Last night was another one of those nights that I was suddenly awakened with a desire to pray. Like always I could feel the peace and looked over at the clock. The time was 4:13.

After praying I went back to sleep and got up later to go to the 7 AM mass at the basilica but I got there about 3 minutes late and the door was already locked. If you are one minute late there you don’t get in. I then rode to McDonald’s and ate breakfast before my 8 AM doctors appointment.

I sat there and read the paper until time for my appointment and then rode down the street to Joe’s office. Since I was first diagnosed with diabetes back in 1996 or 7 I have dreaded the thought of having to take shots everyday and I have put it off as long as possible. Today Joe said the time had come and it was something I needed to start doing. As he wrote me a prescription for the insulin and the needles I suddenly felt the peace I know so well at a time when I was most uncomfortable. It was at that instant when Joe was writing the prescription that I noticed the time on his watch was 8:33.

At that instant I no longer had any problem with the thought of giving myself a shot everyday. When my appointment was over I left to go to work in Manassas and when I arrived there and the car came to a complete stop the time on the dash switched to 10:33.

I had not been at work very long when Joe called and asked if I wanted to ride into Gettysburg tonight and listen to live bluegrass music and have a cup of coffee with him. I told him I would like to go. Later in the day I took my lunch break and went to All Saint’s and attended the 12 noon mass. Mass ended and just as I was walking out the door I again felt the peace. I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:33.

I returned to work and was very busy the rest of the day. When I finally finished all of my work I left for the day. I was delayed getting back to Emmitsburg because of torrential downpours of rain that brought traffic to a crawl and the Friday night traffic backups in Leesburg. Despite these delays that were beyond my control I arrived back at St. Joseph’s and the time was 7:33.

Even after all these years I am still amazed how this happens. I said a few prayers and then drove home and ate dinner. Joe Ferguson and I then rode to Gettysburg like we do from time to time and had coffee and listened to music. When we finished we drove home and when I dropped Joe off at his house the time on the dash was 10:33. I drove down the street to my house and when I arrived there the odometer was 3.3