Yesterday, driving up to the Cell Phone Lot of the East Terminal at St. Louis International to wait for a friend's arrival, my 'text notification' played (the ESPN theme) letting me know that someone wanted to get in touch with me. Being unusually cautious, I chose not to look at it until I was stopped in the lot . . . and I'm glad that I did.
The text was from our youngest, AFA Cadet 3rd Class Christian Wagner, 'Ched', who is currently on Spring break with his class of Instructor Pilot trainees in Willcox, Arizona, getting in extra flying time in an ideal sailplane setting. Ched's text read:
"I just passed my 'phase check"! Which means you are now talking to the newest certified pilot for the TG-10B sailplane. Now on to instruction!" (which means he is to the final stage of preparation for being an Instructor Pilot in the TG-10B)
While reading his text, two F-15's from the Missouri Air National Guard took off heading East out of Lambert International, rising up off the runway straight across from where I was sitting in my car, then powered quickly into the early afternoon skies leaving the ground shaking in their wake. I texted back to Ched my congratulations, then added, "As if on cue, as I read your text, two F-15's took off here . . . in salute to you, I'm sure." And if the F-15's weren't in salute to Ched, they should have been - at least from this father's vantage point! Ched is doing what I once dreamed of doing: flying. He is experiencing the exhilaration of soaring in the winds of God's Spirit and turning in the currents of God's dynamic creation.
'Proud' is not the appropriate word for what I am felt in that moment. It was something far more tender and powerful, even connected in the essence of awe and humility. As with his brother's before him, if it is even humanly possible, Ched's news made my heart swell with love and wonder. News of a child's accomplishments have a way of doing that to parents, don't they?! And, if so with us as earthly parents, how much more so for God?I'm trying to imagine God doing 'the happy dance' that I do to embarrass our kids when they bring me good news - and, somehow, it's just not happening. Yet, I know in my heart of hearts, God is no less over joyed, no less exuberant when told of things in our lives going well. When was the last time you celebrated a moment with God? When was the last time that God was the first one you wanted to tell when something special happened in your life?
Who knows what might thunder by when you do, but you will never know until you do. God is waiting to hear from you today.
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