Checkpoints!

Ooh, checking in here on Ebenezer Acres and found summer fun overtook blogging. But I have a head filled with writing themes and ideas. Most will stay there, meaningful ones may find their way out. Fall and winter months are upon us, which means indoor time: hunkering down for home educating, more study, computer, thinking, and writing time.

For the last few months though checkpoints have been on my mind.

The following incident which was shared with me by one of the most unsuspecting (almost 75 year old) people I know, made me consider checkpoints.

At the airport in Ft. Lauderdale, at the scanner I was singled out for an "interrogation."  The TSA attendant questioned me, got a piece of white cloth with something on it and swiped it across both palms, put it on a machine which indicated I had something on my hands.  She asked my husband if I had held a gun with gun powder on it.  He said, no, we don't have a gun.  He started to walk toward me and she told him he couldn't speak to me or touch me.  That was a little scary. I had to wait until she could find another attendant to fill in for her and was taken aside to a little room and waited again for another attendant to go in with us.  She told me what she was going to do and proceeded with  her pat down.  I think maybe they're like the police who, it seems like, have a daily quota to meet.  She didn't find anything and let me go. My mind was racing a mile-a-minute with ideas like being jailed like a terrorist.  Needless to say, it was quite frightening and I don't think I want to fly anytime soon.

I also have vivid memories of border patrol. My father had a keen desire to live, work, and minister in Canada. As children, we crossed the borders regularly. Back then (30 plus years ago), it was fairly easy but there were times they would inspect our goods or even ask us children leading questions.

Only once was it scary, and it was when my sister who had been sleeping, woke up in the middle of one such "interrogation" and the border patrol chose to question her, with his flashlight in her face. Due to her grogginess she did not do a good job of answering questions, leaving my parents, transporting five children back and forth, open for speculation. Eventually, we were cleared to go.

Toronto, Canada - a great city to spend time with your family !

If you mention checkpoints to my husband, he has memories of something in school days called "hair check". Apparently, as the young men paraded past faculty they would "inspect" their hair, making sure hair was not touching in the wrong places. If so, you were pulled aside and you failed hair checkpoint!

Traffic life provides its own sets of checkpoints. Living in the state of Maine, I do remember being randomly stopped to have our vehicle inspected, and being held until someone came to rescue us. It was a constant reminder to keep our vehicles maintained. I'm thankful Michigan law is more obliging in this regard. Any Maniacs know if this still happens?

There are those moments in life when you can breath easy and know, you passed a checkpoint!

Our family recently traveled 2000 miles together. We were not sure how it would be, nine of us - tired, traveling, and together - too trying? It was a good checkpoint for our family.

Once, a lady had been observing us eating breakfast together made it a point to pull me aside and offer feedback. She had not been in America too long, and shared, that in all of Europe there were not to be found such well behaved and well mannered children. She observed they enjoyed each other and were pleasant to talk to. She had several questions for me. This scenario was repeated several times on our trip. It was a positive checkpoint for these weary traveling parents and a confirmation of hard work (and prayer).


I could ramble on (maybe I have already), but if you're still here, I was reminded this week of a Biblical checkpoint. It spoke to me again on this theme.

An Old Testament clan decided that they had a plan. It was to stay together, no more roaming. They declared, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth." (Genesis 11:4)  Most of you know the rest of the story. The very thing they were afraid of (scattering) is what happened to them. Why? Becuase they failed majorly a checkpoint.

Literally, God came to drop in and pay them a visit, a building inspection of sorts. "But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building." Unfortunately for them, they failed the building inspection. He allowed them to be confused, forcing them to scatter.

This story I have heard 100's of times, but it spoke to me again. God did not look too keenly on them trying to make a name for themselves. He is God who wishes to have the  name of Jesus, above all other names. He resists prideful (wo)men and desires that we make His name known.

Perhaps because we are in search of a different home, a different church, and different career paths, we realize how easy and tempting it would be to make those choices that best made a "name" for us.

Now, more than ever, we're asking God to help, to provide, and to let Him work as we do.