Nov 15th, 2022: Another Holy Moment

A mother was anxious on the phone at the airport. She tried to control her tone of voice, but she could not keep her voice down. She kept talking to her daughter about "the thing you do" with some strong feelings. She kept hanging up and then calling back. I could tell she was exhausted before we boarded.

I went and bought a bottle of water and asked her whether she would like something to drink (she might prefer gin and tonic). We talked about her daughter, who had been a source of tremendous grief. She listed her daughter's history of mischief and inconsiderate acts. She is 16 and longs for boys' attention.

She wanted to know if I had kids. With tongue-in-cheek, I told her I have three, and they are all angelic. She asked what I would do when I felt exasperated. I told her I usually wait, be available, and pray. I told her I learned that from reading the Prodigal Son story in the Bible.

She told me she had not read it for a long time. She has a copy of the Bible at home but is uncertain where it is. She is not alone in that experience. I told her she might be surprised by how practical the Bible can be in dealing with life struggles, including our internal ones.

She thanked me for the conversation as we boarded. I encouraged her to be patient with her daughter. It was another holy moment in life that God granted us.

1 Corinthians 13: 4-7

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."