Sticky Situation

I wanted to title this post with a cuss word and TSA, but it seemed the wrong way to start when you were planning to quote scripture later.  My friend Ginger can do that kind of thing, it looks good on her, but I am not sure I can pull it off.

The boys took off this morning.  At 6:46a.m.  Airport farewells lack the romance of days past when you could wave at them on the airplane stairs, but I saw them to security at least.  I tried to snap a few photos that didn't include random TSA employees, but that was difficult too.

Earlier we had checked the two very large and very full suitcases (thank you Cheri and Trisha).  One had been 2 pounds over the weight limit - "Quick! Grab something and put it in your carry on we were advised."  I was digging for the formula container when Serge said, "no, grab food."  We look at the granola bars - they don't weigh enough.  Wait! Peanut butter - two jars - one pound each.  We got it!  We stuffed those babies in the carry on.  Suitcase - zipped, locked, latched and loaded.

Well, my more experienced readers will immediately see the problem: peanut butter doesn't make it through security.
James texts me later to tell me so.  Bummer.

I am talking to Jesus while I drive home.  "Why? (about the peanut butter).  Why did we pick that?  We should have known better!  Couldn't You have moved our hands to something else?"
I remember - sort of - the verse in Romans 8 about the Lord and those who love Him and good things and all.
"Tell me, now, how is this good?" I ask.  I am not really angry, just asking Him to sometime show me please.  But then I get on a roll and name a few other things - "How was this, and this, and this good?"  The night I spent in the Charlotte airport last week instead of eating the celebratory meal that Maggie had planned, for example.  And - just for good measure, I throw in a biggie - "How was Philip dying a good thing?"  Because if you are going to risk being struck down by the Almighty you should just go for it all, right?

Then the patient response - the still, small voice - "I didn't say the things were good, Stewart, I said I work them for good."

Indeed.

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose"  -  Romans 8:28 (ESV)

P.S. I'll add a photo when "Technical Support" wakes up.  :)