Parking Place

Daily Gratitude Year 5- Day 115: Today, I am grateful for good parking places. 

Mama Ina Mae always said, "Thank you Lord" over a good parking spot or any spot at all in a busy place. Of course, as a child, I found it completely silly. Funny, how I find myself doing the same thing. It is no longer silly. It is recognizing God in the tiniest details of our daily life. 

Nothing gets to me quite like the perfectly healthy person who throws up a handicapped placard to take advantage of close parking spot... then practically skip to thier destination. It is one of those slow burns. It is obvious their handicapped person is not with them. They are just taking advantage of the power of the placard. 

I loved this Lysa Terkeurst quote form Proverbs 31 Ministries: "Asking God "what can I learn?" instead of "why me?" is a much better place to park our minds." 

What can I learn? From the blessings and the failures? In good parking spots and delays due to red lights. Years ago, I was just minutes behind a serious accident. I was in a hurry, but my boss had delayed me with his "just a minute". And, that was all it was. A minute or two outside of my planned departure.  I missed the accident because Mike delayed me by those few minutes. I realized that I had been protected. It reparked my mind. From irritation that he put me behind... to realization of God's mighty hand in the details. 

Good parking spaces for our cars... and for our minds.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. -Proverbs 3:5-6 

Trust his ways.
Trust his timing. 

Trust his heart. 

The other day, I had had an fasting blood test. It was about 9am and I needed to get to town to check off all of the things I needed to get done over spring break. My plate was full. I drove through for my Egg Mc Muffin... and the line was long. The van in front of me had Air Force decals on the windows. I thought of my sister April... my cousins in the Navy and all the other men and women who serve. I gave thanks for their protection and their sacrifice. 

When I got to the pay window, they smiled and said the van in front of me with the Air Force decals on the window had paid for my meal. 

Once again, I am reminded of the blessings beyond what I deserve.  I don't deserve a good parking spot. It is a gift. I don't remember to pray daily for our service people, but I am grateful for payer triggers to remind me, like car decals. I deserved to pay for my own meal, but some stranger paid it for me.  I do deserve the price of my sins, but  my Jesus paid it for me. 

That is a much better place to park our minds today. 
Today, I am grateful for good parking places.