by Kay Heitsch
It had been a long day at Cedar Point, an amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio. Ruth Ann and I were there with our church's youth group. We were exhausted as we made our way to the van after the fireworks. However, the day was not over for us. We still had to find our way to the Lakeside campgrounds several miles away.
My sense of direction was not good that night; even though I had lived in Sandusky 15 years before. After missed turns, we stopped and asked for directions several times before we finally found our way to the campgrounds.
When we arrived at Lakeside Ruth Ann said with a sigh of relief, "I'm sure happy we're finally here. But it's so late now I doubt that we'll find a parking place anywhere near the hotel. I'm afraid we'll have to carry our luggage a long way."
I was beyond tired so I said, "I'm going to pray and ask the Lord to give us a close parking spot." Ruth Ann started to laugh and said she wasn't so sure it was proper to ask the Lord for a parking spot. To let Ruth Ann know I was meaning business I said, "I'm not only going to ask for a close spot, I'm going to remind the Lord I can't parallel park so He needs to give me a double space." Ruth Ann really started to laugh now and told me she had never heard of anyone praying like this.
While I was still driving I started to pray out loud, "Lord you know how tired Ruth Ann and I are. We could sure use a nice double parking space in front of the hotel. I don't need to tell You Lord, the trouble I have parking this big van."
I had never been to Lakeside before, but Ruth Ann had. She knew the odds of finding a parking spot anywhere near the hotel was going to be slim to none, especially this late at night. As we turn down the road to where the hotels were located I asked Ruth Ann which hotel was ours. In amazement, she answered, "The one with the double parking space in front." I know it's hard to believe, but it was true. A double parking spot was waiting for us right in front of the hotel.
I started to think back about our trip. Maybe all of our missed turns weren't missed turns at all. Maybe the Lord was making sure we were delayed long enough for Him to show us a sign of His goodwill and favor.
Our family moved to Michigan after this experience. Ruth Ann and I remained close friends until her untimely death. In the last card I received from Ruth Ann she wrote about our parking space experience. Ruth Ann referred to it as "a miracle," and indeed it was. It was also a welcomed answer to one prayer for two weary travelers.
