We've all made
them. It may be forgetting to make a payment, or a deposit, or as was the case
for me on my recent trip to the nation’s capital, not reading the signs quite
carefully enough. But, standing in the lovely sunlit garden outside the
Smithsonian Castle, I was so deeply aware of the peace that passes
understanding, it didn't seem to matter that my car was missing. God wasn't.
The civil
authorities were really quite civil, too. The security guard encouraged me
not to lose my joy, and the parking authorities politely informed me that my car
had simply been "relocated" to another street within walking
distance. It was, however, decorated with a couple of tickets, which will cost
me $200.
Frankly, there
are lots of things costing $200 that I don't think I can afford. Still, I
didn't once think about what a miserable failure I was for not being smart
enough to figure out that the reason there was no fee for parking between 4 and
6:30 pm was because there was NO Parking allowed
in that area during that time. I just valued the blessed, peaceful presence
more. Losing that would have been the costly mistake. Besides, God is my
provider.
