Finding Inspiration in Weaponry

Jen was away on a women's retreat this weekend with her Bible study group, so I was a bachelor temporarily this weekend. It does feel good to stretch out in the bed at night at times. During my solo weekend, I helped some friends from church move. There were a lot of people, so it went mercifully fast. I also went to a game night where we played the interesting economics-heavy game called Power Grid. It's definitely a complex game, and it has some interesting mechanics around supply and demand, among other things. I also went to church and after Jen got back we went down to an open house put on by one of my co-workers.

One awe-inspiring thing happened on Saturday. It was Jen's parents' anniversary this weekend. In an uncharacteristic moment of me thinking about other people, I was inspired to take over a bouquet of flowers to them. After all, this was their 40th anniversary, which is inspiring in and of itself. While driving over there, I saw a strange plane flying in front of me. It banked and I made out the distinctive outline of the stealth bomber. The plane flew past me and out of sight. When I arrived at Jen's parents' place, I was excited to tell them about the sighting. However, Jen's dad was already in the driveway with binoculars. The bomber was circling, so every so often we'd get a good view as the plane banked again.

Finally the bomber broke out of its holding pattern and flew straight towards us. This massive flying wing with the zigzag trailing edge came fairly low and surprisingly quite. Viewed straight on it seemed so thin, like a sliver of black floating through the sky. Then he was directly over us, its unusual shape starkly laid out against the blue Colorado sky. I couldn't help but wave like a 10-year-old boy. It seemed so unlikely that something like that would fly. Then it was past us and heading towards the airshow in Broomfield, and the rumble of the jet engines rolled into to fill its wake. Soon it altogether was gone.

It's not often I am filled with awe. I can get excited. I can be impressed. I can see beauty and ingenuity. I can see the majesty of mountains and feel wonder towards the creativity and power of their Creator. But deep-seated awe is not something I am used to. But that's what this bomber did for me. To see this somewhat beautiful, certainly massive, and definitely powerful craft come quick and quiet right over the top of me and to leave a rumbling sky behind lit up the awe portions of my brain. And to think of the ingenuity of its improbable design and the purpose it serves adds to that awe. It is tempered slightly by the fatal purpose of this craft. All this power, beauty and cleverness was made for the raining of destruction down on enemies from the masking darkness and to guard the lives of the pilots who steer this vessel on its grim and shadowed way. And yet: awe. Perhaps the martial uses of this plane adds in to the sense of awe; its awful power and grace.

The whole event felt like a gift from God. I think the Spirit must have prompted me to take that bouquet over, and I had a nice shared moment with Jen's parents. It left me feeling inspired and grateful. I certainly wouldn't have noticed this circling masterpiece had I been on my couch playing video games or with my nose stuck to my computer screen. Thanks, God!