In God I Trust
I read something a few months ago, one of those crazy forwarded emails. I was thinking about it this morning, and thought “Hey! That was a Godwink!”
This email I read was supposed to be one of those feel-good stories about how when you see a penny on the ground or sitting somewhere that you should pick it up and read the words “In God We Trust” because God put that penny in that spot for you to see and know that He wants you to trust Him. I couldn’t decide at the moment if it was hokey or if it was neat.
A couple days later, I had to stop and get gas in a piece of junk I had been driving while my other car was being fixed. There was a gas door latch right next to the trunk door latch. I was always very careful not to open the trunk because I had a hard time getting it closed. Once it opened, I’d have to pull the lock mechanism thingy and slam the trunk lid very fast before the thingy went back to its original – incorrect – position. Have I mentioned that the car was a piece of junk? 
Anyway, I looked right at the gas door latch and pulled the trunk one instead. I growled very loudly because I was already running late. I swore and pulled the gas door latch. I put gas in the stupid car and when I put my bank card in my back pocket, a penny fell out of my front pocket and landed right in front of me. I kind of smiled and picked it up, remembering that silly story and said “Yes, I trust You.” I started messing with the trunk lid. No matter how hard I pulled the lock and tried to slam the door, it kept popping. I said “I trust You, could You please help me get this closed?” He wasn’t going to help me close the trunk. “Okay. Fine.” I said, noticing that the guy at the next pump was watching me and listening to me talk to apparently no one. I drove back home (the gas station was close to the house). I asked my husband to fix the trunk and of course, ta-da, he got it closed the first try.
By then it was 7:25, and I was really running late. As I was driving, I told myself maybe it happened for a reason – I didn’t want to believe that it all happened just because I’m stupid and pulled the wrong latch.
I got on the freeway and the traffic was backed up and slow. An ambulance flew through and another ambulance marked “Mobile ICU” on the side followed it. I got to where they were and it was a nasty 3-car accident. Glass everywhere, crumpled metal, emergency personnel scrambling.
Judging by the amount of traffic that was backed up, and the area in which the accident was, had I not fought with the trunk lid, I am certain that I would have been in the middle of that accident.
When I saw that, I really felt that the whole thing had happened not by chance. I thought of that penny and the idea that when you see a penny you’re being reminded to trust Him.
I did the same thing my husband did to that car and could not get it to close.
I still can’t figure out how a penny fell out of my front pocket when I put my bank card in my back pocket.
I can’t even begin to guess why I was spared while three others crashed.
I began a prayer of gratitude that moment and didn’t stop until I got to work that morning. Every time I see a penny on the ground, I say another prayer, and “wink” back at God.
