We Lost the Key

This past Thanksgiving my husband and I decided to start off our morning on the right turkey toe by going on a jog. We had stuffed two feasts into one day—lunch with my immediate family, then dinner with Adam’s family mere hours later. I was hopeful that a few miles of cardio activity would gobble up the calories in a slice of pumpkin pie, or at least the ornamental cloud of whipped topping.

I am sure this was the furthest concern from Adam’s mind. He is the laid-back, dependable type who has a knack for staying in constant peace and flowing from moment to moment. I, on the other hand, can be the nail-biting planner who has a talent for making mountains out of mole hills. After double knotting my running shoes, I glanced at the time on the microwave. We had about two hours before we had to arrive at my sister and brother-in-law’s house for Turkey Day round one. I mentally calculated how long it would take to complete our run and get ready. Since my husband completely gutted our shower in the master bedroom for renovation, we would have to take turns showering in the guest bathroom. The sense of time urgency began to heighten. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted my running partner casually checking the stock boards on his laptop. Adam looked over the screen nonchalantly and asked, “You ready, Sweetheart?”

Faster than a wink, I grabbed two glasses from the kitchen cabinet and filled them to the brim with ice and water. I like to prepare our iced water before we run instead of after to avoid the possibility of contaminating our ice cubes with sweat molecules (just kidding...sort of...) Finally, we were both ready.

We stepped outside into a postcard-worthy scene of autumn. The weather was unseasonably mild with an occasional gentle breeze that conjured up the incense of burning leaves. The circular nature trail was literally footsteps from our townhouse. We started running at a slow, but steady pace. About halfway through our first lap, Adam stopped suddenly. He squatted down with a purposeful, squinted expression toward the ground, which was carpeted with layers of brown leaves.

“What are we looking for?” I asked, somewhat perplexed.

“I dropped the key.” He said, tracing his steps around a one-foot radius circle with his eyes glued to the ground.

In silence, Adam and I took small backwards steps in repetitive circles with our elbows tucked back and our faces close to the ground. I have no doubt we looked like crazed chickens—or should I say turkeys.

After minutes ticking by with no key in sight, I recalled an incriminating conversation I had earlier with my husband.

ME: “Adam, why don’t I thread the key through my shoelace so we don’t lose it?”

ADAM: “No need. I will hold on to it. It will be fine.”

It was all I needed to empower those four savory words—“I TOLD YOU SO!!!”

Similar instances began to swell up in my mind like a tornado....the gift card I fished out of his pant pocket while doing laundry...the wallet he forgot on the table as he left for work...

Before I even realized it, a critical spirit began to take root in me. Then a few vain imaginations to top it off. I pictured our families ringing our cell phones to no avail…perhaps they would send the search squad.

Meanwhile, as Adam is diligently combing through the leaves he announces, "I have a plan!"

I bite my tongue and listen.

He methodically explains using his hands as an exemplary ruler, “We will divide the path into six -inch sections until we find it.

Despite my building frustration, I felt God remind me that He placed Adam as my leader, and to just go along with the plan. I realized that we got into this together, and we had to work together as a team to get out of it.

Within a short minute after this, I picked up a leaf to uncover a gleaming silver key. I was so ecstatic at that point, it might as well have been solid gold. And then I felt a verse emerge in my spirit.

Matthew 16:19 (NKJV) "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

There will inevitably be times that you grow frustrated with your spouse or a circumstance in your marriage. However, blaming each other will only delay God’s promises and cause more wounding. You may be asking God to deliver you, and His answer is “I will give you the keys.”

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