I distinctly remember mulling over these words before laying my most cherished pair of earrings on the desk in our hotel room before falling into bed for the night. I was out as soon as I hit the pillow.
Morning came and we had touring to do. We got ready to go and I went to put my earrings on. Reaching for one, I soon realized that indeed, there was only one. My prophetic thoughts were coming back to haunt me.
Searching madly for the earring, my husband nonchalantly asks, "Whatcha looking for?"
"My earring. You lost my earring."
"Me? How did I lose your earring? What are you talking about?"
"You were fumbling through papers last night. I saw you. You lost my earring." A tear running down my cheek, I continued my quest to find my treasured earring. My earrings. The ones I bought while in England. Not just England, but at Althorp. Princess Diana's childhood home.
On my hands and knees I found plenty of dust bunnies and a gum wrapper, but no earring. I ransacked the bed, emptied the garbage on the floor and shook the curtains.
Tears flowed easily.
"Why didn't you see them on the desk?"
We had been in Rome less than 15 hours and managed to so far:
Miss a flight
Lose our luggage
Get ripped off by a taxi driver
Only have sandals. My feet were killing me.
Lack of sleep
No toiletries to feel clean
Get in a fight with my husband over an earring.
Ugh. So far this trip made me want to get back on the plane and go home.
I went to be alone for a few minutes reading my devotions. I read: "...steadfast love surrounds those who TRUST in the Lord." Psalm 32:10
Taking a few breaths, I looked around. I was in Italy. Italy. Were my earrings something I was putting too much pleasure in? I didn't think so, but then again, maybe. Blaming my husband wasn't good. I needed to be grateful for this wonderful day ahead of me, and not be angry at my husband for something that was my fault too.
Apologies were said and although discouraged, I tried not to think too much about those earrings.
The day came. We had to leave this hotel! I had to face the fact that we were leaving Rome without my earring. I looked all over the hotel room once again. Nothing. I left the room praying that God would help me to let go.
I had decided to leave my address with the hotel and if by some small chance they would find it, could they please send it to me. I asked first, "Is there any chance that housekeeping may have found an earring that looks like this one?"
The concierge pulls open the drawer behind the desk and states, "housekeeping found this while emptying out their vacuum. I'm not sure it is yours, but lets look."
THERE WAS MY EARRING! I could not believe my eyes.
The story went : housekeeping vacuumed and went to dump the contents in the garbage. While doing so, something shiny caught her eye. She rummaged through the dirt and there it was. My earring.
I screamed with joy and cried and went behind the desk and hugged her. "You have no idea what this means to me," was all I kept repeating.
She simply said, "I think I do!"
I think the best part of this experience was learning that God cares about what I care about. He showed me that if it matters to me, it matters to Him. Even an earring.
Have you ever lost, and then found something important to you?
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