it seems there's always a reason
Today's story is about keys.
I have to start this story way back.and it'll lead someplace in the end. Call it an "object lesson" if you will. The story starts like this:
Years ago, the spare key for my truck was misplaced, remote and all. I like the remote for the locks. It served two purposes: One to set the alarm, and two, to move the locks without the key. The down side is that sometimes the key locks stick. I didn't know that, though, and for years I've been under the misconception that the teeth on the key for my truck had worn down to the point where the key would start the truck, but not operate the locks.
That's why I've only had the one key for the truck for years.
I got by with one key for the truck, so when I bought the car, I just never made a spare. I was just a little more careful with my keys than I had been in years past.
Fast forward to a few weeks ago. I let June borrow my car and the last thing I told her was to not lose the key for the car because it was the only one I had. A few days later, said key turned up missing.
Things happen. I wasn't mad about it and the ladies were doing a good job of taking care of the situation. They had a key made for the car from the vehicle's VIN number. Twice. I might have mentioned all this before, too. Bear with me, I'm headed someplace...
In the meantime I'd misplaced my own keys. I thought I too had dropped them in the snow, so I came home and found a locksmith to make a key for my truck. It would turn out I wouldn't need the locksmith for the truck, but I would need him for the car. Even a search for the key with a metal detector turned up nothing.
See, sometimes, things happen for a reason. I didn't need the locksmith for my truck. I did need the locksmith for my car and when it got to that point, I knew who to call. Anyway... if the key to my car hadn't been lost, I would have never known about the locks on my truck. When I met the Mrs. at the first locksmith, I told the guy about the locks on my truck and showed him the key. He went out with a can of lubricant and told me there was nothing wrong with my locks. I didn't have time that day, but I do now have spare keys for my truck. One for me, one for the kid, and the original with the plastic that was broken on one end is now the spare key.
There is more, but we'll just gloss over them by saying that God can use all kinds of opportunities to bring Him glory. A lot of people would have been upset about the whole thing, but not me. I knew pretty much that it was just God at work in my life.
I can't say that God caused the key to become lost, although if it were the case, that wouldn't surprise me. What I can say though, is that because the key was lost, God led me to the right person for the job to fix it, much like the basement. He used a difficult circumstance to have me exercise some patience. He put me in someone else's shoes for a few hours. I had a chance to have a nice conversation with someone that was long overdue. My truck locks work and I don't have to worry about losing the only key I have for that. The kiddo will have his own key and the truck will be at his disposal whenever he wants or needs it (or can afford to drive it!). I got to share. There are spare keys and for all the blessings that came from this, the money spent was well worth it.
So today's lesson is this: In little circumstances and small trials of life, there are blessings. Even with a little annoyance like a lost key, there was quite a bit to be thankful for when it was over. Certainly I never saw it when I was boarding the 603 on that snowy afternoon. I forgot about that, but I even had a chance to remember that public transportation is no longer beneath me. There was a time when it was.
I have to start this story way back.and it'll lead someplace in the end. Call it an "object lesson" if you will. The story starts like this:
Years ago, the spare key for my truck was misplaced, remote and all. I like the remote for the locks. It served two purposes: One to set the alarm, and two, to move the locks without the key. The down side is that sometimes the key locks stick. I didn't know that, though, and for years I've been under the misconception that the teeth on the key for my truck had worn down to the point where the key would start the truck, but not operate the locks.
That's why I've only had the one key for the truck for years.
I got by with one key for the truck, so when I bought the car, I just never made a spare. I was just a little more careful with my keys than I had been in years past.
Fast forward to a few weeks ago. I let June borrow my car and the last thing I told her was to not lose the key for the car because it was the only one I had. A few days later, said key turned up missing.
Things happen. I wasn't mad about it and the ladies were doing a good job of taking care of the situation. They had a key made for the car from the vehicle's VIN number. Twice. I might have mentioned all this before, too. Bear with me, I'm headed someplace...
In the meantime I'd misplaced my own keys. I thought I too had dropped them in the snow, so I came home and found a locksmith to make a key for my truck. It would turn out I wouldn't need the locksmith for the truck, but I would need him for the car. Even a search for the key with a metal detector turned up nothing.
See, sometimes, things happen for a reason. I didn't need the locksmith for my truck. I did need the locksmith for my car and when it got to that point, I knew who to call. Anyway... if the key to my car hadn't been lost, I would have never known about the locks on my truck. When I met the Mrs. at the first locksmith, I told the guy about the locks on my truck and showed him the key. He went out with a can of lubricant and told me there was nothing wrong with my locks. I didn't have time that day, but I do now have spare keys for my truck. One for me, one for the kid, and the original with the plastic that was broken on one end is now the spare key.
There is more, but we'll just gloss over them by saying that God can use all kinds of opportunities to bring Him glory. A lot of people would have been upset about the whole thing, but not me. I knew pretty much that it was just God at work in my life.
I can't say that God caused the key to become lost, although if it were the case, that wouldn't surprise me. What I can say though, is that because the key was lost, God led me to the right person for the job to fix it, much like the basement. He used a difficult circumstance to have me exercise some patience. He put me in someone else's shoes for a few hours. I had a chance to have a nice conversation with someone that was long overdue. My truck locks work and I don't have to worry about losing the only key I have for that. The kiddo will have his own key and the truck will be at his disposal whenever he wants or needs it (or can afford to drive it!). I got to share. There are spare keys and for all the blessings that came from this, the money spent was well worth it.
So today's lesson is this: In little circumstances and small trials of life, there are blessings. Even with a little annoyance like a lost key, there was quite a bit to be thankful for when it was over. Certainly I never saw it when I was boarding the 603 on that snowy afternoon. I forgot about that, but I even had a chance to remember that public transportation is no longer beneath me. There was a time when it was.
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