23 January 2012

In Cancun, Mexico at a swanky new hotel.  Wow, gorgeous.

It was kind of painful getting here.  We were delayed 2 hours last night going from Detroit to Pittsburgh waiting for a plane which was coming (at any moment!) from the hangar.  It eventually showed up.  Because we were late into Pittsburgh, our flight out the next day was delayed.  When we got to the plane late this morning, the plane was broken so we wasted another hour or so fixing the it, or rather deferring what was broken (aft drain mast) so we could finally fly to Detroit.  Needless to say we were late to DTW.

We did push back for Cancun on time, but the fuel totalizer on the aircraft was acting up and we had to taxi back to the gate.  Another hour delay, or rather 1.5 hour delay.  We ended up almost an hour and a half late into Cancun.  What a day.

I did get to go for a run on the beach when I got here and the temperature is about 82 degrees and sunny, so it was NICE once I did arrive.  Painful to get here though.  No one enjoys delays, least of all me.

I'm wondering why God created me so, um, non-optimistic (hahahaha - okay, pessimistic).  Is it a gift?  A cross to bear?  Part of my brokenness?  I think I would argue that it is all three.  Obviously, being a human being my character is subject to the fall, so in some sense pessimism is a reflection of that brokenness, something that I will just have to deal with much like others deal with an overly strong desire for alcohol or food or pride or lust, etc.  So if it is part of my brokenness, then it is also a cross to be born, a difficulty to be managed.

I think I would also argue that, in God's marvelous way of taking broken things and making them useful, it is a gift to be used in God's service.  I tend not to look at things the way other people look at them.  So pessimism (realism I say) makes me aware of things that people who are not so inclined do not, or cannot see.  Many times I am aware of upcoming problems before other people are because I've already seen and predicted the problem.  Sometimes this is a good thing, but it is also a weakness as well.  I tend to see barriers rather than possibilities.  God uses both kinds of people, those who see barriers and those who see possibilities.

The challenge for those of us who see barriers is to not let that get in the way of the church moving forward in faith, and believe me, it is a challenge for us!