Sunday Morning Musings: Lost Souls and Found Things

When I lose things I ask God to help me find them. And He always does.

Case in point: Earlier this week I couldn’t find my Bank of America zipper bank bag. In it I keep my booksigning cash, my booksigning pens and my Square credit card device.

After every booksigning event, the bag goes into the second drawer of the desk in the living room. That’s where I’ve always kept it. But on this day when I opened the drawer it wasn’t there.

Initially, I didn’t panic. I looked in other places I thought it might be. The big plastic container that holds all my booksigning table stuff: tablecloth, book stands, poster, decorations, bags, etc.

When it wasn’t there, I sifted through a few piles of new book-related things on the guest room bed. Nope.

Then I began in earnest searching through my desk, my file drawers, cabinets, every drawer and nook and cranny I could think I might have put it.

I’ve always been a bit of a flake but as I’ve aged my memory’s gotten worse and I have been known to quite often hide things from myself. I always think I’m so clever and that I’ll remember that I put that there. But I never do. And sometimes I space out entirely and stow things in completely inappropriate places.

But in this case, I had no clue what I’d done with that bag.

My husband joined in the search, even looking in my car and backtracking over where I’d already looked

Finally, I gave up. I could remember specifically the last time I’d seen the bag and why. Several weeks ago a neighbor wanted to use her charge card to buy a book. But after that incident…nothing.

So I did what I always do. I informed God I’d need His help to find it. “Please, God. I know it’s here somewhere. Please help me find it.” But I couldn’t quite give up the search. I could almost hear him saying, “You either trust me or you don’t.” So I stopped looking. After checking just a couple more places…

My husband says, “You’ll be at work this afternoon and you’ll suddenly remember.” Maybe so.

Before I left for work, though, I asked Bill if he’d looked in the glove compartment of my car. He hadn’t. I went out to my car, opened the back door and searched under the driver’s seat. And found the bag. With everything, including the cash, inside.

That’s when I remembered meeting a friend who’s doing some work for me and bringing some of my books along to display on the table in the café. (Free publicity, right?) And just in case someone wanted to buy a book, I’d put my booksigning money/charge card kit in my car in case I needed it. (I didn’t.)

When I’m at home, I don’t generally lock my car, even at night. And, because I’m a bit of a flake, sometimes I forget to lock it when I’m out and about. Why did I look in the back seat and reach under the front seat when I’d just mentioned the glove compartment? I’ll give you three guesses.

Next time you lose something, no matter what it is, even if it’s your faith, ask God to help you find it. He’ll never let you down.

#God #prayer #faith