I’m into scrapbooking, but the limited dexterity in my hands makes it difficult.  Someone else has to put the pictures in for me. Recently, I found something that I thought I lost for good.

It was an e-mail from someone named Renee Bondi. She was also in a wheelchair.  She came to speak at a Joni and Friends family retreat.  I e-mailed her because I wanted to thank her for allowing me to talk to her for a while recognizing my need for help. We talked about my frustrations with my aides at home in my day program and wanting to live on my own. After I e-mailed her, she replied back with some advice.

I was so excited, that I printed it out so I could save it and put it in my scrapbook.  I put it on the very bottom shelf where I thought it would be safe. So many different people had been coming in and out of my room helping me with things that it somehow got moved. I went to grab the letter, but it wasn’t there!  What happened to it? I thought.  I had my aides tear my whole room apart looking for it. It’s gone. I thought. I was almost in tears.

            I started blaming my disability.  If I could do it myself, this wouldn’t happen.  I had forgotten that the last aide who helped me with my scrapbook put the letter in the back of the book. I looked there but didn’t see it.  I was in deep despair.  The response back was unexpected. That was pretty special that somebody would take the time to do that – somebody who had been there – who really understands what I’m going through. It’s priceless.  Now we’re friends.  She’s in my prayers.

The aide flipped through the pages and there it was at the back of the book! When I saw it I said, “Thank you Lord!” At least now I know where it is next time I want to look at it.

My letter was in the last place I looked.  Isn’t that just like us? Searching high and low trying to find the right direction to go and it’s right under our noses.  All the answers are right there in the Bible yet that seems to be the last place we look.    We don’t cry out to God until things get really bad. Then we say. “Lord, where are you?”  Just when we think He has left us, the Lord says,  “My child I’m right here!” Then we run to Him. If we ran to Him in the first place, our world would be in a lot less pain. He’s waiting for you with open arms. Will you run to him?

Dear Lord,

Help me to make you the first one I run to.

Amen