A frequent flyer's advice: avoid the JFK airport in your travels like you'd a car crash, a rotten tooth, or as the cliche goes-the plague!
It's dirty!
It's crowded!
It's confusing!
It's "time-saving" new procedures border on asinine & ridiculous!
It's directional signs are non-existent!
It's airtrain system archaic!
It's plane maintenance system poor with little to no passenger communication!
It's restrooms unkept!
I could go on but I think you "get the picture".
Ater a long overseas flight from Venice I arrived at JFK airport around 4:00 p.m. (US time, 11:00 p.m. Italian time).; tired as usual but ready for the customs regime and locating my connecting flight.
What I found was an hour and 1/2 herded in long lines through a new and "more efficient" check-in system, with NO restroom access!
Following that torture was riding an airtrain system for 30 minutes the WRONG way until I finally located the train's schedule.
Getting off the airtrain I found terminal 2, which was the location of my gate, could be accessed only through a torrential downpour, since construction was not done on any connecting building. I then ran through 6 inch deep puddles resulting in soaked feet!
Arriving at my gate I discovered an hour delay. OK, that was normal. After boarding the plane I dozed in and out of light sleep as I waited for take off. After 2 1/2 hours sitting on the tarmack the flight was canceled sighting engine problems!
My body clock now was registering 5:00 a.m. Somewhere I had lost a day! Like sheep, we were then led to a help desk where we waited our turn to locate another flight to our final destinations. Mine was not until the next late afternoon so I was given a hotel voucher and directed to the exit door, where I could find a taxi in the torrential downpour! I was told my checked bag would be forwarded to my flight the following day. For some strange reason I failed to trust their reassurance that I would eventually see that bag!
A half an hour later I was again in a long line, this time at the hotel waiting for room availability. By this time I felt like the "walking dead" and had trouble focusing on answering questions when it was my turn to register. Finally, at 1:00 am US time and 8:00 am Italian time I wearily claimed a room, a hot bath, and clean sheets, ( I think or who even cares)!
Now, sitting and reflecting on this experience, I am wondering how, as a Christian, could I view this two/three day journey to get home in a better "light".
Were there blessings I could attribute to God.? Yes!
1. I was able to make it to a restroom after the 1 1/2 hour custom lines!
2. I had a long layover allowing me the necessary time to ride the airtrain the wrong way!
3. My arthritic knee held out well through miles of walking.
4. Last minute decision to take my rain/wind jacket along, which I desperately needed several times!
5. Kind assistant who rebooked my flight and gave me careful instructions about locating a taxi.
6. A stranger who helped me hail a taxi.
7. A hotel room with a Hot Bath, (a real luxury I love)
8. Restful night's sleep.
9. Time to read a good Christian novel about Job, of all people. (Now THAT guy had troubles!)
10. A loving husband always available by phone to be a listening ear and jolly on the spot for pick-up!
11. My luggage arrived on an earlier flight, ahead of me and was just waiting for me to arrive and pick it up!!
Notice my blessings are a longer list than my troubles. Isn't that God's way? I now feel so much better about my return trip and have learned a valuable lesson. God provides more than we can imagine if we will just open our eyes to His blessings and give Him the credit He deserves! That brings to mind the following verse:
"Do everything without complaining or arguing so that no one can criticize you,
Live clean innocent lives as children of God, shining like stars in the universe,
In this crooked and perverse generation, holding firm to the Word of God."
Philippians 2: 14-16
So next time you have the "opportunity" to fly through JFK on your travels remember God may have some real blessings in store for you!
