Wednesday, March 23, 2011

This will be quick...

just wanted to share a real life example of God's prevenient grace.
Yesterday was Sam's birthday (more on that when I get pictures uploaded) and as soon as Earl got home from work, we loaded up and headed to IHOP.  Sam wanted pancakes.  What better choice?  International House of PANCAKES.  But...more on that later....Eeeeeeneway...
The days have been just beautiful so the kids had been outside playing in the cul-de-sac.  When I saw Earl's car pull up, I quickly rounded up the offspring and loaded them into the van.  Somewhere in this process, I put my phone on the bumper of the car.  I think this happened between loading kids and running upstairs to get my purse.  I can't be sure.  Yes...I know this is pretty stooopid thing to do.  I have no excuse save that I have been fairly forgetful lately. 
And we were off...with the cell phone on the bumper of the car....
I had totally forgotten about the phone which was now joy riding on the bumper of my car.  Kinda dug through my purse for it, figured I had left it in the house when I ran upstairs right before leaving, and forgot about it.  Until we got to IHOP.  And my momma called Earl's phone. Hmmm...that's weird.  Why didn't she call my phone? Wonder if everything is okay?...I immediately called her back and she answered with "We have your PHONE!"  Wait.  What?  You live 6 hours away.  How can you have my phone?  I seriously went through that thought process...sigh.  Turns out...God was working in my life through a teenage boy and I was completely oblivious.
The phone had fallen OFF the bumper at the entrance to our neighborhood.  A boy that lives in our neighborhood was driving to lacrosse practice and noticed the BRIGHT LIME green cell phone in the middle of the street.  He pulled over.  Picked up the phone.  And took 30 minutes out of his life to be the hands of Christ.  30 minutes isn't a long time...but I'm certain he was late to practice and if I remember correctly from high school, coach's aren't too keen on late arrivals.  He coulda pocketed the phone...coulda sold it for some quick cash.  After all, it is an iPhone.  They're kinda a hot commodity.  But instead he called my parents.  6 hours away.  Remember the cover is BRIGHT LIME green?  I like it because it's easy to find in the bottom of my purse.  But it also sorta looks like a cover a teenager might choose...and since only paramedics and people over 25 know what "ICE" means he thought the best route to finding the owner of the lost phone would be to call the contact listed as "Mom and Dad"...
Side note:  Do you know what ICE means?  It means In Case of Emergency.  And I have "ICE-Superman" listed on my phone as a contact for Earl.  My husband.  Thinking I need to change how I've listed contacts on my phone...
So he called my mom.  She told him where I lived.  After knocking on my door with no answer...my mom told him to take the phone to "that little red headed girl next door!"...that would be my neighbor Staci. Probably one of the very best neighbors evah.  Really.  She makes ya a margarita when the day has gotten the best of you...or a hot tea if you have a nasty case of strep.  Her husband will till up an entire section of your yard if you want to put in a garden and snow plow your driveway in the middle of a blizzard in return for a case of beer.  Honestly...the. best. neighbors.  She will also rescue your phone....when you leave it on the freaking bumper of your car.  Sigh.  If you're reading this...Thanks Staci....
So I got the phone back.  It was rescued from certain danger and placed in trusting hands before I ever knew it was gone.  It's all a lesson from God.  He works through other people.  This time he chose a lacrosse playing teenager.  And it really wasn't even a big deal.  We have insurance on the phone...it would have been replaced.  And do I really need this fancy high-tech cell phone anyway?  Really?  I guess what I'm getting at here is that there are these small incidences...small moments...that teach us so much about the character of God.  And I think it's important to wake up...look up...and remember that if He does this in the small corners of our lives, how much more will he do it in the big stuff?!  He's working...all the time...moving in our lives.  It is our responsibility to recognize it...to awaken to the beauty of it all.
So to wrap it all up...
Staci got a ginormous piece of homemade birthday cake.
And I called the teenage kid...thanked him a hundred times over and gave him what my dad would call a nice chunk of "walking around money"....I also told him his momma sure did something right raising a honest boy like that.
God...walking around in my neighborhood.  Absolutely fantastic.  I'm kinda glad I left my phone on the bumper.

4 comments:

Heather said...

Thank you for sharing. I too often forget the little things that God does for us. So glad he was honest. Cause even though you could have replaced the phone, it is a pain in the backside to try to put and remember all your contacts again.

Unknown said...

First of all, when did you start blogging? I never knew this! Love it! Second, I love that you went full circle and called tha boy and told him what a GOOD thing he did and even complimented his upbringing. Some people might think, it's just a stupid phone, but I think you made the bigger point : ) Thanks!

Toni said...

I *think* it's called Prevenient Grace....That Grace that comes before we even Ask...Before we even Know that we need help.
Something about "He will keep you from tripping your foot on a stone.".....

Sorta like how we, as parents, sheild our babies' heads from the sharp coffee table when they are beginning to pull up to stand....

Yeh. He loves you. Loves you more than you can ever imagine! Just THINK about the Vastness of this Universe, and ALL the other people, beings, planets, starts, comets spinning around...and HE takes time to SHOW you that He's watching carefully over you.

Don't EVER worry. Ever. You are in Good (GREAT!) Hands. Why, Gurl, He loves you even more than I do!!!

And I sure DO love you. xoxoxo

Kristy C said...

That is the best story, told by one of the best storytellers! I am so happy you got your phone back and a reminder of how God even cares about the little things in life like a iPhone :)