And as I look at the title now I suppose it could convey a number of different things really, but for this post I’m thinking about flying. Yes, flying, and I actually have a fear of flying (don’t ask me why) but I think I’m getting better about it. I figure if I’m going to go and be it in a plane, then I’m going to go no matter what so when it comes to flying I’ll just close my eyes (through the take off’s and landings) and let God do the rest. So ya, for this post it’s flying that I’m thinking of when I think of “check!”
You see, growing up my Dad was a pilot, not a commercial pilot but a private pilot. He had a private plane and so instead of taking road trips we would all jump into the airplane and fly to wherever it was we were going. Ya, you’d think with all of my experience that I would love to fly or at least not mind it, but no, I still, to this day dislike it.
I remember all the preparation that had to take place before we could take off: walk around the plane, inspect the flaps, rudder, wheels, turn the prop. If that all looked good then “jump inside!”
My brother and I were always in the backseat. We’d have our headsets on (with a mic) and so ya, I guess compared to driving it was pretty cool, plus, as we all know with flying you can cover a lot more distance in a lot less time.
But anyway, my Dad would turn some knobs, pull some levers, and I think there was an ignition key but now I don’t really remember, but before I knew it he would have the plane up and running and planes, or at least small ones buzz. It’s the propeller, and it feels like, oh I don’t know, like those little wooden planes that you wind up, the ones with the rubber band? and before you know it you’re about to be slingshoted.
But my Dad checks some more buttons, levers, the gauges across his instrument panel and if that all looks good we then taxi out to the runway, his communication with the tower occasionally breaking the eight track tape that’s currently playing over our headsets, (and ya, this is the 70′s so, we were probably listening to something my mom picked out like Olivia Newton John or Helen Reddy? I think it was Helen Reddy). Ya, music to fly by; “must be soothing.” But anyway, we taxi out to the runway, and before taking off we pause, because it’s here we always pause, and then my Dad pulls out “the list.” The “check” list and every time he does this, every time before we fly.
Down the list he reads. “Flaps?” he asks and then he turns the appropriate handle to make sure that it’s working and if so we then hear him call out “check!” Next on the list, “Rudder?” he asks and again he checks to see if it’s working and if so, again we hear over our headsets, “check!” Continuing on down the list until lastly he turns to look at all of us, “seatbelts?” he asks and everyone nods, “check!” Only until everything clears his list, the “check list” does he then proceed onto the runway, the engine running full force, the sound deafening and speeding forward, the propeller whirling, we take off. Yes, we’re airborn, yes, we’re flying!
I write this because I was thinking about this just this morning. Thinking about how everyday I need to have the same kind of spiritual check list before heading out into my day. Asking God to form in me His character and His ways of thinking. Asking Him to weed out of me anything that to Him is displeasing and most importantly, surrendering all that I am to Him that I would do nothing in my own strength.
So often God reminds me of this; that it has to be a daily thing. That daily we have to form our own spiritual check list because then and only then will we be able to fly with Him on the wings of His Holy Spirit!
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