DC to HOME

Who says blogs by pastors are just about ministry and nothing else? Not me. Hope you agree.

I've managed to be in a lot of airports in the past couple of months - Palm Springs - Tokyo's Norita - Detroit - Manila - HongKong - Chicago's O'Hare - Washington D.C.'s Reagan (pictured at left). I just flew home from there today where I attended a faith-based initiative forum the past two days (see November 19, 20 blogs).

I absolutely LOVE going new places - new cities - new experiences - but I have found I don't enjoy the 'journey' so much. Flying is kind of a necessary evil today, unless you have the time to drive everywhere, and good luck with that, if you need to get over to Tokyo. You have to get where you need to go, but I don't find the actual TRAVEL part that exhilirating anymore - not like I used to.

The logistics of planning a trip can be hectic during the best of times - and it's become confusing depending on the airline you've selected. The base fare you pay may not be anywhere near what your flight ends up costing you, and once you've added in fees for your first checked bag, a second bag that might be over the weight limit, optional legroom and onboard snack, you could be way 'out there' price-wise. The assorted fees all vary by carrier, and they’re trending upward.

The whole process is stress-inducing: getting there in time - standing in ticket lines - going thru security where you have to come close to disrobing these days - waiting for planes to arrive and take-off - sitting in your cramped seat, a particular challenge for a guy 6'5" like me (On the flight home today, the ceiling of the interior of the plane was literally about 6'3" high - do the math).

Even what happens at home before you ever leave can be stressful. The packing. I usually get it all packed up and then turn around and see the seven piles I forgot laying 'over there' - and have to figure out how to get all of it stuffed in there. These days, Joelene comes along and practically does it FOR me and manages to get about eight times the stuff in there that I could.

So - after visiting seven airports in the past eight weeks - and getting some pretty good advice from my wife - here are some things to pass along that maybe you'll find helpful. Maybe not.

1. Distribute weight intelligently. Put heavier items on the bottom of your suitcase. This includes shoes, rolled jeans, blazers, jackets, etc. Lighter pieces go at the top.

2. Use bags to organize. Joelene puts a plethora of Ziplocs in there - small accessories - toiletries - cosmetics (um - hers, not mine) - gooey things - foodstuff - future dirty clothes - etc.

3. Roll your casual clothes. This approach minimizes creasing and maximizes space. Works great for lighter weight things like cotton shirts, khakis and jeans rather than bulkier items like sweaters. Also, roll smaller items like socks and personals and use them to fill in air holes.

Next time you fly, hope that helps.

It's just always so great to be HOME and sleep in your own bed.

And be blessed.