Man, am I dumb.
Here is the whole backstory, as well as a practical application:
Every Easter Sunday, my family joins with my brother and sister’s families for our Easter celebration. After a lovely dinner, we all head outside to participate in what has become the near-legendary draw of the day: The egg toss.
I’m not sure how it started, by my sister and I know that it extends back beyond fifteen years, back when the kids were small, or yet to be born. It has become a fun family tradition.
Here is the basic set-up. Everyone lines up from tallest to shortest, then teams of two are chosen from both ends of the line. THis ensures that my super-tall brother-in-law always has the tiniest kid as his partner. This plays to my advantage, so I have never pushed to make it more fair.
Next, all the teammates line up across from each other, a few feet apart.
On the given command, the eggs are tossed. Those teams with their eggs intact take a step backwards, and we do it again. Eventually, all the eggs are broken, except one, and the winner is declared. Cute, right? Messy, definitely.
Perhaps I should clarify what I mean by egg “toss.” Back when the kids were little, we were happy they could catch them at all. A ten, or even twenty foot toss and catch was considered a resounding success. But as the years have passed, our little kids, and the distance of their tosses have grown dramatically. It is now not uncommon to see an NFL heave of 40-50 or even 60 YARDS, ending with a successful catch. Yes, it is a skill that can be developed.
So, this year I was teamed with my nephew, Cole. Second toss, I felt a little “ting.” I looked closely at the egg – it was still intact, but I could see a tiny dent that I knew would prove to be its destruction on the subsequent toss. I threw it back to Cole, and it exploded all over his hands. (Better him than me.) I knew from experience that the fatal dent in the egg was caused by my wedding ring. We finished that round, and prepared for round 2.
I took off my ring, and slipped it into my pocket. Just for the rest of the activity.
Jump to yesterday afternoon. I was sitting at work, mindlessly typing, (As I do so often) and I looked down at my hands and noticed something wrong: My ring was gone. I panicked.
I love my wedding ring. I love the ring itself, and more importably, what it represents. I have even written about how much I love my wedding ring, and how once it even saved my fingers from a gruesome chainsaw detachment. (Link here)
I spent the afternoon searching the house, my car, pestering my sister, and worrying. Today, I rent the metal detector and head to the park like an old retired man at the beach. I plan on wearing black socks with sandals to complete the “look.”
Hopefully I will find it. Besides, I just took it off for a minute…
——-
Application:
Imagine that my ring represented my commitment to the Savior and his commandment. Maybe I’m tired, maybe I’m mad about something, maybe I’m bored, maybe I’m a little restless, and I decide that I am going to “take a break” just for a little while. Maybe just for day, a week or a month. Maybe I’ll skip church today because I had such a busy week. Maybe I’ll skip scriptures this morning because we all stayed up too late last night. Maybe I’ll let down my guard – just until I finish this important activity.
See how easy it is to “take off the ring” for just a minute? No harm in that, right?
The scary part is that it is not always easy to find it again and put it back on.
One day you look down and realize that something important is missing, and now your life becomes all about finding it again. It can be a struggle.
The Parable of the Lost Coin – Luke 15:8-10
Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.
Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
It was surely dumb of me to risk my ring to participate in something as trivial as an egg toss. I’m counting on you to rejoice with me if I find it.
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My husband lost his ring during a turkey bowl one Thanksgiving day. Those parks make them so hard to find. I think it was sweet of you to recognize the source of damage to the egg and correct it for round two…another analogy there…I’m sure your nephew appreciated it too. Love the analogy you shared. Hope you find it!
Super great analogy, but honestly Bradley, never take off the ring! Unless you’re an electrician 🙂 of course I’m saying this from the other side of the coin (a divorce). It’s just a ring, right?
socks with sandals…you gave away your BYU roots rights there. Made me laugh out loud…can totally picture it.
Hope you found it.
My EC lost his first ring just after our first anniversary. I got him a cheap, slightly too big replacement. That ring slid of his finger constantly but he had it for five years. Finally that ring got lost in the snow while helping the kids build a snowman. The next one he had lasted six months and was lost at a park. He’s now on his fourth ring. I keep my eyes open for sales for the kind of ring he likes. It wouldn’t hurt to have a back up.
Ouch! Keeping my baptism covenants here and mourning with you first over your lost ring. I hope to be able to rejoice with you soon when you give us the good news of the “piece that was lost”.
If you had a two year old I would suggest combing the trash. Enough said. It’s gone forever.
going through flight school, there is a poster on the wall showing a wedding ring and a hand…the right finger looks skeletal, because the man’s ring caught on a part of the aircraft and you can cringe as you imagine what happened. So we were always told to remove watches and rings during preflight. I always put mine in the sleeve pocket on my shoulder. One day after finishing class, I went to put my ring on, and discovered that my pocket was unzipped, with no ring to be found inside. I spent 2 hours walking the flight line trying to figure out where it fell out and crawling all over the aircraft I flew that day. No avail. I was distraught even though our complete set had cost less than $200. (bought when we were poor college students). After a few prayers that night I went back to the flight line the next morning. As I walked to my aircraft for that day I noticed a glint in the grass, and there it was. Not even on a part of the airfield we had been on the previous day. It must have fallen out as we were flying!
On a side note, for our 10th anniversary we “upgraded” to more expensive and decorative rings than the plain bands and solitaire we could afford when we got married. Ironically, we only wear them when we “dress up” we both still prefer the plain bands for “real life” wear.
Nice post! I hope you find your ring 🙂
Ohhhhhh, I sure hope you find it. I can imagine how you felt when you saw it missing. I am praying you will find it.
Oh no… I feel your pain. I lost the broach my grandmother gave to me when I was going through a “haunted forest” one Halloween. It was a special heirloom that grandpa had given to her on their engagement. It was so stupid that I was even wearing it. I made all the actor-zombies stop and turn on the lights and search. Each time another group approached, we would turn off the lights, they would do their zombie thing, then we would turn the lights back on and search. I went back in the daylight several times to search again. We never found it. To this day (30 years later) it still makes me sick when I think about it. So, I hope you will find your ring!
I liked your metaphor. Conference had a lot of warnings about becoming “distracted,” which, as you’ve illustrated, leaves us vulnerable to losing the important things in life. For me, I lose to much precious time, and I miss opportunities with people I love.
Here’s hoping to be able to rejoice with you!
I once took my ring off while I was painting a mural for a client. I was working in Palm Springs (I live in Valley Center-an hour’s drive away) I had to finish up since my client was moving in the next day. It was 3AM when I finished. My husband was helping me pack up and clean up. As we finished putting the last item in the car, I realized I didn’t have my ring. I absolutely knew I had put it in my jeans pocket but it was NOT there. We said a prayer and then we scoured the house and even unpacked the car-no ring. I was so tired and we still had a long drive home. My husband reassured me that the ring would be found. I prayed all the way home-I even reminded the Lord that while I could not find my ring-he knew exactly where it was and plead with him to give me just a hint. Right before I fell asleep the thought came to me to look in the pocket of my coat. I dismissed the thought knowing I had already looked there. The thought came again. The third time I finally got up and looked in my coat pocket…..you guessed it-it was there. I started to cry and was so happy to have my ring back. I have never forgotten the joy I felt when I put the ring back on my finger and have often likened that feeling to the joy Heavenly Father must feel when we finally get it right and listen to His promptings….same story-different analogy. Hope you find your ring:)
I really appreciate this application. I am sorry about the loss of something precious, and I am grateful it gave you an opportunity to teach this valuable principle.
I once had a check for my missionary blow out of the car window into a field full of scraps of paper and other trash. My prayer was answered and we found the check. May your prayer (and those of us, your friends) be answered affirmatively as well.
I feel your pain — my EC is on ring #3. (Due to knobby knuckles, I can’t get mine off if I try, so I’m pretty safe.)
I’m sure the guy who can find a key fob at a beach covered with black rocks will find a way to locate the ring. Here’s hoping and praying, anyway!
From my experience as an insurance adjuster, the safest place for a ring is always on your finger. Same thing with the Savior’s commandments. Keep them close.
Anyone else thinking of that time when their entire testimony of prayer was founded as a little kid praying for a lost toy and finding it? Hopefully you get one of those moments . . .
I dunno, maybe some poor guy was walking and praying for a way to get money to feed his family before his next paycheck and then BAM, he found your wedding ring?! Actually that isn’t very likely (and probably didn’t make you feel any better . . . Sorry . . .)
All joking aside, that really is a great analogy. I think complacency is Satan’s greatest tool. If he can get you to not say your prayers “just one night” or to not read your scriptures “just one day” or to not go to church “just one Sunday,” it can very easily become a lifetime of not doing what you’re supposed to.
I feel your pain! I did the exact same thing a few years ago (not for an egg toss – to apply sunscreen to my kiddos) and now I’m on ring #2. I will pray that you have better luck than I did. And I will definitely rejoice with you if you find it!
When ever I have to take mine off, I hand it to my wife.
Hope you find it! Mine, I fear, is gone forever. My husband designed a new ring for me, which I love, but I loved the old one too. I let daughter #3 “borrow” it when she married and now the marriage is defunct, entirely her fault. So what do I do about my ring? Ask for it back? Ask her to put it away for her daughter (now 6?) Forget about it since I willingly gave it to her?
Definitely ask for it back.
2 cents from a random stranger…
Next time you can slip the ring onto your key chain for safer (temporary) keeping. Good luck finding it!
Excellent Monday-morning Quarterbacking!
I’m with VelDean – quick prayer for you and anxiously waiting for a positive end to this tale. Been there, done that and surprisingly, prayer did work. . . .
Sending up a quick prayer for you…hope to hear a positive end to this tale.
I will pray for you to find your ring. I’m sure you’ve already done that, too, but it works! I’ve found many a lost item by praying. Awaiting to rejoice with you….
Sorry to be Captain Obvious, but have you checked your pocket?
Never crossed my mind to check my pocket (8 times)
OCD sets in after 4….just sayn’. 🙂