But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.
(Romans 8:25 NLT)

We have been looking forward to this trip for about a month now, and to be finally here blows our minds away! The funny thing is: we almost didn’t make it!

Kenny worked a full 7 day week, so between being tired and the anticipation of coming here didn’t help him sleep last night. We set our alarms at 5:30am, but we snoozed another 15 minutes. Our flight was at 7:15am; we got to the airport at 6:50am. The gentleman at the Delta kiosk told us our luggage might not make it on this trip and told us to run to the gate because they were done boarding. So we ran like gazelles and apparently, so did our luggage. I was so relieved and so thankful by the airline for being so PATIENT , but who knew they would be teaching us a lesson today.

As soon as we arrived, we went through baggage claim and headed towards ground transportation, where we should have boarded our reserved shuttle. They had us in a waiting room for over an hour as we saw people sitting by us and then being called shortly after. At last, one of the ladies notices that we are in fact still there, then leads us to the shuttle. We were the first ones boarding the shuttle, and the last to arrive to our final destination. We drove through all Manhattan, and again, we saw the last one being the first one to make it. We landed at 9:45 am, and we made it to the hotel at 2pm! This means that getting to the hotel was twice the time flying from Florida to New York!

We didn’t have a chance to grab breakfast and we weren’t sure if lunch was going to be a possibility. At that point, we were feeling hungry, tired, and weak; then, I started observing people as we kept driving around the city. I watched as if I was watching a movie without knowing its ending. As I observed, it all made sense!! The busyness and the confusion in some of the faces, I could have guessed who’s here to work and who’s here to play. People on their headphones and their cellphones rushing through a crowd of tourists trying to figure out where to go. Then the van stopped, and I was staring at this young woman on her map in front of a luxurious hotel. The doorman opens the door almost hitting her. He apologizes. She smiles. He smiles. They start a conversation, possibly some flirting back and forth. But then I see him looking at me and I realize that I’ve been staring for too long. Oops, I remember where I am and where I’m still not. I remember the time, which reminds me of my empty stomach and now I’m miserable again! Why can we be more patient when we are not focused on ourselves? Patience is soon forgotten, and then our driver reminds us that our hotel is in Lower Manhattan and we still have another 15 minutes. The city becomes less crowded as he starts picking up the speed, and construction areas start becoming more of the sight. Then we see the Freedom Tower and right across the street is our hotel.

As soon as we stepped out of the time capsuled van, we begin moving as fast as those New Yorkers. We check in and we are given a room with a great view of the Freedom Tower, but the construction noise was unbearable and another barrier came in the way of us having lunch. We changed rooms and we made our way to BLT Bar & Grill, right across the street and inside of the W Downtown (review on the next post).

Now looking back at our day, I see God teaching me a few lessons. Many times those that come last will make it first in life. I hear a subtle whisper reminding that Heaven is not earned, it is freely gifted to us through the blood of our Savior. God’s economy is not a competition, yet we treat it as such. As Christians, we are constantly trying to compare our walk, our Bible reading, our wisdom, our gifts, etc. At times I feel like I have so much to offer, but then someone else comes with little to nothing and I watch blessings shower upon them. Some make it Home sooner than others, but essentially our time will come when we get to enjoy an eternal presence of Christ, where all the silly chatter won’t matter. It shouldn’t matter who crosses the line first or last; what matters is crossing the line. At least that’s how God thinks… Why can’t we think more like Him?

There are also those times when the opposite happens and God blesses me, not because of what I’ve done but because of the condition of my heart towards Him. My confidence doesn’t come from my doings but from Him and His actions through me. Patience does come easier when we don’t focus on ourselves. As I focused on the pedestrians, I saw a reflection of myself: too busy to be bothered, too confused to understand the whole picture, too fearful of making the wrong step, too frustrated by the circumstances, too angry by the injustices and the crazy drivers surrounding us.

Be patient. Be confident…

… of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; (Philippians 1:6 NKJV)

The Freedom Tower was the final destination today. A place that’s gone through heartbreak, tragedy, sorrow, pain, and injustice is slowly but surely being redeemed into a beautiful and strong foundation that stands tall in the breathtaking NYC skyline. God is doing the same with us.

Finally, He taught me a more practical lesson… Next time, take a cab!