Found; Forgiven; Forever

     Well, for the second time in as many weeks, I was certain I had lost something nearly priceless.  Only this time--had I lost it--I would no longer be writing this blog.  No, I would have already entered the witness protection program and would be on my way to life in Outer Mongolia or Siberia.
     Thankfully disaster was avoided, no crash course in foreign languages was necessary...and here I am.  A little shaken...and ashamed, to be sure, but still here.
     It all began with an innocent email about our family wedding veil.  Our daughter, Mary Norris, was the most recent bride in our extended family to enjoy the privilege of wearing this exquisite, hand-made veil that has been passed down through the generations.

     My mother wore it many, many years ago.  My first cousins wore it.  My sister wore it.  I wore it. The daughters of my first cousin wore it.  My nieces wore it.  And our daughter wore it.  Oh what a gift to see yet another bride don this delicate family heirloom.  Think of all the marriages...all the love...all the beloved women who have worn it on their most special of days.
      The email mentioned that it was time to return the veil to my cousin Vicky--the official keeper and protector of the veil.  No problem, I immediately emailed back.  I had forgotten all about the veil after the wedding, but it was upstairs in my daughter's room in the fancy smancy special preservation box. I had taken great care of it, I assured everyone, and all was well.
      I ran upstairs confidently (maybe even, dare I say it, a bit smugly) to fetch it, and voila--
      ...no box.  No veil.  No nothing.
      No problem.  I'm sure we somehow moved it to another room.  I'll just go look in the closets...and the other bedrooms...and the basement...and the attic...and under every blasted bed in the house...and in the bathrooms (yeah, you'd be amazed where you look when you are in full blown panic mode)...and...and...OH MY STARS!  I HAVE LOST THE FAMILY VEIL!  I HAVE LOST THE FAMILY VEIL!  IT IS GONE...AND IT IS ALL MY FAULT!  HOW COULD I BE SUCH AN IDIOT?  HOW COULD I BE SO CARELESS? NO WONDER I ONCE GOT THAT C IN SELF-CONTROL IN 2ND GRADE!  I'M SO DISORGANIZED...And so it went.  On and on. Berating myself.  Beating myself up while running around searching frantically.
     Which is soooo helpful.
      After wasting a few minutes in the panic/self-critical mode, the Lord's still, small voice somehow broke through.  Have you prayed?  Have you asked Your Father?  Have you asked the One who has never lost one thing in this vast universe and who knows even the very hairs on your head?  Have you sought Him in the midst of all this?
     Well, no, Lord, actually I just preferred freaking out and blasting myself.  Because that always works so well, doesn't it?  Yeah, right.
     Now here's what I would have done if I were God--leave me to stew in my own self-reprimanding juices.  I'd of said: let her figure it out if she's so quick to lean on her own (terribly limited) understanding and depend on her own (pitiful) resources.
     Because that's what I totally deserved.
     That's what I deserved.  But that's not what I received.  Because our God is a God of infinite and beautiful grace.  His unmerited, undeserved, unearned favor.
     And so my forever faithful Father calmed my heart and, somehow, in the recesses of my frantic mind, spoke truth.
     Now the Holy Spirit speaks truth in kinds of ways--sometimes in Bible verses; sometimes in biblical principles; sometimes in simple right versus wrong; sometimes in the application of wisdom. But yesterday He spoke in the form of a gentle tugging--"Didn't you take the veil to someone to have those tiny tears repaired?"  
     Oh mercy, could it be?  I had completely forgotten!  Seriously, no memory of it whatsoever (I blame it on mother-of-the-bride brain...and old age).
     Sure enough, after a few phone calls, we discovered the veil was still with the seamstress for repair.  Seems she had forgotten about it as well!  But it was safe and sound.  I could breathe once more and could put off any immediate plans for the witness protection program.
     Just this morning I read these words: "For He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source.  That is why He is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying 'I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.'  And again, 'I will put my trust in him.' And again, 'Behold, I and the children God has given Me.'" (Heb.2:11-13)
     It stopped me cold.  The Lord Jesus--the perfect, eternal, sinless, glorious Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer is not ashamed to call me His sister.  Even when I lose things I should never lose or say things I should never say or think things I should never think.  Even when I blow it big-time.  Even when I panic.  Even when I forget.  Even when I fail.  Even when I berate myself and see nothing but a giant mess-up...He sees the one He adores.  The one He died to redeem.  The one He tells His Father is His beloved little sis.  And the one whose sins He has covered with His blood at the cross.
     Not because I deserved it or earned it.  No, absolutely not!  Not even one tiny little iota!  Simply because He is a God of unfathomable love, mercy, goodness, and grace.
     Yes, thank the Lord we found the veil.  But infinitely greater, PRAISE GOD our Savior found us...and saved us...and loves us...and calls us His brothers and sisters.  
     Found.  Forgiven.  Forever.
     No matter what your weaknesses.  No matter what  your failures.  No matter what your struggles--never forget you are beloved by the only Begotten Son of God.  If Christ is your Savior, you too are found and forgiven, forever.  Done.    
     He is not ashamed to call you His sister or brother...but delights to call you His own.
     To God--our wonderful, merciful Savior--be all the glory.