Why I awakened at the alliterative 4:44 a.m., I’ll never know. Everything had been packed and placed by the front door last night, and I ran through the mental checklist in my mind. I even remembered one of my quilting friend’s words, “Pack a roll of toilet paper and wear Depends!” It made me smile, although I didn’t feel very good. Waking up with a headache and scratchy throat is never fun. But I remembered the pastor/pilgrimage leader’s three rules of travel:

1. God is good and in charge.

2. Everything is subject to change except Rule 1.

3. God can be glorified if we remember Rule 1 when Rule 2 is happening.

The three hours of travel to JFK in New York City passed quickly. I sat next to another lady named Linda, and she was a Jewish woman from Long Island who expressed her jealousy over our group trip. She couldn’t help but notice all the purple and white striped ribbons on 40 passengers’ luggage!

We are now awaiting another flight to TelAviv in several hours, but we don’t mind the six-hour layover. John and I were able to eat a nice dinner at the Paris Cafe in the recently renovated TWA Terminal. If you ever have a layover at JFK, run by the place! It’s next to Terminal 5 and can be reached via the Airtrain. With sixties music playing in the background and red/white decor all over, the nostalgia is palpable. There was even a Lockheed Constellation (“Connie”) plane on the tarmac that housed a bar. Definitely worth a visit!