Advertisement

firehouse pizza banner

Patty Craig: A Slice of Time

‘Lost’ has be defined as missing or unable to be found. It can also mean something that was wasted or not used in a valuable way. The first definition – missing or unable to be found – describes my experience.

Have you ever lost something? Losing a thing is unsettling. When I lose something, I look around, I retrace my recent steps, and I rack my memory. For example, I’ve lost my phone on occasion. It’s helpful to be able to call it and track down the ring (unless it’s on silent). I’ve also lost my keys. But, usually they’re either in a coat pocket or in the kitchen.

Recognizing that a thing is lost usually occurs when the item is needed. Toward the end of my grandfather’s life, he often failed to remember things. One afternoon, he planned to run an errand, but could not find his truck keys. He and my grandmother looked throughout their house, searching furniture tops and coat pockets for the lost keys. I don’t remember where the keys were found, but I do remember the frantic search as well as the rising tension beforehand.

Earlier this week, I lost my favorite pair of brown shoes. I looked through the house, mentally wondering whether my younger grandchildren had put them somewhere. I retraced my steps, looking under furniture, thinking the shoes could have gotten pushed aside. I racked my memory and determined that I was the last – and only – person to have seen those shoes. Regardless, I sent a text message asking my daughters whether they might have seen my shoes. Of course, they had no information to contribute. So, having three other less-well-liked pairs of brown shoes, I gave up.

The next morning, I remembered the brown shoes were still lost. So, again I looked around, retraced my steps, and racked my memory. This took me back to my closet. I opened the door and reconsidered the hanging shoe organizers. The brown shoes were still not in their square space. For some reason (maybe God took pity on me), I visually searched all 30 slots. My brown shoes were resting in one of the storage squares – in the flip-flop area!

That unsettled feeling of having lost something has left me. Once again, all is well. So, as in the parable of the lost coin (Luke 15:8-10), please rejoice with me: I have found my lost shoes.


Bookmark and Share

Advertisements