My husband was recently traveling to the West Coast for a business meeting. You know, some days it just does not pay to get out of bed.  Sometimes you take a trip and sometimes your trip gets "tripped up" if you know what I mean. You can just tell from the "git-go" that it is not going to be an easy day. 

Such was the case for Dewey on his last business trip. He arrived at RDU and trekked all the way to level seven, the "penthouse" of the parking deck, in search of an available parking spot. Fortunately, there were several open spots to choose from so he wheeled in the first available one and began to make his way to the elevator. Suddenly from behind, he heard someone yelling. He turned around and there was a middle-aged man waving his arms and yelling that Dewey was in his parking spot. Dewey first thought that this man was part of the airport staff and that in his rush to find a free spot had overlooked that it was reserved for airport personnel. So he turned around and started making his way back to the car. He asked the man if he worked for RDU and started to apologize for inadvertently taking his spot. The man explained that he was not part of the staff but that he always parked in this spot when he travelled. (take a pause here ...) Hmmm ... In the words of the Gambler (Kenny Rogers)  "You gotta know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em."  In this particular case it was not worth the fight that might have ensued. This fella was clearly unstable so in an effort to prevent a bad day from getting worse, Dewey reluctantly moved his car.

On the second leg of his trip he was "flagged" for additional security checks. These additional checks were very thorough. He was pulled aside and scanned from head to toe. His luggage was reviewed by an automated scanner and then manually checked. He was interrogated about the contents of his checked bags and carry-ons. This ordeal continued on for a while until finally he was released and allowed to proceed to the gate for departure. As he was grabbing a bite he heard this over the PA system, "Would Nick Clark please return to the security checkpoint to pick up your luggage. Nick Clark, your luggage has been left at security." 

Dewey said his first thought was "Oh my gosh there is another Nick Clark and he, too, would lose his head if it were not attached to his body." A few moments later he began to realize that HE was the Nick Clark being summoned back to the security checkpoint. Well, at least his luggage was labeled "Nick Clark." Oh how that gave me a much needed chuckle!  I guess in all the confusion of the additional security checkpoint, Dewey had inadvertently left his luggage … his luggage that was labeled with our son's name.

I cannot tell you how funny this was to me! Sadly, probably not as funny to Dewey. But hey, I'll give him extra points for sharing the story.

Spiritual application? Maybe ... In fact I'm sure there is some nugget of spiritual wisdom lingering just below the surface of this crazy series of events. You know why I'm so sure? Because absolutely nothing slips by God. He filters everything and everyone that enters our life. Then whatever craziness ensues He miraculously works it for our good. I don't understand how He does it. Some days I don't even like how He does it. But know this for sure ... He does do it! 

And what He does and how He does is not dependent on you and me. And everyday I praise Him for that!