Funny Suprises

This story begins nearly 10 years ago. My parents used to pastor a traditional church many years ago. After some tragic events, our family left that ministry in a hurt and broken state. Those events, which I'd rather not elaborate upon, changed my life profoundly. I was in Bible College, ambitious, determined, my life planned out. That time in my life set me on a very different track.

After we left our church, my parents and I drove from California to Dallas, Texas to visit family for several weeks. We stayed with my Aunt Eileen and Uncle Tom in their home which was on the market at the time. I remember this specifically because one day I had washed my hands, and left my amethyst ring (a high school graduation gift from my parents) on the sink and went out because there was a family coming to look at the house. When I returned, the ring was gone. I searched my luggage, under the bed, in every nook and cranny. We even scoured the vacuum cleaner. It was gone. We finally determined that they ring was likely stolen by the people who were looking at the house. My parents and I returned to California, my beautiful ring lost forever and my heart even heavier.

In the last 10 years I have moved on. I mended a broken relationship with the Lord, married my wonderful husband and have had three gorgeous kids. All in all, my life is a happy one. So the events in the last few weeks, what are they to mean?

A few weekends ago my parents and I travelled to Dallas once again. It was my Grandmother's 90th birthday. Her health has been declining in the last few months, so my husband and I agreed that I should go and celebrate this special day with her.

The day of the party was a blur of food, preparation, presents, flowers, people.... My Gram looked at the gift table and saw a sparkle. "Who's ring is this?" she said.

My aunt Eileen answered that it belonged to my other aunt, Rhonda. The day went on, my Gram was glowing and looked more alive and happy than every. As the guests began to dwindle, Eileen stood near me, holding that ring and said to my mother, "I just don't know who's this could be." At that moment, the glimmer caught my eye with a distinct familiarity.

"Let me look at that...." I said cautiously.

I took the ring and slipped it on my finger and stared with bewilderment. Could this be?

"Where did you find this?"

Eileen said that my cousin had found it that morning in a gardening glove.

In a gardening glove.

10 years later.

In a different house.

In Texas.

On a day that I HAPPENED to be there.

Coincidence? Impossible. I believe that that God placed that ring in that glove and lead all the events that transpired so that I would be given that gift that day.

The story trickled through the rest of the family and guests. Reactions ranged from, how amazing, how bizarre, weird!

But the one that sticks out to me and leaves me puzzled is this:

A woman, who's name I don't know, came up to me and said with great conviction, "That ring is a symbol of God's redemption in your life. And this is just the beginning." I felt chills. I knew this was more than just words, but a message meant so very personally to me.

I know that something big is on the horizon. I know that God has amazing plans for my life and I can't wait to see how it will unfold.

"Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." Isaiah 43:18-19.