My husband and I celebrated my birthday this past Saturday with a trip to Cleburne, the theatre, and dinner with friends. Relaxed and content, Dick and I climbed into the car, ready to enjoy our long ride home.
About fifteen miles out of Cleburne I reached to adjust my glasses. My hand brushed the side of my ear and panic swept through me like a down-draft. “It’s gone.” I shouted and rubbed my ear lobe.
“What’s gone?” Dick jammed on brakes, swerved, and pulled to the side of the road.
“My new earring.” I wailed. “I’ve lost my earring.”
“How? Where?” Dick glared at me like I’d lost my mind.
“If I knew where it wouldn’t be lost.” My mind raced back to Cleburne and I mentally retraced my steps. I had the earrings on 
at dinner. One friend had voiced how lovely they were. How would I ever be able to tell Lisa and Michael.
Our daughter-in-law is the best gift-picker-outer ever. She and my son had sent two pair of unique, creative silver earrings from
the Kennedy Center in Washington for my birthday, just last week. This was the first time I had worn my beautiful gift.
“Dear God,” I breathed. “Please help me find my earring.”
“Why don’t you call the restaurant and see if anyone found them,” Dick said.
A short phone call brought discouraging news—no earring found.
“Honey, would you mind going back?” I knew my request meant we would be late arriving home. Too late to watch Dick’s Nascar race. And, it might be a useless trip. Still, I had to return to search for my treasured gift of love.
We parked in the same spot we left forty-five minutes earlier and retraced our steps between the car and the restaurant. I walked through the parking lot, my eyes scanning every inch of black asphalt. Remembering I had hugged a friend goodbye before we walked to our car, I stepped onto the sidewalk right where we had left the couple. I looked down.
The earring lay on the cement, right where it must have fallen.
Relief and joy replaced the weight of despair as I snatched and held up the recovered treasure for my sweet husband to see.
His eyes widened and a smile spread across his face. “DiAne, you have got to be one of the most…”
I interrupted, “…blessed.” I said.
He hugged me. “Yes, dear, blessed.”
As we drove home, an enormous moon topped the horizon and I thought of the scripture where Jesus tells of the Shepherd who loved His sheep so much He left the ninety-nine obedient sheep to go search for one lost lamb.
The earrings were gorgeous and a wonderful gift, but the givers of my gift are the objects of my love. She loved me enough to 
pick out jewelry she knew I would enjoy and my love for my son and daughter-in-law caused me to search for my lost present.
In just that way, the Greatest Gift-Giver of the Universe offers each one of us His mercy, His grace, and His forgiveness. Forever. A priceless gift of love purchased with the blood of His only Son. And we risk losing that priceless treasure when we run from His amazing love. Why?
I rehearsed the scripture again. And remembered a time when I strayed because I was rebellious and lost. Lost in the false 
thrill of doing my own thing. But Jesus sought and found me. Forgave me. Restored me to a relationship with Him, because He loved me enough to take my punishment—death. And give me life—new life in Him.
How about you? How long have you been running? Lost and alone, running from the Father who loves you? The Shepherd is searching.
picture
“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He who is a hireling, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, beholds the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and flees, and the wolf snatches them, and scatters them. He flees because he is a hireling, and is not concerned about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My own, and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep” (John 10:11-15 NAS).
MOVING THE ANCIENT BOUNDARIES 
As usual, you find God’s truth in life’s common scenarios. Most women have lost an earring at some time or other. Some are special, some are not. Yours was in that first category. Finding that which was lost, after much care, diligence and prayer was rewarded. Similar to a friend’s loss of his wedding ring this summer while he swam in the river. The family kept returning to the site. He searched, lamenting one of his most precious possessions. Two weeks later, his little daughters found it on the wet and muddy at the edge. His wife posted the video made when his kids jumped and squealed with their incredible find. Immediately we are reminded of the great rejoicing in heaven over the one lost soul who was found.
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Events like these always remind me how much God loves us. And these times remind me God’s ways are not our ways. There are times when the answer we desire doesn’t come. Does that mean He has turned a deaf ear? Or He doesn’t care. Oh my no. God always answers our cries, it’s just sometimes what we want are not His best for us. But I love those times when I cry and He wraps me in the understanding and knowledge of how much He truly loves us. Thanks for sharing, Judy.
DiAne
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Shirley, I got your email and loved hearing from you. It sure looks like we are headed for a soon return of our Lord Jesus, doesn’t it. Even though we look at what is going on all over the world we can take joy in knowing Jesus told us all this would happen and that we are to stand firm and look for Him. Some Golden Day Break…..
I’m so happy for you about your book. God will provide what you need…just don’t run ahead of Him. I look forward to reading the wisdom of your words.
Thanks for reading and commenting. I always enjoy what you have to share.
DiAne
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It’s wonderful when we can look at a situation and see a positive picture and in such a beautiful way correlate the situation to something God has done and is still doing. You related the lost and finding of an earring and the giver of the gift to our being lost and found and the giver of the gift of our Salvation finding us. You are truly blessed. I sent you an email a few days ago. Happy birthday
Your New York friend
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What a beautiful testimony of God’s faithfulness and also you trusting in His promises. Thank you so much for sharing. Blessings galore, Barbara
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Once we were leading a group of teens on a retreat when one of the girls realized she had lost her new birthstone ring (diamond) which her mom had told her she should not bring to the park for the tenting overnighter. (!)
However, God helped us find it, and that, at night! In the dust!
We certainly were experiencing what you felt about the earrings, plus the added knowledge that even though she had been disobedient, God was willing to honor her trust and show where it was.
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Katharine, what a testimony and a lesson for this teen of the power and might of our Great God, but also a witness to His mercy and grace–even when we’re disobedient.
Would that God’s people would realize these two statements about our Everlasting Father in Heaven. Would that we would humble ourselves before Him, confess and repent of our sins so that He could forgive our sins and heal our land.
DiAne
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Love your blessing. I lost an earring once as I walked from my office across town. I looked and looked and looked. Didn’t find it. Prayed and asked God to direct me to it. Two weeks later as I walked the same path I’d walked at least 5 times since losing my earring, I looked down and there it was. Evidently it had been in the grass and when they weedeated, it had been thrown back on the sidewalk…or there was an angel…
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Can you just imagine, from our tiny perspective, what joy there is in heaven over one soul…found. Saved for eternity. Thanks for reading and sharing, Pat.
DiAne
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Isn’t it neat how God cares about the smallest things, anything that troubles us. Nothing is too small or too big for our God. Thanks for the reminder that we are His treasure & He loves us.
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