sitting at 10,002 feet God reminded me again how much life He’s given me. Not all the good, Instagram-worthy moments (I am a photographer, so there are plenty of “nice” or high-quality photos on my phone), but the photos no one sees, the memories I had forgotten about – those photos reminded me again of God’s promises and an even deeper hope for all that is to come as I continue to walk with Jesus daily.
He has not only blessed you and me with being able to know the living and active triune God in a relationship but the reminder of how His glory fills this earth. Not only in my life but in your life too. In all the moments, whether they’re classified as good or bad by the world, each of them is refining, sharpening, and deepening our faith with one season after another where Christ still remains.
Today, yesterday, and forever.
Christ remains.
He is always faithful to guide us into His will, instead of our own.
Grace & Peace,
Addie
Addie Ott
Author, Creative & Entrepreneur | Owner of gentle and lowly co.
