A Bird of a Different Feather

I am a big, fat chicken.  I once referred to myself as a "mudpuddle duckling" but have decided I have more in common with a different member of the bird family.  Living in Alaska often results in a very real and physical fear response.  All know by now the opportunities for a conversation with Jesus that each flight creates.  (He was kind enough to distract me with an amazing sunset so that I did not quickly notice how long it was taking us to land this last time, so I know he listens).  So I safely reach land, to face the horrors of road travel in this state.  The fear of hitting a deer now seems silly after passing by two accident scenes involving moose this weekend.  The damage done by the moose who lived through the accident was enough to make me question how much one could do in an accident bad enough to kill one.

Those who followed our trip up here also know how I feel about driving alongside large bodies of water so you'll find humor in the fact the first 40 miles or so out of Anchorage follows the coastline.  And when I say coast I mean the highway is carved into the side of a mountain and the mountain meets the water just beside us.  We survive that danger, to face the next:  multiple avalanche areas.  To add to this new fear are snow piles just off the road from many small avalanches and knowing someone in the village was caught in an avalanche last week.  Complicating this fear are posts off the road to mark the snow depth.  While I appreciate the idea, I do not find comfort seeing they mark snow depth up to 12 feet.  Add in very slippery roads from all the rain and heavy snow we got today and I'm sure my physical response is reaching levels that would concern any health professional.

Slippery roads alongside waters of death, avalanches of doom, and moose of destruction . . . Really?!  Can much be missing from this recipe for disaster?!  Fortunately Jesus did take pity on me and allowed the wind and snow to be bad enough to prevent me from enduring another flight to end the day's adventures.  That'll give my heart and blood pressure a few hours to settle before I begin the flight tomorrow with  "Please, God, don't let me die today. . ."