A Really Good Story

Nearly three years ago I did a really stupid thing. Ok, so many of you are thinking, what's new? This however, has to rank right up there as one of the most idiotic things I have ever done in a long, long time. Nearly three years ago I put my wedding ring on and was headed out the front door. I was on my way to Bear Lake. The trouble is, it was the only ring I placed on my finger that day. I am a creature of habit and I either wear all of my rings, (mother's ring, CTR ring, and wedding ring) or none of my rings. For some reason that morning, I had slipped on my wedding ring to wear to the cabin on this particular weekend and not my other rings. After I placed my wedding ring on my finger that day, I heard that same familiar voice I hear quite often in my head. The spirit spoke to me directly, "You shouldn't wear that to the cabin alone, you'll loose it." I don't know why, but sometimes I just don't listen to that voice, and off I went. After having a great weekend at the cabin, I arrived home. That's when my feeble brain suddenly remembered that of all things to forget, I had forgot to wear my ring home, I went into a serious panic. I was worried sick about it, so I called a good friend of mine who was headed up to the Lake and ask her if she would go over to my cabin and bring it home. She was more than willing, and I was relieved to know that soon I'd have my ring back with me safe and sound. Later that same day I received a phone call. "Faye," my friend clambered over the phone, "I'm at the cabin and your ring is not here." Then she went on to tell me how it was not in my jewelry box like I had thought or anywhere in my closet for that matter. In fact, she said she looked everywhere for it and it just wasn't anywhere to be found. In that moment, everything inside me started churning and I felt sick all over. At that time there were several people going in and out of my cabin for different reasons. Immediately I suspected someone had stolen it. For weeks and months I hunted for my ring in every place I could think of. I hunted at the cabin over and over again. I hunted at my home rigorously time and time again. For over a solid year I just kept looking in the same drawers, the same boxes, the same hidden places I have stored things away in all my life. As time passed I became obsessed with checking pockets and searching anything I gave to the D.I.. It wasn't long before a year went by, then it was two, and then three. A good friend of ours who runs a diamond business out of his home told Glade and I where we could go on line and look for a new ring to purchase for a good price. I spent so much time on the internet looking at one ring after another. I went to every store searching for a new ring, but every time I saw a different setting, I would consign myself to the idea of never looking again, boobing over my loss, and just wishing I could find my old ring that I loved. The fact of the matter was, I didn't want another wedding ring. I wanted the one Glade picked out for me, the one he gave me, the one he slipped on my finger 31 years ago while we were standing on top of the outside patio on the top of the church office building. They don't even let the general public travel to the top floor to go out on that patio anymore, it was a sentimental moment and I'm a sentimentalist! I wanted the ring that my "hunk a hunk man" slipped on my finger that sweet sunny October day. That was the day he pointed down at the Salt Lake Temple and asked me if I'd like to enter that building with him and become his eternal sweetheart. It was a romantic moment I'll never forget. My wedding ring was so unique and in all of my life I've never seen another one like it. Also my diamond was one of excellent quality, irreplaceable in my mind. Finally, I had given up and consigned my self to never owning another one. In fact I bought a ten dollar fake ring at Dillards and decided that would suffice if I ever felt like wearing a diamond. Years ago, Glade had made me a gold wedding band when he was in dental school. The fact that he made it for me gave the ring great meaning and I had decided that a ring with meaning was worth more than a ring with a big fat pricey diamond in it. Well, sometimes it takes some time for the Lord to show a person a thing or two. Now, does anyone remember my cleaning obsession in preparations for Kelson to come home. I was nearing the end of it. I had made my way through each room of the house and now my best living room was one of the few rooms left that needed my attention. I was deep into my cleaning frenzy, working along when I heard the voice in my head. "Better dust that curio inside!" it said. Once again I had a little argument with the voice. "It's not even that dusty," I fired back. But I decided to listen this time, considering it had only been dusted once in it's entire existence; Besides, I've had too many experiences with the voice! I was singing to the radio, removing all the little mementos from it when I came upon a little tiny jewelry box. Oh, it's the sweetest little thing. It was a gift my kids gave me years ago. It has the cutest little saying on the inside of it about how priceless a mother's love is. I held it up in my hands deeply admiring it as I sat down on the couch. I was reminiscing about the day I recieved it. On top of it are three little tiny bird eggs in a nest. (Remember I am mother bird and I'm sure they looked for a nest with 8 eggs, but honestly I don't know any birds that give birth to 8 beaks, three would have to do.) The bottom half of the nest is painted green like the grass. It's a dear little thing, sweet to my heart and in thinking about how much I love it, I opened the lid. That's when I saw it; My eyes could not believe the sight. There in the bottom resting on top of the quaint little saying sat my wedding ring. Tears immediately flooded down my face and I fell to my knees in a fit of thanks to my Father in Heaven for bringing it to me. I prayed so much gratitude that day as I sat there on my knees soaking the couch, balling my eyes out. After I recovered from the shock and the emotion of the moment my mind remembered what I had done. It came so clear to me like I was right back to the day I had placed it there. On that fateful day that I was warned not to wear the ring alone, I changed my mind the second before I flew out the front door. Yes, I listened to the voice at the last second! I indeed listened. The trouble is as I sat there I realized I only listened to the first warning, you know, the one that said "Don't wear that to the cabin." This is where you get the big "HOWEVER." Yes, however, the part of the instruction I didn't listen to ........ was the part where the voice said, "you better not put that there, you'll forget where you left it." Hahahahhaha, it's true! I was in a rush that day and as I stopped myself short of the front door, deciding not to wear the ring, I looked around for a safe place to put it. I was in a hurry for some reason that day and I didn't want to travel all the way back to my bedroom to put it in the same place I've kept it for 31 years. I mean after all, it's more than a few steps and it would have taken me a whole extra minute! So I looked around for a safe place to stick it so that I didn't have to retrace my steps nor worry about it while I was gone. That's when I saw the little jewelry box sitting in my curio, and that's when I got the really super duper bright idea to leave my ring inside it, and that's when the voice told me not to put it there because I would forget where I put it, and I did ..... I forgot where I put it for three years. LOL! Now as I sat there holding the little jewelry box in my hand, in my mind it was like watching footage from an old movie and I could clearly remember everything I had done on the day I placed it there. I just know that's how it's going to be when I stand before God at the judgment bar. Holy Cow! My memory is going to be clear as bell! Now the story doesn't end here. After mopping up all my tears once again my ingenious brain conjured up a brilliant idea. It was the evil in me coming out. Right then and there I formulated a plan. It required me to bite my tongue and not say a word to anyone for three weeks. I want to say right here and now that holding onto my priceless secret nearly killed me. Every once in a while I would sneak in my best living room and try my diamond on. One day while I was home alone I even soaked it and cleaned it, admiring it on my finger right before I put it back. OH, it was torture knowing it was there and not being able to speak about it. Then as Christmas grew near I wrapped it inside one box after another. You know, like those little dolls that come from Russia and the dolls get smaller and smaller as you take one out of the other. That's what I did with the boxes until I got to a little tiny one that fit my huge surprise. Then I waited patiently until every gift had been given. Glade hates to spend money, so when I jumped to my feet and looked him in the eye and told him, "Hey honey, you know how I'm the queen of gifts? Well, I have one more gift for you and it's a doosey!" That's when the blood started to drain from his face. We were trying to be very frugal this Christmas and we had told each other no gifts, maybe something just little. In years past I've given Glade things like 4 wheelers and trampolines and pricey stuff that he was always too cheap to go out and buy himself. Hahahahhah So when I told him I'm the queen of Gifts he knew I was not exaggerating in the least bit. Anyone who knows me knows full well that I love to spend money. Well, my dad always said "Money is made round to roll not flat to stack!" I'm a believer!!! By the time I got to the part in my trumped up story that he should prepare himself because this gift cost him thousands of dollars (well, I wasn't lying; it did in the begining when he bought it for me!) Well, let me just say that the color on Glade's face was very similar to that pasty gray look that a dead person takes on when blood no longer flows in their veins. I am certain there was not one ounce of blood left in Glade's head; it had all drained to his feet. That's when I led him on a little hunt. I stashed little clues all over the house and he had to go and find them, one right after the other. He was so panicked because I did the very same thing last year and it led him to a Big Bubbas low boy trailer out behind our house, a trailer he could haul his jeep on. Beads of sweat were now pouring from his head as he neared the end of the search. Then he found it, the big box wrapped in Christmas paper. He was a little relieved that nothing with an engine could fit in it and he didn't have to make his way outside to some large object parked in the driveway. But remember there was still the thought banging around in his head that it cost thousands of dollars. He sat down in the chair and opened the first box and then one box after another. I think sheer and utter shock now had set in permanently and I think right then and there he probably thought I went out and bought myself a brand new ring, after all it's not unlike me. I'm married to the greatest man ever, who tolerates me going out and buying anything I want. I have to tell you, I have long loved Glade because he has put up with my frivolous spending habits his whole life. My husband loves his wife more than he loves his money! And for that he is the "King of Hearts!" I have had the greatest life, because my husband who never buys himself anything lets me spend money as freely as I want and I love him dearly for the way he has been Job in the "Be Patient" department when I do. Well, when he opened up the tiniest ring box and saw my wedding ring tears burst from his eyes the same way they had from mine. I think at that moment he was calculating all the money he saved, or maybe that his wife didn't want a bigger fancier ring, what ever the case it was sheer joy on his face! That moment in time, the look that sprang from his soul is a memory I will never forget. It was love displayed in its fullest. It was totally worth the three years of missing my ring just to see it! So that's it, isn't that the greatest story ever? Well, it is to me, and to Glade too. Hey honey, for once I saved you money ....... Hahahah I love you so much! You have good taste in rings!

THE END :)