The Parking Space

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 several missed turns, we stopped and asked for directions 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 sure it was proper to ask the Lord for a parking spot.

To let Ruth Ann know I meant business, I said, "I'm not only going to ask for a close spot, but I'm also going to remind the Lord I can't parallel park, so He needs to give me a double space." Ruth Ann started to really laugh now and told me she had never heard of anyone praying like this. While I was still driving, I began to talk to the Lord 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 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 to our trip. Maybe all of our missed turns weren't missed turns at all. Perhaps 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 a welcomed miracle for two weary travelers.