Perseverance, I said to myself and began to reflect on the 3rd Joyful mystery. There are various reflections that are offered for the Joyful mysteries of the Rosary but the one that has always caught my attention is an image of the Blessed Mother nine months pregnant perched on a donkey (which could not have been comfortable) making a trek across desert land for miles and miles knowing she was about to give birth to God’s child while a King was on an all out quest to find this child in order to kill him. Every Monday & Saturday morning when I reflect on this particular Joyful mystery I envision this and then say to myself, “If she can do that then I can get through anything.”
That is where my mind was at 4:45am this morning before I was snatched out of my reverie by blazing red, blue and white lights. BUSTED. I was so far gone in prayer I had no idea how fast I was going. Thankfully there was not a single sole around at that time in the morning and I know I couldn’t have been going any faster than maybe 10 miles over the limit but I couldn’t argue it. I haven’t been stopped by a cop in at least 12 years! I pulled over and then he didn’t get out. So I thought, was I supposed to turn to make it safer? Rolling down my window I stuck my head out of the car, “Do you need me to turn too?” 🙂
I think my tactic was to act as clueless as possible (well, you know, maybe I wasn’t acting…).
The cop came to my window and I asked again, “I’m so sorry. Do you need me to turn here? I wasn’t sure where to go.”
He smiled and shined a flashlight in my face. It felt like he could see every hint of guilt I ever harbored way back to my teen years. “No, this is fine. No one else around at this time in the morning. You got some place to be? You were going kind of fast there.”
“Um, I’m going to work out and I was saying a Rosary and I guess not paying attention.” (How many times does he hear that a day?? 😉 )
I was so beyond busted I didn’t even try to cry. I deserved a ticket.
“I need your license and insurance.”
“Um…I don’t have my license with me.”
*Baffled look on the cops face* “You don’t have your driver’s license?”
“No sir, I don’t like to bring my purse when I work out this early in the morning.” (another attempt at a clueless smile)
“Okay,” he looked at the insurance card I handed him, “You are Shannon Deitz?”
“Yes,” I smiled. “I work at St. Martha’s.” I through this in there just on an off chance it could somehow redeem me.
I waited in the thick silence of my own carelessness.
“Here you go, Ma’am.” The officer was back at my window handing me the car insurance. “I’m going to let you go this time but you need to pay attention. Have a good work out.”
“Oh my goodness! Thank you so much, I’m so sorry.” WOW what a gift!!!
The rest of the day flowed along those lines as well. I went to spiritual direction and Msgr. Elmer had at least 4 passages from various books and stories that he wanted to share that hit me in my spiritual core. Everything that happened, whether it was shopping for one item and getting the last one in stock or having other loose ends fall into place I felt a little boost of security today.
Doesn’t happen every day but I’ll take it!
Blessings
Shannon