A Perfect Night

As I've mentioned, I tried to start a blog before ("TroyStories") and actually stayed with it for nearly two years. But I gave up the web address to start our family's web page (web.me.com/sfoflyguy/LownFamily. You gotta ask for the login and password to visit-- which you can do by sending me an email via my profile on this blog page you're reading). That site has a lot of photos & fun stuff. Let me know what you think!
From time to time I will repost some things I had written before on my other blog... especially when I am having one of those writer's block days. Quite often I find myself feeling this pressure that I "HAVE TO POST SOMETHING" or people will stop checking in on my blog. Hopefully, my readers can figure out how to "follow" my blog or click somewhere to get an update whenever I post something new... thus allowing me to chill from such self-induced pressures.
So that being said, I'd like to post one of my favorite entries from my previous blog. It is a true story that happened to me about 2 years ago now. It was written when I was going through the most difficult time in my life-- more difficult than when my 1st wife died of a brain tumor. It was written when I needed more than just encouragement; I needed a CLEAR and CERTAIN experience of God's real power in daily life.
And I got it.
It's called "A Perfect Night."

On this night I took my 8-year old daughter to a Portland Winter Hawks hockey game. It is something special we had done a few years ago when my soon-to-be-ex-spouse and I were first together, but we had been unable to repeat due to the emotional manipulation being played against me whenever I expressed any affection toward my daughter-- no matter my efforts to be “fair and equal” with all the girls. Anyway, due to the current circumstances I thought it a cool idea to have a special night with my first-born doing something she recalled being very fun and bonding with Daddy.
My girlie was SO excited to go to this game. She asked about it twice a day, unsure as she was that something so exciting would actually come to pass as promised. There have been so many broken promises in the past 4 years. All I knew is that it WOULD happen no matter what and that it would be HER night. Actually, it turned out to be God’s night as He blessed it and gave it to us as a perfect gift.
It started out that we got out of the house a little later than desired. Even with no traffic, the chance of finding parking and being on time were slim to none. Nearing the coliseum, traffic got worse. There was no parking anywhere around as there was also a Trailblazer game going on next door.
As I was circling the huge complex and stuck at a light in creeping traffic with “lot full” signs everywhere, I began to fret. As has become my habit lately, with fretting comes the realization that what I actually needed to was “be anxious for nothing” and instead pray. So I prayed, “Lord, I believe you put it in my heart to attempt to have a special night of bonding and healing with my daughter. Right now, we are SO close to our goal... THERE it is! But we can’t get there! I give this evening back to you and ask if you could, please help us find parking.”
Completing a full lap around the huge place, finding no metered space or open lot anywhere, we continued around to the dark, lightly traveled back of the building-- praying more. Pulling beside a rear entrance where the roadies and teams enter, my daughter saw open parking spots. But surely there had to be signs that said “Designated Parking Only” or “By Permit Only”? Try as we might, we could see no such sign or any official guarding the lot barring entrance. So we entered. I still didn’t see exactly where the spot was that she spoke about, but the lot did seem to be “open” for some reason. As I was creeping in, I said, “Where is the spot, honey?” She kept pointing but I didn’t see. Then she gently touched my chin, turning my head, and said, “THERE, Daddy!”
As I pulled into one of three open spots in a row, with minutes remaining until face-off, I fully realized something: We had just parked right next to the building... for free... with perfect timing.
And that was just the beginning.
As we strolled up to the ticket window I asked for 2 of the best seats they had. The lady said she had 4th row behind the penalty box. Not bad for some up-close action and better than I have ever had before! So we bought them. Finally finding our seats: section 13, row DD, seats 3 & 4, I was confused. This wasn’t the 4th row... it was the FIRST. Right up against the glass. But there it was... tickets matching the stencils on the ground... in the front row.
Soon it became snack time as the game progressed. It was simply kind of cool how the usher apparently let us go through the bowels of the coliseum to cut through to the refreshment vending area. As we were walking past kitchens, storage rooms and VIP dining areas the thought struck me that the Lord has granted us access to areas that would normally be restricted. He moved to grant us the favor of man and open doors that might have been closed.
Back in our seats at the end of the first period, it’s always fun to watch the Zamboni re-glaze the ice. It was especially cool when one of the men working the ice tossed a game puck over the glass to my blonde cutie. She was SO stoked! What a gift!
Later, at another intermission, they had a remote control blimp that flew around dropping prize certificates. Now you know, you never get one at these things. If it even comes close, it flutters into someone else’s hand at the last second... but my girl got one. ‘Buy one, get one free’ roller skating. Actually, a little later in the game, she had her foot on a second prize-- but gave it up for a littler kid who was trying to grab it out from under her foot. Kindness and goodness: good fruit.
At some point the team mascot, “TomaHawk,” came by again. J-lo (my little nickname for her) showed him her puck she was so proud of. Surprising to both of us, he fumbled with the wrist of his furry-feathered costume and came out with a pen to sign J-lo’s puck. Such a simple gesture, but that MADE the night for my baby. As she gushed with excitement I remember saying, “Oh baby... this was such a great night! What could have made it more perfect?!?” And as kids can do, she thought of a way: “You could get a puck too.” It was so cute. The sweetness of the consideration for Daddy coupled with the innocent naivete of how rare it is to ever get even ONE game ANYthing blessed my heart to no end.
As the game ended I continued to marvel aloud how incredible the night had been, how blessed we were and how good God was. I was blathering on when my sweet girl gently got my attention as in the parking lot. “Daddy, look...” As I lifted my eyes, I saw a player from the opposing team looking straight at me immediately on the other side of the glass. He motioned with his hand and tossed another game puck over and straight into my hand. Daddy got a puck too.
There could be no argument that our wonderful and loving God had indeed given us the gift of that night... and his gifts are PERFECT.
I recognize that night for what it was: an encouraging reminder that my loving Father cares for his children infinitely more than I can imagine; and His care extends to the real-- to the here and now-- in concrete ways when a life is entrusted to Him.