Answered Prayer I- The Wallet

Stories of answered prayer are confirmations of our faith. These stories may sound trivial- trite- even glib (thank you very much, Mr. Cruise, for your wacky interview that made this word a part of my vocabulary). These stories just remind me that God cares for me. He takes care of me. He takes care of even the little things. As childish or foolish as that may sound to some, I believe it. I can't prove it. That's why it's called faith. God has provided in so many big and small ways, and to lighten up all my day to day grumbling, it's good to remember what He has done.

(I won't post one of these everyday, but whenever one comes to mind.)

At the end of a summer living in Baltimore, I was playing pool with some friends. I had taken all the money out of my bank account for the trip back to Texas, and it was in my wallet. I went to the ladies room and came back to finish the game. We played a few more games. I can't remember exactly how much time went by. My Irish/Canadian friend, Laura Milner (Laura, where are you?! Are you and Jarman still in Boston?), later said the color in my face just drained as I ran toward the bathroom. I had suddenly remembered that I left my wallet in the stall in the bathroom. The pool hall wasn't packed, but it was busy enough, and if I remember correctly, there was only one toilet in the women's restroom. I prayed hard as I ran to the bathroom. "Please, let it be there!" And it was. My wallet was there on the toilet paper dispenser where I had left it.

There was an SNL skit with Sally Fields where she plays a Christian housewife who Jesus comes to visit. He tries to explain to her that it's okay to pray for big things like global peace, but that maybe she shouldn't pray for small stuff like asking God to not let the rice be sticky (Phil Hartman played Jesus and he was hilarious). But God does want us to talk to Him about whatever our needs are, big or small, and He does want us to talk to Him all the time. Running out of wine at a wedding is not a global emergency, yet Jesus did provide. And maybe losing my wallet wouldn't have been the biggest loss of my life, but I didn't have to scrounge up cash from friends and all my poor relatives to make it back to Texas, and I didn't have to make the trip without my driver's license. My wallet was still there. I give thanks to God for this.

Next time I'll write about G's deceased mother's ring that flew off my finger into the duck pond... or maybe my lack of money for the band trip to San Diego... or maybe about...