ABCCONN

March 3, 2010

Dear Friends,

I looked around and saw that no one was paying attention. The two people in front of me were having an animated discussion. A woman two rows up was engrossed in her magazine. A boy across from me was looking over the shoulder of his sister at something outside and laughing.

The stewardess pointed to the laminated brochure and gestured toward the exit rows at the front and back of the plane. I quickly looked around to see if anyone was watching her. One man was digging in his carry on bag for something. A woman sitting behind me was putting on her lipstick. A couple two rows back were playing cards.

As the stewardess pretended to pull down the oxygen mask and put it over her face I began to wonder if I was the only one on the airplane that thought this was important. She pulled on the life vest and showed us how to inflate it. I turned to the person next to me, poked him and woke him from his nap. "Nobody's listening to the safety instructions," I whispered.

He looked at me and said, "Does it matter? If we go down none of it is going to save us. It's just a waste of time." I wanted to ask him if he had heard about Captain Sully and the miracle on the Hudson last year. Call me silly. I watch them go through the drill every time. I want to be ready to help when the next miracle happens.

Yes. I believe in miracles. The kind of miracles that arise from a combination of preparation, good sense, a willingness to help and the presence of God. As our plane left San Diego on Tuesday the thought hit me that God wants us to be prepared for whatever may come.The clergy in our churches and synagogues stand before us with the things we needed to know in the event of an emergency.

The Bible is like our flotation device. It keeps us afloat. Regular worship is like our oxygen mask. It helps us breathe easier and deeper. Prayer is our exit door. It allows us to escape into the loving arms of our Creator. How many times have we been in a panic and forgotten what we need to do to turn life around again?

The truth is that we need to be prepared. The good news is that we don't have to face the future alone. God is always on board. He just wants us to be ready to help when he performs the next miracle. So stop what you are doing and listen up. God wants to give you some safety instructions before you go.

God bless. See you in Church. Cal.