Lost and Found

Tonight I sat down for choir. Now this is generally a fabulous time, as I just adore that hour. I get to sing, laugh, dance occasionally, chat with friends, and worship God. All in all it is a perfect time. But tonight, as I was laughing with my usual benchmate, Joy, I suddenly felt something was missing. I looked down, and there was. My ring, that I have had since 12th grade was not on my finger.

I should tell you, that I got this ring with one of my oldest and dearest friends, Rachel, at Oak Park in Montgomery at some craft fair. We had gone together, and as I remember, had a marvelous time, feeling grown up, yet unfettered by responsibilities and stresses. We found several things that day that I still have. A heart-shaped wooden jewelry box that was amazing beautiful. It was carved out of one piece of wood and was so well crafted. It still sits on my dresser.

And Rachel and I ran across a man who made rings. Looking back, they were not all that special, if I am completely honest. It was just a piece of wire bent around a bead. I picked a blue one, and I think Rachel chose tiger's eye (though I am not positive.) Anyway, at the time, we thought they were simple and pretty. I still wear mine almost every time I wear blue, which is fairly often.

So tonight, when I looked down, and saw it was not on my finger, I felt a bit of panic. Suddenly part of my past was missing. Choir was starting and Gary (who was filling in for David) was trying to get our attention, but all I could think about was where my ring could be. I frantically dropped to the floor and scrambled around, hoping to find that it had simply slipped from my finger and dropped to the floor near me. But it hadn't.

So I retraced my steps through the sanctuary, to the other pews I had sat in while catching up with friends before the start of choir. But it was not there either. It was at this point, that I found my eyes filling with tears, and a sense of panic rising. It occurred to me that maybe it had fallen in the fellowship hall while we ate supper, so I went out of the sanctuary, into the hallway.

And then it hit me. The bathroom. I had washed my hands just before choir started. I fairly sprinted (ok, ok, I really did just run) to the bathroom. It was not in the sink, so I turned my attention to the trashcan. Now I should stop here and say, that I am terribly OCD. And the thought of digging through a full garbage can really disgusted me. But a moment decided for me that the ring was worth it and so I dug in. Grabbing each soggy paper towel, I shook it open and tossed it to the floor, hoping my ring was buried in one.

I was somewhat embarrassed too, because someone else was in there too, and looked at me as if I had lost my mind when I started tossing paper towels to the floor. And then, as I was trying to explain what I was doing....I saw it.

My ring! It was lying on the floor in the corner of the bathroom! Almost invisible, really. So I grabbed it up and washed my hands again, and took off to get back to choir.

As I saw back in my pew, the thought hit me that it was God that turned my head to look at that spot behind the door. I almost feel like He was trying to tell me something. I am not quite sure what it was, but I thank Him for giving me back the ring.

During Guitar Practice

While Boo was having her guitar lesson, Liv and I decided not to go home and to walk around downtown instead. It was a marvelous mommy/daughter time. We held hands, and shoved each other playfully, and looked at seeds and nuts, snapped pics beside the statue thing in front of the courthouse,

and played pretend hopscotch, and talked and talked and talked.

I am really, really am enjoying her growing up. She is growing closer and closer to me with every day. What a perfect and sweet gift God has given to me.