Welcome to “The Wild Goose Chase!” The Celtic Christians called the Holy Spirit “The Wild Goose” because it was untamed and smarter than any other bird.

Dear Sisters and Brothers:

It was a beautiful little airplane and I was excited to be able to pilot it. I never could afford to fly as much as I would have liked, but I clearly recall most of the special flights I took back in the day.

That pretty little plane was a Grumman Tiger.AA-5B boasted a 180 hp Lycoming engine that could achieve 139 knots. That is pretty fast for a fixed wing and gear four seat aircraft. And I enjoyed it. It had some quirky flight characteristics, but it was fun to fly. I used to rent one in Wichita, KS, where I lived, and fly to Tulsa, OK to visit my folks. That was always a fun trip. And I did it about once per month for a while.

I was thinking about those days and the flying I can no longer go for a number of reasons today. And what came to me was that God has deeply blessed my life. I have had opportunities to do many wonderful and exciting things in life. But none of them can compare with discovering the peace and grace of Jesus Christ in the midst of challenge and chaos in my life.

Piloting a small airplane requires attention to detail. It means that before you take off, you have done a complete pre-flight check of the engine and all control surfaces. It means that you have checked weather and wind conditions where you are, along the route and at your planned destination. It means that you have a plan for your flight and you are keenly aware of everything that is going on around you for the entire flight from engine ignition to the moment you turn the engine off at the end of your flight.

I wonder how many of us take that kind of care in other areas of our lives, and in particular in our relationship with God. If we would make a plan to spend time in study, prayer and worship of God and then stick to it, maybe, just maybe we would not feel so lost when life becomes chaotic. And perhaps our challenges to our flight with God might end without a crash landing.

Psalm 28:6-8 (NRSV) says: “ Blessed be the Lord for he has heard the sound of my pleadings. The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts; so I am helped, and my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. The Lord is the strength of his people; he is the saving refuge of his anointed.

Remember, God loves you and so do I, and all you can do about it is love back.

Still In One Peace,

Stephen