I have to say, I am feeling pretty bad right now. Not for myself, although things like these do make you question your safety and feel personally violated in some way. But for my family. My awesome, new family that I love so much. After an awesome reception last night, bonding and hanging out with great people that have welcomed me and my son into their family with open arms, then staying up until 3:30am hanging out with my new brother and sister, disaster struck this morning. We lounged around the condo all morning until about 2pm when we decided to head to the Hard Rock Theme Park to take the tour before going to House Of Blues to see Third Day. When Karen went to get into her practically new 2007 Toyota Solara that they drove from New Jersey in, there was a loud crunching sound that echoed through the garage, then the confusion quickly turned to anxiety when she discovered the driver side window had been broken. Of course, I'm sure you can figure where this is going... her iPod was missing, along with some cash and who knows what else. I hate it, I feel terrible that my family comes to see my husband and I, they spend a bunch of money that they have saved for the last several months, and probably could have used for something else, and now this huge expense. Not to mention the violation factor. I mean, it has happened to me before a couple times and it doesn't feel very good, but it's different when something like that happens to people that you love. It's that helpless feeling, like you want to help, but you can't. It is awful. I saw my mother-in-law cry, my father-in-law is a basket case. I want to do something to help, but there's nothing. The crappy part...well one of them...is that they are scheduled to leave for Jersey tomorrow morning and it is snowing and 20 degrees there. The glass people can't fix the window until Monday morning and there are 5 people that need somewhere to stay. I'm starting to see some ways Nick and I may be able to come through for our family in their time of need. Let me explore my options and return with an update.
**UPDATE**
Okay, well there is better news now. The hotel is going to let everyone stay free of charge for the extra night (if they didn't Nick and I were going to have some company) and the glass guy is scheduled to come out and fix the window at 8am Monday morning. Unfortunately, when it comes to insurance...worthless. They're gonna have to pay upwards of $250.00 to fix the window. So, a big thank you to all of our family, church and Nicks, for the great wedding presents (mostly cash), because of you Nick and I have an opportunity to step in and help. It's a little selfish I suppose, it feels really great to help your family, especially in these disastrous situations. This is what a family is, or at least it's the picture of family I have fantasized about since i was a child. So that is that.
You know, I wasn't all that excited about the concert tonight either, until now. I know the energy that pours out of that kind of atmosphere and it will be a welcome change for the current situation. And in my opinion, a beautiful display of pulling together as a family to make the most of a situation and praising God regardless of the circumstances. Despite the fact this seems unfair and cruel, God allowed this to happen to our family. And no matter how bad it seems, he has promised in his Word that he can and will use all things for good, if we let him. I know enough about this family to realize no matter what goes wrong, good will come from it. They are some of the most dedicated and faithful people I have had the pleasure of knowing and I know that they will allow God to work in this situation, as He does in all situations. Satan tried to destroy something beautiful, it's not the first time and it certainly won't be the last, but who is Satan? Some angry, bitter outcast that can't follow the rules. Who is so unhappy with his own situation-that he is at fault for-that he can't stand to see it enemy's people happy. He is trying to use us to hurt God, welcome to the spiritual battle between good and evil. Satan hates God. Satan can't hurt God. God loves us. Satan hurts those whom God loves in order to indirectly hurt God. It's a vicious cycle that will touch every person on the face of the earth on a painfully regular basis. The great thing is, when you know and understand it, it's not so bad. I mean, who always wins? God, right? So a little temporary pain and a setback or two is nothing compared to how the enemy feels when he is inevidably defeated. The only way he can win is if we allow him to get to us, if we fail to trust God and become defeated ourselves. Not a chance in my family. We will stand on our solid rock while our enemy sinks in the shifting sand.
I thank God for this, with the risk of sounding like a terrible person, because every obsticle we have to overcome presents a plethera of opportunities. For my family to demonstrate their faith by trust in God, for us to demonstrate grace and love by helping and being there for our family and most importantly, for everyone involved to demonstrate mercy. That's probably the toughest one, that mercy, how do you not freak out on the hotel managment for not keeping the property secure, or the owners for not having security cameras, or the police for not going on a crazy man hunt for the criminal that stole out things? How do you just accept this and move on? You have mercy.
So now it's time for our family to pull together, pray together and then waste no more time dwelling and play together. Praise God for the blessings and trust God with the pain. It's all in His hands.
