On my way home the other day, I stopped at one of my somewhat local grocery stores. As I sat in my car getting my coupon notebook and "green" bags in place, I noticed an elderly woman walking around the parking lot with her grocery bags in hand. She looked as though she was walking aimlessly.
I continued to watch her as I was grabbing my purse and keys and beginning to get out of my car. By that time she had walked around behind my car and was standing still by my passenger back door--not paying attention to me or anyone else, just looking lost and uncertain.
I walked around to her and asked if I could help her. She didn't say anything...didn't even act as though she heard me. Of course, my mind was thinking, "Oh me..." and remembering that no good deed goes unpunished...or usually that's the case. I asked a second time a bit louder and she turned to me and said, "I can't find my car."
Well that's an understandable thing. I had the experience years ago of not remembering where I parked when I was walking out of my favorite grocery store (I buy a lot of groceries.) at the side of a VERY elderly man. Just to avoid searching, I had my keys in hand and pushed the panic button on my key ring. My car immediately began beeping loudly and the elderly man said to me, "Someone's car alarm is going off." I replied, "No, it's just me locating my car." And I told him to have a good day and I walked on. I am certain he walked straight to his car without assistance of any type.
So here we are on this particular day and the woman can't find her car and I want to help. I HAD to help...I couldn't walk off and leave her there. That wouldn't have been Christian-like. Or American-like. I asked her if she had her key ring with an automatic opener. She did not reply, just handed me the keys. Well, duh, at that point, I assured her I was honest, not that she cared, but I did. People are really too trusting some days, but in this case, there was no other choice. Luckily for her and for me, her key ring had a panic button. I showed her the red button and told her if we pushed it, we should hear her car beeping and know where it is. I pushed it and immediately heard her car, still not locating it but knowing that it was there. Whew. That would have been rough had it not been there.
We began to walk toward the sound, me still holding the keys. I pushed the button to stop it until we walked a few more steps. I asked the woman what color her car was and she replied, "Silver". At least I would know that. So at that point, I pushed the button again and sure enough, there was the sound and there, not far away, was her car....a car that looked dark gray to me but oh well. I handed her the keys and told her to be careful and have a nice day. As I walked away, I will admit to wondering if it was safe for her to be driving but, alas, my good deed was over.
I was thinking about that experience this morning. Spiritually, I often find myself wandering and "lost" looking. As I begin to fret, worry, and panic, all I have to do is hit my spiritual panic button and the Lord is there, calming and showing me His grace. I'm sure I could go on and on and make this into a good strong lesson but that's really my thoughts for this day. Gratitude that He always helps me "find my way" in troubled times and gets me where I need to be safely.
Don't forget if you ever lose your car, hit that panic button. It's the red button. And when you lose your "way" spiritually, pick up that Bible and look at those words written in red. They will comfort you and show you the right direction. Every. Single. Time.
I continued to watch her as I was grabbing my purse and keys and beginning to get out of my car. By that time she had walked around behind my car and was standing still by my passenger back door--not paying attention to me or anyone else, just looking lost and uncertain.
I walked around to her and asked if I could help her. She didn't say anything...didn't even act as though she heard me. Of course, my mind was thinking, "Oh me..." and remembering that no good deed goes unpunished...or usually that's the case. I asked a second time a bit louder and she turned to me and said, "I can't find my car."
Well that's an understandable thing. I had the experience years ago of not remembering where I parked when I was walking out of my favorite grocery store (I buy a lot of groceries.) at the side of a VERY elderly man. Just to avoid searching, I had my keys in hand and pushed the panic button on my key ring. My car immediately began beeping loudly and the elderly man said to me, "Someone's car alarm is going off." I replied, "No, it's just me locating my car." And I told him to have a good day and I walked on. I am certain he walked straight to his car without assistance of any type.
So here we are on this particular day and the woman can't find her car and I want to help. I HAD to help...I couldn't walk off and leave her there. That wouldn't have been Christian-like. Or American-like. I asked her if she had her key ring with an automatic opener. She did not reply, just handed me the keys. Well, duh, at that point, I assured her I was honest, not that she cared, but I did. People are really too trusting some days, but in this case, there was no other choice. Luckily for her and for me, her key ring had a panic button. I showed her the red button and told her if we pushed it, we should hear her car beeping and know where it is. I pushed it and immediately heard her car, still not locating it but knowing that it was there. Whew. That would have been rough had it not been there.
We began to walk toward the sound, me still holding the keys. I pushed the button to stop it until we walked a few more steps. I asked the woman what color her car was and she replied, "Silver". At least I would know that. So at that point, I pushed the button again and sure enough, there was the sound and there, not far away, was her car....a car that looked dark gray to me but oh well. I handed her the keys and told her to be careful and have a nice day. As I walked away, I will admit to wondering if it was safe for her to be driving but, alas, my good deed was over.
I was thinking about that experience this morning. Spiritually, I often find myself wandering and "lost" looking. As I begin to fret, worry, and panic, all I have to do is hit my spiritual panic button and the Lord is there, calming and showing me His grace. I'm sure I could go on and on and make this into a good strong lesson but that's really my thoughts for this day. Gratitude that He always helps me "find my way" in troubled times and gets me where I need to be safely.
Don't forget if you ever lose your car, hit that panic button. It's the red button. And when you lose your "way" spiritually, pick up that Bible and look at those words written in red. They will comfort you and show you the right direction. Every. Single. Time.
