Peace in the Strangest Places

This morning I decided my verse for the day would be Psalm 94:19, "When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, your consolations, O Lord, will be my delight."  For a couple of weeks now, I've found it very difficult to find inner quiet.  I don't know exactly how to explain what's been going on in my head, except to say that things are never still or quiet.  There's a constant list of things that need to be done, people that need to be called, friends that need to be prayed for, books that need to be read, tasks that need to be completed, events that need to be planned, special occasions that need to be celebrated, and on and on and on.  It's exhausting.  As I stole my few minutes of time alone with the Lord this morning before rushing to sit in traffic on my way to work, I asked Him to grant me peace, begged Him to let me find that quiet I was lacking. 
My morning passed in a blur.  I had two hours to return phone calls, answer emails, and publish and pass out a newsletter before my 10 o'clock meeting which would push past 11 o'clock, and then I had to leave no later than noon to be at the court house for a jury duty summons at 12:30.  All morning long, the running list of things I had to accomplish and things I hoped to accomplish, and things I was going to have to apologize for not accomplishing was swirling through my thoughts.  It was awful.
Then, I got to the courthouse.  I made my way through the metal detectors, wound through the line of jurors being processed into the large jury room, scanned my summons, and crawled across three women to one of the last open seats.  I made polite small talk with the lady beside me, offered her one of the two books I'd brought with me (yes, I was prepared!), then sat back and observed the people.  It was tempting to fret about all that I wasn't getting done, but suddenly, I realized there was nothing I could do about it.  I hadn't chosen this date or time, but I was summoned.  I didn't have email or work or anything else but a book with me, and because there was nobody there I knew, there was nobody there to bother me.  I sat ... quietly.  I read a bit, and then I just sat. 
About 30 minutes into it, I realized that my head was quiet, my thoughts were still.  I was at peace.  I stayed there for 2 1/2 hours, jurors getting assigned to various courts, announcements being made, my name never being called.  And, then, it was over.  I was dismissed.  I was back at my desk by 3:15 p.m., but I was at peace.  I'd had the break that I so desperately craved. 
Like a very special gift only He could arrange, God provided the peace I was longing for in the strangest of places, a jury room.