Flight Instructor

The One who gave me wings

Doesn’t force me to fly.

Sometimes

I soar.

Sometimes

I walk.

And sometimes…

I crash.

And yet,

My Instructor is always nearby.

Reminding me of my wings.

Walking beside me when I’m tired

Or forgetful.

When needed,

He comforts me and tends my wounds,

Never leaving me alone in the dirt.

He also sends me

Others.

They too have wings

And are prone to the same frailties.

But at any given moment,

They become my inspiration.

Some

I’ll remember for a lifetime.

Memories of others

May fade.

But together,

The lessons they teach

Will forever be part

Of the new heights I reach.

With thanks to all those who have reminded me of my wings–and my responsibility to help others soar.

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear (Ephesians 4:29, ESV).

Eyes to See

I soar in a mist

Though the skies seem clear.

I gaze to the horizon

And think

There is no more to discover.

Yet, as I fly with eyes wide open,

There are times I wonder

If I’ve ever seen at all.

The first day I took flight,

I realized my vision had cleared

And I wanted everyone to fly with me,

To see from this new perspective.

As I continued to fly,

I came to realize

The One who gave me wings

Was directing my flight.

At times I seem to drift along so freely,

I forget the current that carries me.

At others,

The skies are so dark and frightening,

I don’t think I’ll survive another minute.

Then,

There are those breathtaking moments,

When the mist I didn’t even know clouded my vision

Clears.

I catch a glimpse

Of the Guiding Hand

And am forever changed.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV).

Flying Blind

The higher I fly,

The new heights I want to reach.

I’ve seen storm clouds from the other side,

And I always want to fly where the sunlight

Is cradled on top of thunderheads.

They’re dark and menacing from below,

But up here…

There’s nothing like it.

I look up,

The sky is clear as crystal.

I look down,

And it takes my breath away.

But then,

There’s a break in the clouds.

It’s so easy to forget.

Down there

The rain is so heavy,

You can’t see what’s right in front of you.

You look up and see nothing but blackness.

The thunder frightens you.

The lightning makes the tiniest hairs stand on end.

You’re trapped,

Far from shelter,

Lost in a world

Where day is as night.

And here I soar,

Riding the currents,

Gazing heavenward.

I’m sorry!

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others (Philippians 2:4, ESV).

Hidden Traps

I float on the currents,

Oblivious to the danger.

How can I be so blind

From this height?

Shouldn’t I be able to see clearly?

And then it happens,

I hit an invisible wall.

With no more lift,

My wings fail

And I find myself face first in the dirt.

Sometimes

I recognize my situation,

Jump up,

Shake my head,

And again take to the skies.

Sometimes

The shadow comes over my heart

And I look at the apparent source

Of my problem.

I stomp around,

Forgetting I even have wings.

If I stop for just a moment

And look inward,

I see what really happened.

The hidden trap was actually within.

Only then can I once again look up,

Spread my wings

And rise.

Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves (Philippian 2:3, ESV).

And So It Begins

Free to soar…

Untethered.

Riding the currents high above the ground

Like a magnificent hot air balloon

Or an eagle gliding effortlessly.

While I soar…

Do I unwittingly send others plummeting to the ground?

Do I entangle them in ropes that hinder their flight?

Or do I simply leave them where they are?

Grounded.

As this adventure takes to the sky,

May we all fly a little higher

And help others do the same.

…they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31, ESV).