When most people complain of a running nose, they don’t expect it to go missing. Delia Albert, however, is not most people.

Albert and her family are the proud owners of a two-foot-tall 50-pound plastic nose. Or they were until someone swiped it off of their front porch. It was a discarded prop from a photo shoot for an unknown ad campaign. Her husband, who is a local ad man, had rescued it from the trash. For about a year, the family displayed the nose in a variety of humorous poses, including last year’s Halloween when they placed a candy dish below with a sign saying “please pick one.”

Since the nose was taken, Albert’s school-age children have been distraught. "They burst into tears, super upset, couldn't believe somebody would take something that didn't belong to them," Albert said. "We didn't realize how attached they were to it. It really clearly brought them a lot of joy."

At her children’s insistence, Albert filled out a police report to declare it stolen, declaring its value as “priceless.” In the local news report, she included an email address for anyone who might have information as to the nose’s whereabouts. "No questions asked," Albert said. "We just want the nose back."

Potential Preaching Angles: If we’re all part of one body, even the neglected parts are vital to our functioning. When they’re missing or out of commission, we all feel it. If even fake body parts can inspire emotional attachment, how much should real flesh and blood people who together compose the body of Christ be protected and honored, especially when the unity of the body is under attack?

Source:

Samantha Swindler, “Thief picks nose from Portland porch” Oregon Live (10-15-18)