Lost Rings and Keys

Apparently we lose important things...a lot. Last Friday, I was at Chuck E Cheese with the kids and was helping Matthew play Skeeball. He threw a ball, but it didn't go far enough and rolled back to us, so I grabbed it and hurriedly threw it again. Unfortunately, my ring flew off with it. It has been about 2 sizes too big for the last two years, and has fallen off several times. As I threw the ball I knew that my ring was going to fall off, but it was all in that quick split second and before I could do anything, the ring was gone.

A really nice employee spent the next 1 1/2 hours under the machine, in the machine, and taking the top of the machine apart, but the ring was never found. So so sad!

While they were looking for the ring, Jon took the kids to the car and suggested that they say a prayer to find the ring. Emma said a short prayer and then they waited. When I came out, they were excited to tell me that they had prayed so the ring would be found. Unfortunately, it is still somewhere in the depths of the Skeeball machine. However, the lesson stuck with the kids.

Yesterday after getting home from preschool, Matthew took my keys. I didn't realize it until I went to get them so we could get Emma from school. They were gone. I ransacked the house, trying to think like Matthew, checking every random place I could. They were nowhere. We finally just ran to the school, arriving 15 minutes late...oops!

When we got home, I promised the kids candy canes and lollipops if they found the keys, and sent them on their little search. Matthew ran down the hall and then stopped and said, "Mom, if we say a prayer we'll find the keys". I wasn't in the best mood, and honestly praying was the last thing on my mind, so I asked him if he would say one. He immediately dropped to his knees, folded his little arms, closed his eyes as tightly as he could, and said one of the sweetest, most sincere prayers I have ever heard.

Within 30 seconds, Emma yelled that she had found the keys. She ran to me and said that Jesus pushed her to the keys and she found them deep down in the couch cushion. We knelt down again and Emma said a short prayer, thanking Heavenly Father for helping us find the keys.

This experience was such a sweet testimony of prayer for me. I'm grateful for these moments when my kids teach me.