Sweeping

Yesterday, I was running to get lunch for my family and a few others who were working at the Parma Day events.  I had placed my order and was pulling my car around to the drive up window while I started rummaging through my pocketbook for my debit card.  My hands searched the place where I normally keep it and it wasn't there...then I started checking through my purse a little more carefully hoping the drive up window attendant would be stalled for a second so I could find it.  Nope, not there....all I had in cash was $25 and the total was $38.  I had to tell the young lady at the window that I would pull over to a parking space, search for my card, and then come back around with my payment.

After searching thoroughly through my purse and pocketbook several times and scanning the floor of the van in case it fell out, I had to call Brad and ask him to come pay for our lunches.  Luckily, it was only a couple miles from the church, so he could come quickly and get right back to the others.  Then, I went home for a few minutes to search there and retrace my steps since I had last used the card.

I totally cleaned out my entire purse and pocketbook of all the old scraps of lists and receipts....looked through papers on the counter top, checked my dresser and possible pockets from the last several days, dug through plastic bags from my last shopping trip, lifted up the floor mats in the van to check under them....until I was convinced I had checked every place at home where I could have set it down.

The only other place I thought it could be was at the Dollar Store because the was the last place I used it the night before when I had purchased a few items for Parma Day.  I prayed on the way there, "Lord, please let them have it...this is the last place I can think to check."

I inquired with the manager at the store and SURE ENOUGH....IT WAS THERE!  WHESHHHEW!  One of the ladies at the store wished me a good day on the way out and I said, "OH, YES...NOW IT WILL BE A GOOD DAY!"

It is good on a whole new level, you know!  I was already having a good day at the Parma Day festivities, but this had more significance because something valuable was lost and then was found.  I realized later (after I had told many people my story of realizing the card was lost and finding it again) that my pursuit to find my debit card, my joy (coupled with relief) in finding it, and my inability to keep the whole ordeal a secret because it meant so much to me was like that parable.

Isn't it great to know that GOD will search for us until we are found!