The Hunt for Mr. Squirrel

For almost ten years I have had a favorite yard ornament in my flower garden. I call him Mr. Squirrel. He is made of terra cotta clay and has a white wash finish. He is very weather worn and I have to turn him at an angle so that no one can see that a piece of his tail is missing.

In the fall of 2012, as always, I put away all my lawn ornaments for the season. However, when spring 2013 came, Mr. Squirrel was nowhere to be found. I distinctly remembered putting him in a “safe place.” For some reason, I absolutely could not remember where I had put him. Obviously he was not in the usual box in the shed with all the others. I prayed, “Lord, you care about even the smallest things in our lives. Please help me find my squirrel.” I had a sense in my heart that the squirrel was not far away, but it seemed wherever I looked I just could not find him. 

The season passed, and spring 2014 arrived. I thought again about Mr. Squirrel, and again I prayed, “Lord, please let me find him this year.” One day I had some extra time, so I began to dig through some unmarked boxes in the shed. When I opened the box on the bottom of the stack, there was the squirrel. He was safely tucked among bird houses and other miscellaneous garden items that I have not used in years. Even as I write this, I do not remember placing him in that box.

The point of this story is not really about a missing garden ornament. The point is that God cared about a very insignificant thing. How much more does He care for you and I? Is there a missing piece of you? Have you ever felt rejected, damaged, or unworthy? I believe if we are honest, we all have felt that way at one time or another. We are human. We are not perfect. But the good news is God is perfect; Jesus IS perfect. And He took our place. He died and rose again so that we can begin again. He doesn’t hide our imperfections. He makes us new. He knows exactly where we are. He is waiting for us to say, “Here I am, Lord. Forgive me, and help me to live a new life for you, through you and in you.”

What was lost now is found. What was broken is new again.