Lost and Found

I thought I was doing something considerate, yet my act of kindness sent me into a panic. My sweetie had left his phone on the couch when he left this morning, so I put the phone in my pocket in case he wanted me to drop it off for him later. Midway through the afternoon, I noticed that it wasn't where I thought it should be. Enter panic. Of all days for me to eat at McDonalds for lunch. My search sent me though their lovely trash (actually, a helpful employee did). I even asked a kind woman, who was sitting in the booth where I had been sitting, to allow me to check the seats. I was desperate, people. Having not found the phone in the van, my cavernous pocket book, or in the many pockets of my coat, my search continued seven miles down the road to my Mom's house where I had spent an hour before lunch. It was there that I found the elusive cell phone nesting in the comfy chair in which I had stolen a few minutes earlier with a magazine and my feet up.

This ordeal lasted a relatively short time today; however, there are lasting impressions on my heart.

My sweetie could have gotten quite upset. This could have been a major inconvenience introducing conflict between us, but he chose to love me by acting calmly and not judging. He chose to remember that I would never wish him this inconvenience. In his words, "I love you more than a phone." He chose to know that I love him and want to help him not hurt him. On one hand that sounds like a no brainer, but how often we don't let the truth lead what our mouth says. I am thankful for the love my sweetie showed in his speech when I was obviously distressed.

My little ones saw that God cares about the details of our life and knows when we are concerned or upset. As I was driving, they sat in the back seat and prayed that God would show us where to look in order to find Daddy's phone. They were so excited to peer through the back door of my Mom's house and see the phone on the big, corner chair – right where I had left it. They knew that God had answered our prayer, and we thanked Him openly on the back patio.

Life brings daily inconveniences – some little and some huge. I was challenged today to keep these inconveniences in perspective. The cell phone is not that significant in the big scheme of things, but the way my husband and I respond to each other is huge, and the way that my kids view God is no small matter.

I lost something today, but I found something even more valuable.