Laughter in the Skies
Over the past couple of weeks, no doubt, many of you have traveled from where you live to be with family and friends for the holidays. I know there are some that just wish they would have stayed home, but it's important to spend time with family.

In the month of December I flew to visit my older brother and his wife two times. Once for her graduation, and then once again to meet the rest of our family for our vacation. The important part of this story is that I flew on Southwest Airlines. There are some Southwest haters out there, and they do have their moments, but I didn't realize how fun one of their flights would be.
If you are not familiar with Southwest let me give you a little refresher. There is no assigned seating. When you get to the gate your ticket will have an 'A, B, or C' with a number beside it. That is your place in line. When it is your turn to scan your ticket then you board the plane and sit wherever you like, or wherever there is a seat. There are ways that you can be in the 'A' group but that is not the point here. Once on the plane the flight attendants will then go through the long and boring announcements that are the same every plane you will ever get on. There isn't a lot of things that will make you feel dumber than someone telling you how to put a seat belt on. Surely everyone rode to the airport in a vehicle of sorts. Unless they have only ridden on a city bus their entire life they can probably figure it out.

Well on Southwest, this is my favorite part of the flight because you never know what they are going to say when they pick up the intercom. On one of my four flights this past month during the spill about the oxygen masks, the flight attendant started talking crazy..."We do not anticipate a loss in cabin pressure but should one occur a mask will drop from above you...after you stop screaming pull the mask over your head...if you traveled with children, it's time to pick a favorite or the one that you think stands the best chance and help them out."

It was one of those things that I heard, but then I really heard it, and well if you know me...I started giggling. Something that would normally stop by time the plane takes off, but not for me. There are plenty of other one liners that happened throughout my flights from Tulsa to Lubbock, but I won't be writing them down. I think it would be better if next time you flew, you flew Southwest and just heard it for yourself.

It's my birthday today. I don't bring this up to get a happy birthday Ben from you readers. I bring it up more for the fact that I am starting a new year of life. For some reason every time there is a new start to a new year people look back and think on the things that they want to improve on. Well, for me its simple. I've always talked about blogging. I've even experienced things that I think...hey you should blog about this.

For example there are things that you go through that just leave you thinking, I have got to tell people about this. Like the time knew my thread count in college. Just because I KNEW what my thread count was doesn't make me gay. Of the fact that from time to time things come out of my mouth that can be misinterpreted. Also as a side note a pink cake for my birthday does not equate me with liking all things pink, thus making me less of a man. Needless to say that there are things worthy of being blogged about in a person's life, however, I have yet to dive into this whole blogging thing. Like I said, I'm going to try and embrace the calling of the blog.

To my two faithful readers I'm hoping this new chapter of my life will keep you well informed of what is happening in the mind and life of balla ben.

I was talking with my roommate today, about nothing in particular, when all of a sudden it hit me. It wasn't something that just all of a sudden came out of nowhere, because I had come to this realization before. However, it could have been the significance of the factor that finally weighed in within the walls of my heart.

How can someone do that? How can they forget the most important day of their life? For some people forgetting an anniversary, or something like that may seem important. Yet, I'm talking about something more; something bigger. Others may think the most important day of their life is when they graduated this college with this degree, but for a Christian that day is drastically changed to one that most people might not even notice. It is noticable when a person turns 16 because they are now legal to drive, or when a person gets married, as signified by the ring they wear.

But for the Christian, it is much different. True for some an outward change is noticed, however this is not always true. It is typically much more implicit, and you must be close to the person to notice the change.

By now, I'm sure it's clear to you fellow bloggers that I can't remember what day I was baptized. I can't tell you about my first "marriage" day. You do understand that your baptism is a wedding ceremony of sorts. Just like love in this humanly realm is a choice, so is love in the spiritual realm.

I can't wait for the day, to choose to love someone forever. I'm actually terrified of it, however I'm anxiously awaiting that fateful day. I know I will remember it after it happens. I know I'll be different in one way or another, and I know that people will be able to tell that I'm happy because of my situation.

I only wish I would have realized the importance of my first wedding day sooner. I know that when I was baptized it was important, and I knew what it was for, yet I know I was not changed or transformed in any way. I had not chosen to truly love Christ. For if I had, a change would have taken place, marking that day in my mind. As of right now, I don't even know what year of school I was in for sure. I can guess, but that is all it would be.

Welp, for those of you out there, choose to love your wife (if you have one), and choose to love your Christ (because you do have one). Be transformed by the awesome power of an unconditional love.

You know what really grinds my gears...

Tall people who sit in front of shorter people in chapel, or some social setting. I've been short for pretty much my entire life, and this has bugged me for most of those years. Now I don't get mad when there are no other seats, but I do get frusterated when seats are available elsewhere yet the tallest person in the chapel always decides to sit in front of the shortest person around. Why can't they just sit one or two seats over...it's not that big of a deal. Just scooch over a seat or two and everyone is still happy. Seriously though, they will be able to see no matter where they are, so what is the big deal and moving a few seats over.

Also it is annoying when they lean their head one way or another. I constantly find myself having to adjust to see around the tall person's big, fat head. It really is quite annoying.

So I have a plea for all you taller people out there. Will you look around and show some common courtesy? If you see one of your shorter brothers or sisters do the Christian thing and move over. It's really just common courtesy, but I'll play the Christian card if I have too. So please be kind and think of others before your own tall, selfish self.