Don’t be Rattled by Mr.Mean

I was minding my own business. I really was.

It was an early morning flight to begin with, and no time for small talk.

Ok, so I had upgraded to first class, but I felt I deserved it for flying out at 6 in the morning.

What I wasn’t counting on was the tedious flight attendant so early in the day.

He watched me struggle with my bag until I finally managed to put it in the overhead compartment.

No sooner had I sat down that he snidely instructed me to put it in the other direction.

“No.” I responded. Not on your life I thought. You want to change it, do it yourself!

“It doesn’t fit the other direction” I added.

He strutted over to my seat, adjusted my bag, and yes, I believe I correctly heard him say, “see now ma’am, that’s how it’s done”.

It’s an interesting phenomenon, but when I’m at work, in my professional capacity, I can handle just about any jerk. But get me on a plane flying down to teach the Bible at a retreat, and all my good sense flies out the window.

“Excuse me?” I said. Well, good for you, you thoughtless creep, I thought.

But we weren’t thru yet.

“Ma’am can you please put your purse in the overhead compartment” he gleefully added with a wicked smile on his silly face.

This would be a good time to mention that i have a pet peeve in flying.  I hate the rule that says that if you sit on the front row, you can’t keep your bag in your lap or in the space in front of your feet. I think it’s the dumbest thing I’ve heard. First of all, if there is a crash, the last thing anyone is going to worry about is the bag in front of my feet. I on the other hand, will grab it and run since it has my most valuable belongings in it. Unless I’m dead. But if I’m alive and there is a chance of survival, you’d better believe my purse is coming along with me.  Yes, even before I save that cute kid behind me, and definitely before I’d save the obnoxious flight attendant.

Anyway the point was still that I had paid extra money for my first class seat, and it was 6 o’clock in the morning, and I hadn’t had my coffee yet, and well, I just didn’t like Mr.Mean from the get go.  We went head to head. For a whole minute.

Then I remembered the reason for my morning flight in the first place – I’d been flying down to the women’s retreat where I had been invited to teach the Bible. And at the rate I was going, I may not make it to the retreat at all since there was a real and ever growing risk of being thrown out of the flight anyway.  Furthermore, I also had the fleeting thought that I’d be needing to read that Bible on this particular flight in order to be ready to share the love of Christ to a room full of women 8 hours from now!!

Life sometimes has a way to catch us by surprise, to throw us punches when we least expect them, to bring us face to face with Mr.Mean and his entire extended family on a moment by moment basis.

But we don’t have to be so easily rattled (I keep telling myself that!)

One way to avoid being rattled is to avoid airlines with mean flight attendant (I’ll give you a hint which airline I’m on: i’m typing this blog and posting it on the very flight in question!)

Another way to avoid being rattled is to be prepared for Mr.Mean and his people. Expect to be rattled, and ask God to give you patience and love for every one before you leave the house, no matter how early your flight is!!

And lastly, know that every moment is a new start in Christ. Ask for forgiveness (i know. I did.) and be willing to humbly change your attitude.

Life is short. Don’t waste it being rattled.

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