You ever lost anything? Of course you have, that is a silly question. Have you ever lost anything and had to finally admit it is lost, you can’t find it? Been there, done that, got the t-shirt!

One Friday I did not just lose something, I lost many things, almost my sanity. Friday, May 26, 2017, that was the day we had my mom’s memorial service. My mind was not quite in the world as it was. I was distracted and thinking of a hundred other things that needed to be done: table cloths for the table, set up the flowers, meet the florist at the church and let in with flowers, set up the memorial picture table, do a sound check on the music, did anyone get a guest registration book….you get the picture.

The first MIA item was the tie. I had it when we left. I saw it when I loaded supplies we bought at Sam’s. I did not take it in the hotel. Lauren and Jill unloaded the car and toted stuff up to the room. The wind was blowing hurricane force. Probably blew off the hanger and was in central Kansas by now. Got to have a tie, all the guys had on ties in tribute to mom, my brother even wore a tie. Stress level elevating. The missing tie led to the next item. My car key, the one and only key (get the singular part there?). I had it going out to the van to look for the tie and I remember walking over to the car to unlock and put back pack in back floorboards. Hmmm, let’s see, went to check out at desk and then upstairs to get rest of things and back to car to leave. Hard to leave without keys. Moment of recognition. Bet I laid them on the counter at the front desk and someone picked up thinking it was their keys. They will get home and wonder whose key they have. Problem is I can’t go anywhere without the key. Stress now to yellow level.

I bum a ride to church with my sis just older than me. Jill, Lauren and baby coming later. Going to get table cloth for table at church. Will deal with other after memorial service. Table set up, flowers in place, memorial picture table looks good, guest registration book ready to sign and music is cued up and playing. People coming in and greeting family. We are off. Everything goes great.

Leaving church to go to mom’s house for lunch I begin looking for my Bible. Now, where did I have it last? Cart with flowers, nope. Table where pictures sat, not there either. Back pew where I stood as people were leaving service, nadda. Crud! Where is it, bathroom, sound booth, flower table, someone take it? No, no, no and no. Does the madness stop? Stress level, yellow and 1/2 .

Lunch is awesome, so many people to visit with. Amazing. But, now time to deal with the lostness. I go change clothes and realize I cannot find my tennis shoes. ARE YOU KIDDING? Have to be at hotel. Call front desk. “Hey this is Tim, the guy who lost the key, anyone turn it in? Oh, and by the way, did the maid find a pair of tennis shoes setting on the air conditioner holding the curtain down? I can’t find mine and that was the last place I remember them being.” Will check van again. (did and nothing there. Where does this insanity end?)

So, now more lostness, where do I start. Well, the tie, it’s gone and I mean gone. Jill buys another one so I have one for the memorial service. I meet AAA back out at hotel to make me a new key (programmable, chip key). While waiting, I remember that I was looking outside the hotel for the tie that morning, think I had key with me…maybe… I retrace steps for looking for tie, and guess what? Yep, around the cedar bush on the ground there is the key to the car. Just shining in the sun, right where I dropped it. AAA was already making keys. Now I have 3 keys and no longer one. (and $60 less) The missing Bible, oh well that was easy. Where do I always leave my bible after preaching? Why on the pulpit… duh. Go in the sanctuary of the church and wham! Right there it sits on the music stand I used. Getting better. Stress level down considerably.

That leaves the tennis shoes. This is not my first (and probably not last) experience leaving things at hotel. Never have gotten any of them back so I have resigned the fact that my Gander Mountain hiking shoes ($50) are gone and someone got a really good pair of shoes. But, that changed too. Unloading the van upon arrival at home reveals the missing shoes under the back seat of the van. My stress level is now excitement.

I noticed that everything I found was in the last place I looked and right where I left it after I used it last. Funny how that works, huh?

All of this does have a point, a spiritual point. It reminds me of the lost sheep, coin and son in Luke 15 and the great celebration that goes on. Now I am not saying the angels in heaven were rejoicing, but me and my family certainly were and telling everyone too.

John 18:9 says “that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, “Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none.” Whatever has been given to Jesus cannot be lost, I can’t be separated from God. He knows exactly where I am. John 10:28 & 29 says I cannot be snatched out of His hand and Romans 8 says nothing can separate me from God. I can never be lost. I might lose my way and stray, but I am the one that moves, not God. He is always right where I left Him.

But what about the tie, never did find it. John 17:12 also says, “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.”

Jesus does identify that some things, people can’t be found. They are rejecters and sons of the evil one. Jesus’ sheep know His voice and come to Him. But, the ones who are not His sheep, will not come. There are others out there, we can’t spend all our time calling and looking for that which does not wish to be found.

For now, I got a new tie and new keys, my preaching Bible and favorite shoes back. With this, life is good. Now, has anyone seen my glasses???

Bro. Tim