Oh to fly standby...

This past week I took a trip out to Jackson Hole, WY with a co-worker to finalize plans for a big event I have out there next month. It was a very quick trip. We flew out Tuesday morning and flew back Wednesday afternoon. My co-worker, Joetta, used to work for Delta, so to try to save the ministry some money we flew standby. I will just say right now I hate flying standby. It is the most nerve-wracking thing in the world. Our flight went through Salt Lake City, and going out to Jackson we had no problem. However, the return was quite an event. We get back to Salt Lake with no problem on Wednesday. Joetta had checked the flights before we left the hotel that morning and both flights looked good, plenty of seats. However, we get to Salt Lake and she checks again and all of a sudden, 32 people on the standby list and only 10 seats available. YIKES! Joetta was listed #8 so she was sure to get on, but I was listed #17, very unlikely to get on. At first Joetta didn't want to leave me, but I told her to go because it would be easier on the next flight to get one seat rather than 2. She left me hesitantly and boarded the plane. In the mean time, I was just praying and telling the Lord, I know if you want me on this flight you can get me on it, but if not then I'm ok with that too.

I went up to the front desk where the gate agent was to wait for him to tell me what to it. As I walk up I look at the screen and now I'm #4 on the standby list. The gate agent then announces the #3 persons name. It was a couple. I over hear the agent say, "we might only have 1 seat on the plane, if there is 1 will you guys split up." The couple says 'no.' My heart stopped. The agent then calls my name and tells me if there is only 1 seat I will get on the plane. I couldn't believe it. The agent has the three of us walk down the breezeway to the entrance of the plane to find out. In the mean time I'm talking to the couple. They were just on their honeymoon, got bumped off the earlier flight, were trying to get home, I felt bad for them. Al l of a sudden the gate door bursts open and a lady comes running down the breezeway with her ticket in her hand. Again, my heart sank. I thought, no way, now none of us will get on the plane. The lady enters the plane and goes and sits down. All of sudden the agent looks at me and says, "you're on, get on the plane." I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT! I was so over joyed. I felt terrible for the other people, but was so happy. When I entered the plane, I saw Joetta and she almost burst into tears. She couldn't believe I got on the plane. She told me how she was just praying and telling God how I needed to get on the plane so I could get home to my family. God was very good to me that day.

Anyway, that's my exciting standby story! I'm sure many of you have them also. Here are a few pictures of Jackson Hole. It is so beautiful out there.