Today has been a day of many interesting happenings. 

 

My day began with finding a scorpion in the bathroom, right next to my foot. Do I even need to continue? Charlie was just telling me the other night about finding a few scorpions in the house a  few months back. He hadn’t seen any since then. Well, he saw one today. It was just a little baby scorpion, but hey, what’s life without having a scorpion in your bathroom at least once?

 

I was sitting out at a bar today in one of Arezzo’s main piazzas. This particular bar automatically brings a little biscotto with your caffe. I drank my caffe but passed on the biscotto because they are not my favorite. Apparently little birds really enjoy biscotti because they continued, with no fear I might add, to climb onto my table and eat my biscotto. I figured I would just let them have it instead of letting it go to waste. 

 

To add to that, I am pretty sure the conservatory was right above the bar. I paid way too much for the caffe that I had, but it came with a show. The piazza is called Piazza Grande, and it is a just a big open square with some important government buildings; I think. It will also be the sight of the jousting tournament/show that the city will have in a few weeks. Most importantly though, because Italy has an open window policy the piazza is filled with music and students practicing. It is glorious. Also, I made up the open window policy. It is just how Europe functions in lieu of ginormous American air conditioners. I am a fan of the open window policy. As long as the wind is not blowing on me. Gosh, I am Italian. 

Va bene. Non fa niente. 

 

I came across this question today….

Have you ever searched for a lost person as diligently as you searched for a missing possession? 

 

Knife to the heart. I should tell you something about myself. I am OCD. It is not often that I lose anything. As a child, my mother always taught me that there was a place for everything, and everything needed to be in it’s place. Add that to my OCDness and the result is even things such as my keys and phone have a specific place inside of my purse. Yes, I know, it is a problem. I promise I am able to function in life though. 

 

I have known people who lose everything. All the time. It drives me nuts. I can not comprehend misplacing things because…. they should have just been put where they belong. Once my grandmother “lost” her coffee cup. She had left it in the microwave hours before she discovered that it was lost. See, the microwave was not where that cup belonged. It belonged it her hand. 🙂

I once knew a person who perpetually lost their keys. Now this I surely did not understand. Keys belong in one place at home, one place on person, and in the car. See, simple solution. 

I lied to you. Currently I am missing my camera charger. My theory is that it was left at my sister’s house, of which I am undoubtedly responsible for. I believe the charger has been accumulated into chargers of their own. My theory is such because I would not have left that charger any place other than plugged into the wall where I used it last or in my camera bag. See,

I know why and where it belongs. Oops my sister will read this. Know you are loved sweet sister. 

 

Allora, back to our question. 

Why would this question be so piercing if I do not often experience the search for a missing possession? Well, it’s the thought that counts right?

 

I think of two things mainly. 

1. Some people search really hard and for a long time for missing possessions.
2. Some people are completely unaware of lost people, let alone thinking of searching for them.

 

When I think of the missing coffee cup or the perpetually lost keys, the same thing happened in both scenarios. We dropped everything to search for what was missing. In those moments, nothing else matters because life could not go on without either. Coffee is an absolute necessity, and it’s not like we actually walk anywhere in America. It was of utmost importance that those possessions be found. What if? What if we put everything aside to search for the lost. Sadly, even though most, but not all, American Christians surround themselves with only other Christians, we would not have to go very far to find a lost person. Knock on your neighbors door. I bet you will find one. 

 

Speaking of being challenged and convicted….. I challenge you to both, be convicted to search for and to actually search for the lost.

I am convicted. I woke up this morning and thought of what my schedule needed to look like in order to get done what I needed to get done today. I do not recall thinking this morning about searching for a lost person. Knife to the heart. 

I’m preparing to lead students in worship this summer. That is needed. But to miss my opportunity to search out lost people would be a tragedy. Let me not forget…….