Stuck at Church

I somehow lost the key to my car at church this past Sunday and couldn’t get home.  After the service I searched and searched everywhere to no avail.  I had my keyring that I came to church with, but oddly the key to my car was missing. Stuck at church.  I know…it could be worse.  I could get into the car with the keyless entry, but couldn’t start the car. I had fully expected to find it, dropped in the parking lot, in the lost and found area, under my desk, by my piano, in my pocket…somewhere.  But after searching for 2 hours I started to look for someone to take me home.  I had little hope of finding a spare at home either. But, I tried to have faith.

I called a buddy who came and dropped me off at home. I searched my house and came up with 5 keys that looked like they would fit.  But now I had to get back to church to try them.  I had no transportation so I went in the shed and reassembled my bike, cleaned off the cobwebs, pumped up the tires and headed back to church. I grabbed a Phillips screwdriver, a pocketknife, and a pair of vice grips, just in case anything happened to my bike. It took an hour to get to the church.  On a side note, it’s amazing how many things I saw on my way to church on a bike ride compared to rushing in my car.  As I got closer to the church doubt crept in and I started to think, “What if the car’s not there anymore?  What if someone found the key and realized after waiting that it must fit the only car still in the parking lot?

Alas, turning the last corner into the church parking lot, there it sat.  I jumped in the car and started trying the old spare keys I’d scraped up. First one, nope.  Second…nope.  Third, fourth, double nope.  And my last key was accompanied by a prayer, but nothing.  Now I was really stuck. I sat there and mumbled another prayer. The idea of hot-wiring crossed my mind, till I thought of how it would look should a police car drive up.  “But officer, I really do work at that church.”

Just then I had an idea.  Two years ago I jumped in my car after jogging, and with a single key in my hand I bumped the wheel and it fell through the thin cover of my emergency brake into the darkness of underneath the center console. Impossible to reach.  I remember calling someone to come and get me that time and going home to get my second key.  But, what would be the chances this lost key from 2 years ago was still down there?  I’d have to dismantle the center console to find out.  And for this I’d need…you guessed it, a pocket knife to pry open the gear shift cover, a philips screwdriver for the 2 screws holding the back of the console down, and vice grips to remove the 2 bolts inside the console holding it to the car. Well, 5 minutes later I had it all removed, and there sat the key that was lost 2 years ago…waiting for the next time I’d actually lose my keys.  Take that doubt!  God does it again.

Moral of this story: You decide.  If you can think of one, shoot me a quick email.  I’d like to hear from you, and post a few of your responses next week.  And remember, God is good all the time.  Give thanks always and be anxious for nothing. There’s no place like Hope,  Stefan  <!–[if !mso]>

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