'It's just a knife'

As some of you know I had an older brother Brian who we lost when he was 20 years old. If you have a couple minutes, please take the time to read this, it's a very touching story and worth the read.

Where the story begins is back in 1983, when Brian was just eight years old. My dad and brothers, Brian and Bob, were fishing at Cottonwood Creek on Holter Lake. They had caught a couple fish and my dad was teaching Brian how to clean fish with a Buck pocket knife. Later that evening, after arriving home, my dad realized he had misplaced the knife. So he called Brian and asked him if he knew where it was. Brian started crying and my dad asked, "Brian what's wrong?" then Brian says, "Dad, I lost your knife."

"Oh Brian it's just a knife, I don't care about it, I love you," My dad said. "We might end up finding it, but if not it's okay."

Three weeks later, my dad is fishing at Holter Lake by himself and because the fishing was slow, he decided to walk to where he and Brian had been cleaning fish three weeks prior. He realized since the knife was lost in a creek that it had probably been covered with rocks since then. On his very first grab into the rocks and flowing water, out comes the knife in his fist, unharmed and looking as good as new!

I was only three when we lost Brian so I don't have many memories of him but I know my dad has told me that story at least 100 times. He always told me, "I carry this knife because it's a fond memory I have with Brian and every time I use it, it makes me think of him and I thank God for our son and the time we had with him."

Now fast forward to 2013, three years ago. My dad, an avid fisherman was out at Nelson Reservoir in his boat, trying to open a clam with the knife. He ended up losing the knife over the side of the boat in about 8 foot of water. He was a little upset about it but told me "it's just a knife," just as he had told Brian 30 years earlier. "Even though the knife is gone, it doesn't mean my memories of Brian are gone," he said.

Over the next year, my dad and his fishing buddies all attempted to retrieve this knife from the lake. From magnets to Duct Tape to any other MacGyver scheme you can think of. Unfortunately, they were unsuccessful in all of their attempts and gave up their search.

As some of you may also know, our lake, Nelson Reservoir, is having some repairs done to it this summer, therefore they're draining a majority of the water.

That night after work I decided to call my dad. He had been fishing in Fort Peck for the day and I figured he'd be on his way home.

As soon as he answered he says, "Kirsten!! Guess what?!"

"What?" I said.

"I found the knife!" Me being confused because he was at Fort Peck, not Nelson, I say, "No it couldn't be the same knife, Dad. I thought you were at Fort Peck today? Not Nelson?"

"Yes I was but on the way home I was thinking about how they were draining the lake and remembered the knife," he said."So I decided to stop. Sure enough I walked out into the lake where I thought it was and within a matter of minutes, I found it!! GOD IS SO GREAT!!"

As you can see from the picture, the knife is not in the unharmed-shape it was the first time he had lost and found it. But again he said, "it is just a knife" and "now it not only reminds me of Brian, but reminds me of how amazing God is!"

I hope this story touched your hearts as much as it touched my family's. It's the "little things" God does for us that shows us how great his love for us is!