Precious Things

            I’m not a huge jewelry person but most days you can find me in a pair of studs and my Alabama class ring. I’m also not the most observant person but one day last week I was laying on my couch and noticed my right ring finger felt bare. I noticed I wasn’t wearing my ring but I shrugged it off and decided I’d look for it the next day. But when the ring wasn’t in its usual spot in my jewelry box, my car, or anywhere at my job I started to panic. I racked my brain of all the places I had visited in recent days and began to call local businesses to see if they had found a gold Alabama ring. No luck. 
            I couldn’t take my mind off my ring, but resolved I would find it and decided to go to sleep…or so I thought. I woke up at 4am with my ring on my mind. I knew it had to be somewhere in my apartment or my car. So since it was a workday I figured I’d search for a little bit and go back to sleep since I had to be up just after 7 a.m. But luckily it didn’t take long for me to find my ring, it was in the bottom of my work bag. This work bag was the same bag on my shoulder the previous day as I lamented to my coworker about my fears. I contemplated sending a station wide email out to see if anyone had seen my ring. Once I found the ring I kissed it and climbed back in bed. I was so joyful. I hadn’t looked into the option of ordering another ring from Balfour but I knew it wouldn’t be cheap. I just knew I had to find it. While I was feeling the joy of finding my ring I immediately thought of God. A scripture that came to mind:
           “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one, does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.'” In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:8-10)

sporting my ring after my ring ceremony spring senior year (May 2013)

         Finding my ring helped illustrate that scripture for me; it really encouraged me to be persistent trying to reach people. I’m convinced God doesn’t give up on any of His lost sons and daughters until the end of time and I don’t want to either. I imagine my life much like how I approached track in high school—leave everything on the track and give it my all crossing the line. I want to do the same in life and hopefully during my race I can encourage people through my walk and talk and help guide them to a relationship with Jesus.
 
      “…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart…therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. “Make level paths for your feet,” so that lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.” (Hebrews 12: 1-3; 12)
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