My First Ring

I was in the first grade.

I had received my first real gold ring with my birthstone in it from my aunt.

I wore it to school one day and a friend asked to wear it and I agreed.

Later, I asked for it back and she asked to wear it longer.

After recess that day, I again asked for it back and she told me that she had lost it on the playground.

I went home that day heartbroken.

My special ring was gone.

My mom told me something that I have always remembered:

"Sometimes God gives you things that He only allows you to keep for a season.
If He gives them back, then Thank Him. If not, Thank Him for the time He allowed you to keep them."

I Thanked Him for my ring and the time He had allowed me to keep it.

Several weeks later, I went to put my new backpack on its hook at school.

My old backpack, the one with holes all in the bottom of it, was still hanging there…empty.

I opened it and looked inside.

At the bottom, in the midst of all the holes, lay my ring.

I still have it to this day…as a remembrance of God allowing me to have my ring back.

…as a remembrance of God showing me His faithful love for a first grader.

…as a remembrance that God heard and answered my prayer.

…as a remembrance that God does miracles.

During my lifetime, not everything has been given back.

And when they were, it was definitely not as memorable.

It is just a reminder to me that ALL things are From Him, To Him and He deserves the Glory!

On Saturday, January 10, 2015, our Toyota Land Cruiser was stolen.

Just like my ring, we Thank Him for the time He allowed us to have and use it.

That truck was From Him and we give it back To Him and now…
…whatever happens
…whether we recover it or not
…whether God gives us something different in its place

…Jesus deserves all the Glory!