Winter Training & Discipline

I finally just got home from YL Winter Training in Georgia! Here are a few pics (in regards to my snow/Prince of Peace blog a few days ago.) It was beautiful! I also enclosed a few bored pics taken while in class. As you can see, my good friend, Bronson is asleep on my chair...ha. Being home is refreshing but also brings me back to reality. It's hard. I don't want to face it. In fact, I went for a walk a minute ago to clear my head. Plus, I haven't exercised in weeks and that is not like me. I almost had a heart attack this morning while pulling my suitcase up 2 flights of stairs! I have been sitting all week and I had to move but knew I couldn't go too far due to lack of exercise. Anyways, on my walk I was listening to music on my iphone when my best friend, Hanna called. She, and a few others have been helping me through my hard time lately and I was sharing with her how I couldn't take many more tests from God. "He won't seem to let up and it's so painful," I told Hanna. "Enough already," I keep crying out, but to no avail. Just when I see a ray of hope, something else hits me. "I don't understand why God hates me so much," I said to Hanna. To which she replied, "Oh no, Corrina, (that's what she calls me...she's mexican) :) the Lord disciplines those whom he loves and chastises those He sees as His children." Wow! She was right on. A truth I well know but had forgotten at this time. Here I am feeling picked on, when all the while God is picking me out! Amazing...yet painful! He is TRANSFORMING me for a greater purpose. I just can't see the greater purpose yet so while in the transformation process it hurts. It's kinda like my arrival to the Atlanta airport today.

We awoke at 4:30, after little to no sleep, got on a greyhound bus for a long trek to the airport and when we arrived to the airport I was told my bag was too heavy. I'm sure it had a lot to do with the 6 large books that they assigned us while there! Anyways, I quickly took thing after thing out until the size was right and my hands were full. Only to find out you now have to pay $20 to check a bag with Continental...ridiculous. Anyhow, I preceeded to the security gate which is never fun anyways. Once there I received the dreaded news that no one likes to hear, “Bag check.” I looked to see if the gentleman in front of me had received his bags. He indeed had. It was me. I was flagged for a small wooden sign that was too long to fit in my suitcase. It was a gift for a friend and something that I had carried on recently before. The “checker” told her "assistant" to take it to their supervisor. To which the assistant responded, “This? Why?” “Because she could use that to wack someone in the head with it," replied the checker. “Are you serious,” I thought. Not even a minute later the assistant came back to me and asked me to step over to see his supervisor with him (all the while refusing to give me back my wooden sign.) His supervisor proceeded to tell me that I could not bring that on the plane and it was too late to check it so I had to mail it. “Why,” I asked. “Because you could use this as a weapon and hit someone with it.” At this point I was irritated. I had been up all night and already traveling via bus since 5am. Therefore I responded, “Sir, I could use my laptop here for much greater damage if I really wanted to hit someone.” “I realize that, mam, but it doesn’t look dangerous. You’re going to have to mail it back home. The post office is down aways,” he replied. With a highly aggravated laugh I asked where and he showed me (more like escorted me) the way. It was a nice little hike. When I arrived at the airport post office I shared with them my dilemma and that I had nothing to wrap this in. “Go next door to the next place of business and get some bubble wrap and then come back to me.” I was on my way, even more irritated. I arrived at the next place of business only to discover that they were in fact out of bubble wrap. At this point I was ready to just throw the sign at someone and hurt them for real and just leave the gift behind and head to my gate. I didn’t. I begged this guy to help me out somehow. He felt sorry for me so he wrapped it in a bunch of cellophane for no charge. From there I headed back to the post office in which I was told this wrap job probably wouldn’t keep. At this point I didn’t care. I said a little prayer that it would and then I proceeded to pay the enormously large fee. It was now out of my hands. I headed back to security, only to have to go through the charades all over again.

I was about to make it through when I heard, “Bag check,” again. Are you kidding me? This time it wasn’t mine. I then got all my stuff only to have another assistant ask me how I was doing today. I didn’t feel like responding with the usual, “Good,” so I instead responded with the truth, “Been better.” To which he replied, “I’m sorry to hear that. We unfortunately all have those days. What you have to do is take care of you. You hear me. Take care of you. Are you sad to leave here?” “Not at all,” I replied, “I’m ready to get home.” “What are you going to do when you get home,” he asked. “Un-pack, shower, play with my dogs and sleep,” I answered. “Well, I hope that your day gets better young lady. Choose to make it better,” he said. I was done gathering all my belongings (and re-dressing) at that point and after that statement I thanked him and walked away with a smile finally on my face.

Irritations, disciplines, hurts, etc. will come our way but may you come across some friendly "airport assistants," truth, and friends like my friends, along your way that assure you it’s going to be Ok and encourage you to choose joy. I haven't arrived home to joy. In fact, some situations have already occured and the knife digs even deeper into my chest. However, I rest in the fact of what my friend, Hanna, reminded me of..."THE LORD DISCIPLINES THOSE HE LOVES AND CHASTISES THOSE WHO ARE HIS CHILDREN!" I AM NOT PICKED ON, BUT RATHER PICKED OUT! Now I just have to be obedient in faith. That's the hard part next to the pain. But my God is for me...and FOR YOU!!! This is long, sorry. :)