This past week, I spent time with my son and his beautiful family. My son, daughter-in-love and my two beautiful grandbabies decided to take me out shopping for no reason. It wasn’t my birthday and they said it was not because it was Christmastime. It was simply to just say you are loved. I was so excited because my son told me to think of something(s) I really wanted but either wouldn’t buy for myself or just hadn’t gotten around to it. Now of course I knew there had to be a dollar limit so I wasn’t going to go crazy, nor would I any way, but the thought of going shopping picking out what I want and my son and daughter-in-love were treating me was pure delight.
As I prepared for our outing, I put on one of my comfortable holiday outfits because I knew we would be walking and of course I would be holding my granddaughter Siena and running after my grandson Grayson, but I didn’t think the situation through all the way. I wanted to add just a little touch of sparkle to my outfit so at the last minute, I put on one of my favorite broaches. It was a broach I found in the gift shop at the Nixon Library when I was there for a speaking engagement. The curator said it was a replica of one of the broaches Pat Nixon would often wear. It is in the shape of a wreath made up of little crystals.
Going back as far as I can remember my grandmother, “Mother Dear” would wear broaches and then I began to pay attention to the broaches worn by Margaret Thatcher. From this fascination, I began to collect broaches or pins because they represented simple elegance in my mind. You don’t need to wear too much else when you wear a broach. Keep it simple. What was I thinking wearing such a piece on a day when there would be a lot of hustle and bustle and when I knew I would be carrying my grandbabies? That’s the problem, I didn’t think about it I just put it on. When I arrived back home at the end of this joyful day, I noticed it was no longer on my shirt. I frantically ran around everywhere looking for it and to my dismay I could not find it anywhere.
The next day, I shared with my children that I had lost the pin and of course they were sorry and my daughter-in-love, Sara, even asked me where I bought it and how could she try and buy another one for me. When I explained to her the history and that it was just a “thing” and I had to let it go she still wanted to try and get another one for me. I concluded that it was gone and that I needed to learn the lesson from this situation – don’t wear such things on days when I would be running around with my grandbabies and not paying attention. In my mind I was okay because it was just a thing and that the time I spent with my children was way more valuable than anything else.
Then the next morning, I was having a little talk with Jesus and I said to him, “Lord, I know this is probably petty and I shouldn’t be praying about something like a piece of jewelry, but I told him that I really liked it and I would really like to have it back. I told Him I learned my lesson and that I wouldn’t be so careless in the future.” I thought it would take a miracle for me to find the broach now since I had already looked everywhere. Then literally within minutes after praying, I turned and found it on the ground. Seriously! This touched me in such a way not because I had to have the broach back, but because it reassured me that God cares about me and hears all my prayers. God is in the miracle business in all of our lives big or small.
Healing Without Hate: It’s a choice. It’s a lifestyle. Pass it on!
Visit www.WendyGladney.com and www.forgivingforliving.org to learn more. Wendy is an international coach, consultant, trainer, author and speaker.
