Locked Doors

I do not know how many times we have locked keys inside a car with no keys outside the car to
- you know- open the doors.

There have been many opportunities for love and patience to grow in this exact area. I'm thinking about the time we were renting a vehicle and someone closed the doors, not realizing this car had an automatic lock.

Or this scene: I'm peacefully cleaning the house or cooking supper or any number of household tasks. The phone rings. Ellis is calling to ask if I could bring the second set of keys and meet him in some parking lot in Timbuktu. Total silence as I let the dreaded words soak in to my
brain.

"You mean I have to stop everything and pile in the second vehicle and go where?"

We finally hit upon the brilliant idea of never locking the car for any reason. If someone wants to steal this car they are welcome to it. and we do pity them . . . they have just taken on a challenge and a problem since everything in this yard has more than 100,000 miles on it . . .

We haven't had any more trouble since we came upon this wonderful plan.

[It's just about as bad to hear, "I ran out of gas. Can you grab a gas can out of the garage and bring it?" This has happened so many times we now have a garage full and overflowing with gas cans. Usually we don't have one of those beautiful red plastic containers with the bright yellow spout anywhere near us and we have to go buy a new one and fill it. If it didn't smell so ghastly I really think a container for gas should be a required piece of equipment in the vehicle.]

Yesterday I got done driving bus. Jeremy said there was a call from Deanne. She went to the library and took the keys out of the ignition and locked the car. (Her camera was in the car.) The problem is that we don't have a key to open the doors.

strange -- I know.

I drove to Austin to pick her up. Left the car in the library parking lot and hoped they wouldn't tow it away. Wait -- they do that in Chicago. We are safe and sound in MN. We went back to Blooming to pick up Jeremy. Drove home and got ready for church. Jeremy, Deanne and Josh decided to go back in and get the car.

As they were poking around with hangers a guy offered to help then suddenly abandoned them and ran for the library because he saw a police car approaching. The police radioed in the
license # -- saw Deanne was there to match the information (it's registered in her name) and offered his expert assistance. A job is so much easier with the right tools!

I am thrilled to say I must be growing up because I did not even get mad or give anyone the silent treatment or anything of that nature. God is so good. I'm glad He's still working on me.
All the glory goes to Him.