Mysterious Ways

Three weeks ago, I was robbed in town.  I eventually got everything back except my wallet, Little Man's vaccination record, and my brand new iPhone 4.  

Friday on Lankford was a looooong day.  Little Man is working on four molars, a snotty nose, and upset tummy.  Mr. Chadwick has school, soccer practice, musical theater rehearsals, and concerts.  We're very busy and very cranky.  At 6:15 Friday evening, we were trying to eat a very fast supper, get a tall man into a tux and out the door, listening to a screaming toddler, and watching the dog make a very big mess on the carpet because no one had had time to take him out.  The door bell rang, and I threw a temper tantum.  After 27 years, I'm still pretty good at that, unfortunately.  It was a friend of ours from church.  My tantrum actually escalated at this point, believe it or not.  After telling me that she didn't mind the incredibly large pile of dog mess on the floor (which really didn't make me feel better), she reached into her pocket and pulled out something small, asking if I recognized it.  It was my phone.  The brand new iPhone 4 that had been stolen three weeks ago.  In perfect condition.  Here is (a paraphrased version of ) her story:

"I was on my way home from work when my phone rang.  When I answered it, there was a man on the line who asked if I was the same B---------- R--------- who lives on --------- Road.   I said I was.  He said he was my garbage man.  I thought I'd forgotten to pay my bill or something.  He asked if I knew some Chadwicks.  I said I did.  The gentleman said he'd been at Wal-Mart and a man he didn't know asked if he wanted to buy a phone.  The gentleman thought something might be up with the situation because the phone didn't have a charger with it.  He turned it on and saw a picture of a very cute little boy.  The little man took it into the store on some pretense and saw a message on the phone that said something about it being stolen.  He looked through the contacts and saw B----------- R------------ in it.  He went back out to the man trying to sell it and told him that Wal-Mart had run the serial number and the phone was stolen.  the seller took off running.  The gentleman took the phone home and called me (B-------- R------)." 

Our friend then went to a rather rough part of town and picked the phone up.  The gentleman said he had had several things stolen from him in the past, and wanted to make sure that whoever had been robbed got back their stolen property.  After she left I called the police to report the phone had been returned to me.  They were amazed, as was I.  I also felt pretty silly for that tantrum.  Maybe one of these days I will learn...

I never expected to see that phone again.  It's very easy to think that God isn't answering our prayers when it takes a while to see a result, forgetting that "Wait" is every bit as much a response as "Yes" or "No."  I hear "Wait" alot.  I'm pretty sure it's because I'm impatient.  (And hard-headed, apparently.)