A Recipient Twice

This post is a praise to an all-knowing, all-compassionate God. This past week we spent in downtown Chicago. Ben was at another conference and the kids and I tagged along. We stayed right by the magnificent mile (of shopping). The spring flowers were in bloom and the store windows were testimony of opulence and glamor. I loved all the sidewalk cafes which remind me of Europe and a slower pace of life. It was a vacation from cooking (even the little I do), because the hotel provided complimentary breakfast and dinner. Lunch for the kids consisted of super easy favorites which we could cook in our suite's kitchen. Ben and I split lunches at the local eateries. Sushi, pizza and yummy yummies. I took the kids swimming everyday. We went to the fabulous zoo and children's museum, navy pier, rode the trolley and walked and walked. There was much to do for free. Perfect for our pocketbook. We were thinking this is great... We have had an all expenses paid vacation, but that is before I lost the diamond in my engagement ring. All of a sudden it was going to be an expensive trip. A trip linked with sadness and loss. Though I am not particularly sentimental, I became distraught over the loss of the very symbol of our marriage commitment. We had the hotel maintenance man take pipes apart and asked the housekeeping if the vacuum bag held anything sparkly. Forget about all the sheets and towels that had been stripped. That evening we went back to the pool and for the first time noticed how large the filter grates were on the bottom. How easily a diamond could be sucked up never to be seen again. Since we had walked miles everyday, to retrace our steps would have been impossible. The diamond was LOST.


The next day I took the kids to the pool again. I was glad our trip was almost over, I was morosely pondering and praying. I asked the Lord if the diamond was in the pool area to please allow me to find it. An hour later as we were about to leave my foot hit something in the bottom of the pool. IT was small. Could it be? When I flipped it over with my toes, I saw something glitter at the bottom of the pool. I quickly ordered my kids out of the pool, gave Jane to Alex and borrowed his goggles. When I resurfaced I saw all my kids safe and looked in my hand at my lost diamond. I laughed and laughed. God restored the stone of our marriage, he found that which was impossibly hidden from human eye with a lowly foot. What a lesson in God's grace and perfect concern for me. Indeed this diamond will be a double symbol of the love of my husband and my God. And that makes me a recipient twice.