Always more

Why is it that I have got to 57 years old, 33 of them as a committed Christian, and I am still learning things about myself and about God? And actually - some of those things that pop up are not making their first time appearance! I wish all my lessons stayed learned!

One recurrent thing over the years is that something happens - it may be a funny thing with the Sweeties when they were little, something hilarious that Hubs has said, some amazing God-adventure or story - and I always think to myself, 'Oh my GOSH! I will never forget that!' BUT then...I do!

An old Chinese proverb proclaims, 

'The faintest pencil is better than the strongest memory.'

How true that is. Over the years I have WISHED I had written something down, though actually, I am at the age now where I can simply go into a room and forget why I went there and have to go back to the spot where I thought the original thought and see if it finds me again. Often it does. Perhaps a dictaphone might help and I can tell myself things on the way. 

Nah! I would only forget where I put it! My forgettery is getting good.

BUT I had a fabulous episode this week.

Some good number of months ago, we moved our bedroom from one room to another - in the same house, of course. Somehow, during that move, I lost my wedding and engagement rings. I'd put them in a safe place because they had shrunk one day when I was washing up (that's my story and I am sticking to it!) I tucked them away in a Place where I knew I would find them but when I went to get them for transfer, they had gone!!!! At the time, I thought little of it because I thought I must have relocated them already during the move but they didn't turn up. I checked the Place several times, systematically going through everything else that was there, thinning the contents of the Place down - but no! The months have passed. No rings. I heard stories of people's missing possessions turning up miraculously when they prayed. I prayed. No rings. I asked my girls if they had borrowed them. No. Finally this last week, I have gone all through our bedroom, tidying up, throwing stuff out, dusting. No space has been left unturned, unexplored, undusted. The great thing is, I now have a totally clean bedroom that is a pleasure to be in. Hubs is especially pleased because, as the Bed-maker extraordinaire, he can now walk on my side of the bed without tripping over books, pens, pillows and a host of debris. BUT NO RINGS!

I went back to the Place just in case God had done a miracle. Nope!

Now, I was starting to worry. What if somehow, they had been thrown out! I had better start praying seriously and also confessed to Hubs, who was his usual, encouraging self. 'They'll turn up,' he said. But he didn't know how hard I had looked nor that ages ago, I had already gone through the 'old' room and knew they were not there. 

This week, I headed off to our Bible Study group. After a prayer, we start our time off with sharing 'Good News' stories since we last met. After the first one, which was great, I plunged in an said that I wanted to share a good news story in faith, explaining about my rings and said that I wanted to thank God because I felt I was going to find them this week. This led, not only to one of the guys sharing that he had found some papers he'd previously told us he had lost, but another little run of lost/found stories! 

Well!!! Because I believe in the truth of this......

I said to God, this 'Found' testimony is mine too please! I almost felt excited to start cleaning and looking again when one of the girls said she felt they would be in a bag somehow! As I thought, the only bag I could think of that I hadn't searched was an old one tucked away in the old bedroom with Hub's old love letters in .... yes - we had those days! 

Once home, although it was late, I couldn't wait to check so I headed upstairs and started to move the BIG pile of gear blocking the way. But the thought of all this shifting made me think, 'You know what, Lord? I am going to look again in the Place just one more time. PLEASE let them be there.'

I turned to the Place and opened it up. There was SO little in there now, I could see there would be no rings but I shuffled anyway. No rings. PAH! 

'Ah well,' I thought. 'I can at least pull out a new bottle of cleansing lotion while I am here.'

I picked up the boxed bottle. 'OH! That's light!' and in a sudden flash of hope and expectation, I ripped open the box. No cleansing bottle. Only THE RINGS!!! And not only the rings, but also a pair of gold earrings I hadn't even missed!! I ran around that room and down the stairs to Hubs, whooping and squealing like I'd won the lottery! It's a wonder the neighbours didn't call the police! I could hardly believe it. And yet, of course I should. WHY do I get astounded when God is good? And not only good - but I got bonus earrings! Yesssss - I know they are not exactly bonus because they were mine already but I would have never missed them so they are like a whole new 9 carat present.

I reflected how God DOES do more than we can ever imagine (Ephesians 3:20) and this was just a simple example of how He wants us to know, there is ALWAYS MORE.

Here is a picture of two beautiful rings...

and if you ever find them...they are MINE!