A Hymn: I am no different than countless other lovers of great Christian hymns. One of the greatest is “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.” Its biblical referent comes from Lamentations:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
    his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness (Lam 3:22-23 ESV).

Slice of Life from the Airport: Recently I was in the airport to catch another flight, this time to the upper Midwest where I was flying in order to teach fellow soldiers in a curriculum I often use. Plus I was slated to link up with new leadership at a couple of units. I was very glad to be going and doing what I adore doing–ministering to soldiers and their families.

I was in uniform and went through TSA pre-Check quickly and without incident. I stopped at one of the breakfast shops and purchased a breakfast biscuit. I went to a quiet corner and sat down and ate my breakfast bisuit. After I ate, I walked over to the recycle bin and deposited the bag and wrapper from my breakfast there, and walked over to the water fountain to refill my water bottle.

I walked down the corridor to the terminal from which my flight was departing soon. I retrieved the James Sire book I was re-reading from my backpack and resumed reading. I had read no more than a page when a kind lady sitting behind me spoke to me.

“Sir, may I bless you?” and she handed me a red envelope with stickers and tape on it. “Merry Christmas,” she said.

“Thank you, ma’am,” I said.

I put the envelope inside my backpack and returned to my book. I read for fifteen or twenty minutes, and then began thinking maybe I should open the envelope. I thought she might be offended if I did not open it. So I unzipped the pocket on my backpack and opened the red envelope.

When I did, I was floored. There was a kind message, two gift cards to a coffee shop, a Chick-fil-A gift card, and even some cash.

I am sure that my face showed how touched I was. I tried to gather myself, but I had been deeply touched. I put the contents back in the card, then back in the envelope, then back in my backpack. I folded my hands as if in prayer seemingly automatically, as if just to say, “Lord, thank you for people like this that speak into my life.”

Then the man came on the intercom over at the Delta desk for military members to board. I turned to the woman again as I put on my backpack.

“Ma’am,” I said, “I really appreciate it. Thank you, again.”

“Thank you for your service, sir. Merry Christmas,” she said.

And I boarded the plane, pulled out my book again, tried to read, but inwardly all I was doing was shaking my head in gratitude, thankful for the visible reminders that kindness endures.