10 hours to go......

I certainly didn't expect to post 10 hours before the race; especially still being 881 miles away (I checked google maps :-)).  I should be boarding a plane in about 2 hours.  I did want to share some cool things that have happened today.  These are relatively small things that I believe are God's way to show me......"I got your back."

        After I found out about the delay, the first thing that happened was when I went to United.com to put in my reservation number (which is AYPTL3) to make sure my connecting flight was changed.  As I was putting in my number '77' popped up in between my letters, and I wasn't even on the number screen of my iPad!  In case some may not know, seven is often considered God's number....a number of 'completeness'.  Another cool thing happened on my flight from Clarksburg to DC.  First of all, the flight attendant said I could sit in any row from 7 on back to balance the plane, so I sat in seat 7B. :-). After reaching cruising altitude, she started with me and asked if I wanted anything to drink.  I asked for water, and she did not have any.  She said she would have to go to the front to get some.  After the guy behind me asked for water too, she went ahead and snagged a BIG bottle of Dasani water, and proceeded to come back and fill my 4oz. Cup.  On her way back down the aisle I glanced back and saw there was a 'tiny' bit of water left in her bottle.  When she reached me, I had planned to ask her if I could finish it off to wash down the remnants of the bagel and cream cheese taste lingering on my taste buds.  Well, right before she reached me, I heard her ask the gentleman behind me if he wanted some more water.  I knew there wasn't enough water in there for both of us, so I was hoping he would politely decline.  He didn't.  He politely accepted.  I then wondered if she would even ask me, since she just poured the last few drops of water.  To my surprise, she DID ask me.  I accepted her offer, and she said she would have to get more water from the front (for the second time in less than 10 minutes.  As she was walking back with another 1 liter bottle of Dasani, I happily prepared my cup for the refill.  Instead of refilling my cup, she handed me the entire bottle and said "here, you might need this."  Earlier, she commented how prepared I was as I was spreading cream cheese on my bagel.  I told her how I was running the Disney Half-marathon in the morning, so I was trying to stay carbed up.  I guess she remembered that and decided to give me the entire bottle.  I had planned on buying bottled water when I got to DC, but I believe 100 percent that as she was reaching for that second bottle of water, The Holy Spirit put the idea in her mind to give me the whole bottle.  I'm not sure, but even if it was protocol to throw away open bottles on a last flight (therefore she decided to give it to me), I believe God worked the circumstances out to bless me with that water.  Another way to say, "I got your back."

      After arriving in DC, I was thinking about going to customer service and requesting a first class seat due to my circumstances.  I decided to first go to a kiosk to print my boarding to see where I was going to be seated (or IF I was going to be seated.  On the flight to DC I had already played out several scenarios in my mind if I the next flight was full, and I was bumped.  In my head I was practicing the speech I was going to make to all the passengers at the departing gate hoping to inspire someone to volunteer their seat).  Thankfully this was not necessary.  When my boarding pass came up on the screen, the seat number was 2A.  2A!!??  Did this mean what I thought it meant??  I proceeded to look at the seating chart, and sure enough this is the second row on the entire plane!!!....First class!!!!   Another blessing from God!!!  Would I have survived in coach????  Of course!!  With the exception of one time in my life, I've always ridden in coach (or I think it's called economy these days). This was another way God said, "I got your back."  Even if it was the only seat left on the plane, God knew that ahead of time, and had that seat reserved for me. I might be the only one in first class with a t-shirt (with a little stain on it), sweatpants on, a NIKE Track & Field shoe bag, and maybe munching on some frosted mini-wheats; but that is fine with me!  I plan to enjoy my 2-hour stay in first class!....hopefully I won't remember most of it checking out the inside of my eyelids!  Oh, and the gate number for my new flight to Orlando..........7D.    God Bless!!!  :-)