Parking Lot Blues

Last Friday I walked out to my car after work and discovered the rear bumper was askew, scratch marks on the side of the car and an empty parking space next to my car. My first guess was that the person parked next to my car had done this and left without leaving any information. Parking is horrible and people park in many unapproved areas because there are no options left. I’m pretty careful where I park, and if it is too tight I’ll choose another space. I just could not believe this had happened. Then I stepped back to re-evaluate the situation, there are so many other silver sedans in the parking lot, maybe I had the wrong car. No, this was the dirty silver Hybrid Camry parked at an odd angle, on the right row - all of my trademarks. I still could not understand how it happened. The angle of my parked car did not make complete sense that the damaged bumper was done by the missing vehicle, but it was obviously true that something had happened. It was not damaged when I parked at the beginning of the day and now there were dents and scratches. I started making an inventory of the steps and actions needed before the car could be repaired. I reached to make the first phone call and stepped back one more time to assess the damage. What a way to start the weekend! I started dialing my co-worker so that someone could commensurate with my pain. After the first few numbers I looked up again and looked at the back of the car with a license plate… that was… not mine! There IS one other Hybrid that is silver, and there IS a strange phenomenon that this model doesn’t park squarely, and after the icy weather, 95% of the other cars were dirty. Actually, I had walked right past my own car, which was parked a little bit closer because the parking is lighter on Fridays. I still called my co-worker, because she has a running joke on which of the parked silver cars is mine and how can anyone pick their correct car in a sea of silver sedans.

My prayer for the congregation?

Dear God, You know us better than we know ourselves. When we see vagueness, you see explicitness. When we see repetition, you see originality. When we are lost, you know our circumstances. Like the hairs on our head, you account for all (Luke 12:7), overlooking no one. If we attempt to take census we try to apply rules for accuracy and precision but we find exceptions, questions, and confusion. Let us realize the rules are not open for our interpretation, the accounting is not ours to qualify, nor is the challenge within our ability. Help us to recognize our own mission, the acts which we can contribute. We are apt to walk right past the truth, looking for something or someone that we think is meant for us. Help us to recognize and honor our authentic calling. Amen