the light changed (and other minor miracles)

I remember my pastor explaining during a Bible Study that going to Confession is actually a 2-part miracle.  The first part of the "miracle" is that we are called (and have the good sense to listen).  Because we can not approach God without first being drawn to Him.  The second part of the miracle is the forgiveness of sin.

So I had plans to go today.  Serious plans.  I woke up at 5:30 a.m. before my alarm went off.  Confession is from 6:15 to 6:25, so it's not a big window of time.  I figured I needed to leave my house by 6:00 to be sure to make it in time.  I showered, dressed, fiddled with my hair.  At about 5:55, I found my purse and went to pick up my keys.

It's no small thing...my keys.  But alas! they were no where to be found.  Seems one of my offspring who shall remain nameless, used them to look in the car for his missing iPod last night.  At 5:55 a.m. he is not functional, and I don't have time to wait for him to get that way.

Keys are a tool of the devil in our house, and I know there is an extra set of car keys in the safe.  Except that there isn't.  Don't know what happened to them, but they have vanished in the move.

At this point, I am beside myself.  Not even sure that I will make it to Mass at this point, much less confession.  DH tells me to take his car, but I am reluctant to do so, since he never knows when he will get called out on a job.  But in the end, I do.

From my old house, I encountered one stoplight on the way to Mass and a major road to cross.  From the new house, I think there are 5 stoplights.  Even though traffic is pretty light before 6:30 in the morning, there is one of those lights that seems to take f.o.r.e.v.e.r.  I saw it today turn green in the distance.  I tried to make it, but in seconds, it switched to yellow, then back to red.  I know I am doomed.

But I pull up to it and seconds later it changes! "Thank you," I say aloud to the One in control.  I proceed on.  I might make it.  I fish my list out of my purse at the next light.  Thank goodness, I did that yesterday.   There is a parking spot waiting for me in the front of the church!  I pull in, and jump out.  The confessional is right inside the door!  (Parking in the front, instead of in the parking lot in the back has saved me at least 90 seconds!  I glance up at the confessional....just one red light!  (The only place where a red light means "go"!)  I hadn't even entertained the thought that there might be another sinner there! I'm thinking maybe my miracle had more than 2 parts.

I step inside the door and close it.  I exhale deeply.  I made it!!  And then, in less than 5 minutes, out walks a new person! Forgiven.  As clean as I was on the day of my baptism.  With supernatural grace.

All I could think was that God wanted to see me this morning as much as I wanted to see Him!