Airplanes and Jesus

Our house is located about 4-5 blocks from the airport. It is a small airport and handles very small planes. Many times this landing strip becomes a practice strip for the small planes as we watch them land and take off again. You can see them slowly fall and touchdown briefly of course, we can't see them through the trees. Then, you see them go back up and soar around. My wife and I usually watch from the deck and enjoy seeing these ups and downs. The last time I saw this however it reminded me of our lives. Not only can this analogy relate to the ups and downs of the plane, but also to the twists and turns that life throws us. I am sure all of us have felt that we are in a barrel roll at one time or another in our daily life. The Lord tells us in the book of Psalms 23:4 "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me" We must remember that even though others will enjoy watching our ups and downs, as my wife and I enjoy the planes , they may never see us hit rock bottom. The Lord is always our landing gear and helps us as we touchdown to the lowest of our ground landing strip. We must carry on, because we will rise again and be on the top of the clouds soaring through life. Life gives us peaks and valleys and we must focus on the Lord and prove to him that there is no fear in what is to come. As I continue to watch these planes land I find peace in that the Lord is with us, whether we are landing or taking off in the aerodynamics of life.