Sometimes the more you think about a situation, the more you realize God’s mighty hand of protection throughout it all.

The weather report for Jim’s flight from Minnesota to Naper Aero yesterday was clear, so he filed a flight plan and began his journey home. Unfortunately, the weather in the area yesterday was impossible to predict. When he crossed the Wisconsin/Illinois border, he noticed some precipitation and requested permission from flight control to decrease his altitude so as to get out of the clouds. He did, but not long after that, he noticed the cloud cover was descending as well, along with its freezing rain.

The plane began accumulating ice, which Jim knew would quickly lead to disaster, so he began planning a prompt landing, which he was hoping to accomplish at DeKalb airport. By the time he dialed in to the control tower at DeKalb, he could not see anything due to the thick accumulation of ice on his windshield. And unlike automobiles, Cessna 182s are not equipped with windshield wipers and wiper fluid. There is no way to get rid of ice on the windshield.  He was literally flying blindly and could not even see runway lights. So he declared an emergency with flight control, and they talked him in, landing at Aurora airport. It was precarious right up to the end, as the runway was a sheet of ice and caused the plane to skate side to side until it stopped.

Jim testified that throughout the harried flight, though it was the most stressful time in his life EVER, he felt God’s presence, granting him peace and clarity of mind. He never despaired or even feared. Praise God for His grace in protecting him!

During the drive home from the Aurora airport, Jim shared the story with the kids and me. The boys all reacted to the close call in their own way…Peter chose to draw a picture. If you look closely, you can see the icing on the plane’s wings and windshield.

Here are a couple actual pictures of the plane after landing.

I’ve shared with you a very brief summary. If you’re interested in hearing a more detailed version of his experience, Jim would be happy to oblige.