smash and grab

So...I was enjoying a wonderful lunch with my Mom and friends at Red Lobster today after church today. Then, thanks to a generous customer of mine who had given me two tickets that she wasn't going to be able to use, my Mom and I were going to go see the beautifully decorated Christmas Tree Forest at the Red Lion. We had determined that we would both go home and then carpool from there, since my car's front right half shaft seems to be going bad (yay! I'm hoping it just needs an alignment, but it seems doubtful). As I got into my car to go I heard something "fall" into the back seat, which seemed rather odd to me since I didn't have anything that moved by itself in the car. I turned around to discover that my back seat was covered with shattered glass FROM THE FORMERLY INTACT rear passenger side window! SWELL!!! As soon as that is sinking in I realize that my backpack, which had been sitting there when I went in, was no longer there...and come to think of it, neither was my wonderfully warm jacket! Now normally I would have taken that into the restaurant with me, but I had worn a corduroy jacket and tank to church today today, so I didn't need the other one on top...it wasn't that cold (unless of course you are standing out in it for a while). I AM GRATEFUL that there was nothing of real value inside, except I just realized that my retainers where inside my pack, that's about $300-500 to replace (yay again!). You see I had been house/critter-sitting this weekend for some friends, so the backpack was full of dirty clothes, a pair of cheap shoes, a couple of books, oh and my other FAVORITE light jacket that kept me at just the right temperature...but I had gotten it at Value Village for a great deal, so maybe I can find another one similar. I am GRATEFUL that I had not taken my camera with me like I had thought about the night before when I was home to get clothes for Sunday. Thank you LORD for quietly saying..."Nah, you don't need it. You won't use it between now and tomorrow." Grateful that I listened to that inkling. Grateful that it wasn't a car thief who took the whole car. Looking for the lessons in it all.

Lesson #1 (which I already knew) DON'T LEAVE BACKPACKS IN PLAIN SIGHT STUPID! =0)

Granted, there was nothing really valuable in it, but the thief doesn't know that until he steals it. Happy that a probably homeless person has a nice coat to stay warm with tonight. I pray that they get good use of it and that maybe they read the books, especially the true story of a man's experience with God. I pray that whoever the thief is will give his life to JESUS, repent, and be saved.

Grateful that my Mom was there to help me stay calm and call the police to report the incident, and clean up the mess of the broken glass. Grateful she let me park in the garage tonight, so I could clean up the inside of my car. I vacuumed out the whole thing...might as well right...since I had the vacuum out anyway. =0) Shattered window glass weighs a lot! but it sure does look pretty...there has to be something I can make with it.... No, I did not keep it. I was tempted, but I already have enough clutter. =0)

Well, the window should be fixed tomorrow...I will have fewer clams than I had yesterday in my bank account...the world will keep turning...Jesus still reigns...God is still AMAZING...and life goes on. Just another blip on the radar screen.

Thanks for listening.
Eryn