Lost keys

I have been meaning to write about this for a week.

Craig lost his keys. The ones that have the key to the car. Since the car was here, we knew the keys were here too. There was also some of the keys to his work. That was the bad part. We had a spare key to the car, not so much to work.

First I know is he rushes into the room where I am and tells me that I need to help him find his keys and then he rushes back out.

I have no idea where he has been. I'm getting the boys ready for school. It was almost the last day. So I'm worried about lunches and the kitty litter box and just getting done from my work out.

I find him and ask him if he's prayed about. "I already have" he tells me.

He grabs the spare key and takes Josh to school before he heads into work.

I look in the obvious places: his pants, the drawer where we keep the keys, under the bed, on the table by the bed. Then I look in the not so obvious places: the fridge, the freezer, under the couches in the clothes hamper, in the kitchen garbage ( I took the liner out and felt through the garbage bag) in some of his coats (it had been warm enough not to need the coats or jackets).

Stumped, I went in to take my shower. I still had to go to work. While I was in there, I remembered a plant had been knocked over by the front steps. I noticed it when I took Boaz to the bus.

I got dressed, did my face and went and looked at that spot. I was sure I would find the keys and then I could take them to Craig before work. I'd be a bit late, but it would be all good. Quite frankly, I was feeling a bit superior about getting an answer to prayer, just like the other two recent times when I had lost something. I mean isn't that what prayer is all about?

The keys were not there.

I was surprised.

I was disappointed.

I wondered that what had worked before was not working now.

I was worried.

I went to work. I pondered. I prayed. I thought of hiding places. I told my friend and she told me to go home and look. The thing was, I already had and didn't know where else to look.

After work, I looked in all those places again. I thought about the big garbage can, but didn't really want to dumpster dive in that mess.

Craig came home and I couldn't tell him that I had found them.

We stopped looking in every nook and cranny for the lost keys. Craig said they would turn up.

The next weekend Boaz was getting baptized. My sister, Deb, was driving up to celebrate Boaz's big day. They got to the house about two in the morning. I grabbed my robe and welcomed her and Raven to our home. I had fresh sheets on the bed ready and waiting for them. Craig followed me out in his robe. We said good night to Deb and Raven and I turned to follow Craig back into the bedroom and he shook his pocket and it jingled. The keys were safe in the pocket of the robe.

I can say, whether immediately or later, that God does answer prayers.