Turtles on the way to church

Well, I was on my way to church, and I wanted to think absolute thoughts to prepare for Sunday School. So I listened for how to start, and it came really clearly to consider God as Father. All sorts of Father-qualities came to mind, like protection, guidance, wisdom. Principle-qualities came, too, like having every detail perfectly planned, including even the least of all ideas in perfection. I was really enjoying myself and what I was hearing.

Then I turned onto the street where my church is. It has a double yellow line, two lanes either way, but it's a fairly quiet stretch of residential road (as quiet as you can get for my area, anyway). Almost as soon as I turned onto it, I noticed a box turtle crossing the street. Now the next part of this took place in the space of about two minutes: I ended up passing it because, well, it came up so quickly, and it was also already to the other side of the yellow lines where I couldn't really pull over to it. I think I must've instantly reached out in prayer to see what I could know that would be helpful, and two thoughts came: 1) God is always talking to that turtle, and 2) if that turtle doesn't listen, then God will talk to someone else who will then protect it. Right after that, two cars passed me going the other direction. I actually told them (in the silly way I sometimes talk to other drivers as my friends) that the turtle was there, although I knew it wasn't up to me to communicate that to them. Then a suggestion came that I had been like the Levite or the priest, passing the turtle by in its time of need, so just as I came to the entrance to my church parking lot, I decided to go back and make sure it got across the street. As I approached the place I'd seen it last, one of those cars I'd passed was stopped and had its hazards on, and the turtle was just about to the curb. I was pleased, but not surprised, and a little ashamed that I didn't just trust it--that I had to be Thomas and come see evidence.

But then came the really great--really humbling part. Just as I'd turned back around to go to church, the still, small voice said, "Now, that is Father." (!!!) To me that meant that the whole experience was an illustration of the concept of Father. It included my desire to know the truth, and my inspired thought, it included the turtle and the passers-by's receptive thought, it included the fact that there was never even a POSSIBILITY that the lil turtle wouldn't be cared for. And then I realized that Father also included me learning a lesson--my own Sunday School right before Sunday School. I have to say, I teared up a little! I was so grateful, and that just set the tone for the rest of my day.

- Erin