In the midst of the excitement of making travel plans this week, I have found it hard to turn my mind off. I'm back to waking up in the middle of the night and can't seem to stop thinking about: my baby, getting on a plane, leaving my boys, what I'm going to see and experience in Ethiopia, turning around and leaving my baby, etc. Now that the plane tickets have been purchased, the whole fear of flying thing has kicked into high gear. After my last flight (12 years ago), just driving past O'Hare gave me the heebie jeebies for several months. I said at the time and many times since then, "I will never set foot on a plane again." Oh, I am totally going to eat those words! I do understand that the fear is irrational and I am trusting that God will help me deal with it when the time comes. I am extremely thankful that the route we are taking breaks up the trip. We'll fly from O'Hare to Frankfort, Germany (about 8 hours) and then from Frankfort to Addis (about 7 hours) with a 3.5 hour layover in between. It is the route with the fewest take-offs and landings and when you have been known to cry on takeoff, that is a very important thing! It is also the route with the least amount of time on the actual plane and that is also a good thing.
I am also holding on to these verses:
Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.
Deuteronomy 31:8 It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.
Sing, Jen. At EVERY take off I sing some sort of worship song OUT LOUD until we are way up in the air! It helps me (freaks my seat neighbors out but who cares)!
ReplyDeleteYou will do great. You picked a nice route to with only the bigger planes. It will be JUST FINE!!