The Parable of The Dignitet

For Christmas this year my parents got me a dignitet from Ikea.  It is a curtain wire that you mount on the wall to hang curtains but can also be used to display artwork, etc.  I was really excited about it, envisioning the kids school projects, primary papers, cards, etc. that would be hung from it. 

The kit did not come with any screws so Ben and I had to make a trip to a hardware store to buy some. I brought the kit along with me so I could be sure and get the right size screw.  Once we got home from our errands, about 2 hours later, I couldn't find the kit anywhere and surmised I must have left it in the shopping cart when we left.

I was upset that I would have forgotten to get it out and the thought came to me that I should pray to find it.  I didn't kneel down at the moment to pray, but I had a prayer in my heart that I would find the kit and that it would be found at home.  After checking the car twice it was clear it wasn't at home.  I called up the hardware store and the employee who answered said no one had turned in something left in a cart.  She even went to check the carts in the return section and didn't find anything.  She said she would call if anything turned up.

I needed to pick up the kids from school soon so decided I would run over to the hardware store and retrace my steps.  When I got there I retraced my steps and enlisted the help of two employees.  Within minutes of asking for their help one employee found three pieces of the kit in a shopping cart with a store circular, I found two pieces on the floor by the cart return, and the second employee found the remainder of the kit on a shelf full of furnace filters.  I was overjoyed to have the kit back and surprised all the pieces were accounted for so quickly. 

Had I not gone down to the hardware store I'm sure the pieces would have been eventually found but separated as they were, the employees would have no way of knowing they belonged together.  I would never have seen my dignitet again. 

I was reminded that the reason I teach my children to pray to Heavenly Father when they are sad, need help, or scared is because He is real and listens to those prayers.  It seems silly that I was so upset about losing this kit, but it was important to me.  I am important to Heavenly Father and since the kit was important to me it was also important to Him.  I'm grateful for the gentle reminder that Heavenly Father is aware of me and hears my prayers even when they are about simple, silly things I've lost.  It comforts me to know He listens to my prayers about the bigger things in my life as well.