Almost a month ago I suggested we might run through some praise reports. We got side tracked but that's over, no need to look back. I mentioned in the first post back on oct 13 that a morning without a toe tag was a GO. I was dead three times 39 years ago. Told I would be paralyzed 17 years ago, then the list gets bad. "God is able." If I never see the sunrise here again I will see the Sonrise there. What has God done for you?
On October 21 we had Santa Ana winds blowing ferociously through the area fanning the flames of the latest fires in Southern California. I had parked our old car next to a Eucalyptus tree at the church I work at. The lowest branch on that particular tree is about 20 feet up and that's the one that the wind blew off and on to our car smashing the roof in (OUCH!). The bad news is that the car was wrecked and the guy in charge of security and the insurance contact would not call me back for 10 days despite my daily emails, voice mails and messages left at his office (always an excuse). The so called "Leadership Team" (whatever that is) decided that I should file a claim with my insurance which, of course, would absolve them of responsibility and any cash payment to me to suppliment what insurance would not cover to buy an auto of comperable value and condition. In essence they were telling me it was my fault for parking there. The good news is that since we had bought a nice car with some of my parents inheritance, I had decided before the old car was wrecked that I would try to give it away to someone or donate it to a cause where I would not receive any payment at all. I will now receive a very nice amount of money since its been declared a total loss and will be able to further fund our publishing business. Besides a few nice Christmas presents for us as well and at least ten percent for causes.
Despite the fact that we were fully prepared to give the car away without compensation, the employees at the so-called church I work at didn't know that and completely bailed out on me. So, now I'm praying for the ability to let go of my resentment and aggrivation while also praising Him for bringing us this windfall.
I have found that behind many discouragements are hidden blessings like this one. Not only are we receiving a monetary blessing from an auto we were prepared to write off, but its in the amount I stated. I had somehow figured in my mind how much it would take to replace the car with one of comperable value and condition and stated it out loud to my wife (as well as others). That is the amount that we will be receiving once the idiots I work for reimburse us for the deductable. Like I stated in the earlier post, any amount would have been a blessing since we were expecting nothing from it, but to have the amount I stated come to us is quite a testimony. Unfortunately, I got into an anxiety mentality trying to get my calls returned and even though we expected nothing from the car my employers didn't know that and didn't know if we even had transportation any more. The attitude was just, "Oh well." I should have known everything would work out in the end, but its tough to expel Satan from your head and find peace many times. We're just very grateful for this hidden blessing and our next step is to set aside at least ten percent and try to bless other individuals (not organizations) who might need a hand.
I believe that a lot of service workers have forgotten basic courtesies such as returning calls. Even saying, "I'm too tied up to answer your question fully, but I am eager to help as soon as possible" would do a lot to ease my mind.
I am even more sorry to hear that the church that employs you did not go the extra mile with you. All they had to do was ask themselves, "what would Jesus do?" and it would have been obvious that they should have done more for you.
Let's hope that their attitude does not reflect the attitude of the entire congregation.
I would prefer not to say that God dropped the branch on your car. I prefer to blame that on living in an world that is imperfect. But we know that God is superb at turning what was meant for evil into good. He did it when Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery and turned that event around to save the very brothers who meant him harm.
I really admire the way you want to take ten percent off the top and help others. I don't think it's compulsory like in Old Testament days, but the OT way of doing things is a guideline to how we should live.
And of course we are praying that your new car be a blessing for a long time to come! Ain't it great to see God at work in your life?
I have become so dissolusioned with organizations that I almost refuse to donate anything to any of them anymore. Especially churches. I've seen in multiple cases how funds were mismanaged and I prefer to not give my money scam artists. Its also part of why I've left the church. Many other reasons, but that's a part. We prefer to hand over our money to someone individually. One of my goals is to be able to hear of someone in need and be able to hand out $100 at a time. We've done it before and we'll keep doing it when we can. We send a little bit to homeless shelters each year for meals and we're planning on sending some to the Susan B. Komen foundation, but for the most part cutting out the middle man is the way I prefer to go. Can you imagine desperately needing something like glasses and a person handing you money to buy some and you don't have to fill out government forms or sit in shame in a welfare office? Many times we do it in secret, too. I'm not saying that to toot my own horn, but to hopefully inspire someone else to follow my lead.
I had a 16-year-old step-son for a short period of time, but it didn't work out between his mother and me. He was involved in an accident with my car and was a bit nervous as he told me about it--not knowing what my reaction would be to $1,560 worth of damage. I just shrugged it off as no big deal and was more concerned that he was OK. Even if it had been his fault (which it wasn't), it wouldn't have mattered that much. He was sitting at a red light when someone rammed the car from behind. To me a car is just something to get from Point A to Point B and back again--nothing more.
It's not my pride and joy, and certainly not something I love. I actually hate driving and only do it out of necessity. If I could afford it, one luxury I would have is someone to drive me wherever I need to go so I wouldn't have to do that very unpleasant chore. When we get our priorities straight and put Jesus Christ ahead of ALL possessions, then we will find true peace, happiness, and contentment. Paul said that whatsoever conditions he found himself in, he had learned to be content, and he suffered more than any of us hopefully ever will.
Amen, Jon-Marc. I have not had a car for more than 10 years now, and I haven't missed the hassles. I wouldn't have minded having a car to get me to CNC-Midwest in Missouri last summer, but actually, this resulted in the blessing of getting acquainted with a fellow Christian naturist couple from Lincoln. So everything works out for the best.
I wrote that rubai after I went through a night of severe stomach pain. I should have gone to the emergency room, but I didn't. Could have been a kidney stone, it never was determined what caused the pain. I guess it made me think that the Lord will let bad things happen in order to teach a lesson. Maybe, Greg.
The title "He wrecked our car" reminds me of a news article I read. A man was blaming God for a hole in his car radiator that he himself did through his clumsiness. Then he said, "This is the second thing that God has done to us lately. He also burned our house down." The fact is that his wife was drunk and trying to cook, and she caught the kitchen on fire. However, he chose to blame God.
I just everyone understands the title is all about being presented with a blessing in disguise. He wrecked our car...and brought us the needed funds for moving forward. What's interesting is that my bosses boss joked that during high winds he always parked out in the open away from any of the trees. Well, you moron, maybe you could have broadcast an all user email to the organization reminding everyone of the danger of the high winds. Boy, thanks for the help there. I'm just very grateful for the problem we thought we had that wasn't a problem after all.
I did read that in your story, and find that God does a lot for us, that we thought in the beginning, was against us. "If God is for us, who then is against us?"
I have to refrain myself from asking God, "Why are you doing this to me" and replacing it with, "OK Father, what are you up to now? Whatever it is, thank you."
My job situation, as you all are well aware of, was my biggest struggle. I have had series of jobs, that ultimately led me, and prepared me, for this job, where I am now doing everything. And who knows? Since I am now working very close with the server administrators and doing a lot of server administration as well, including physically repairing and replacing boxes, I am wondering if this job the end result, or one more step for yet another one down the road which will be even more challenging.
So we work and wait. And lose cars, homes and jobs.
but an evolution throughout your life. I find exactly the same things you're talking about, Boyd. When I look back on jobs I've done, places I've been led and experiences I've had I think, "Wow, its all built up to this." Now, the things I do and experience will build up to future events in my life and constantly flow forward. I'm always remembering how something in my past is relating to something I'm doing now.
I see my work experiences as observing how NOT to treat people. When someoone does something right you don't always take note of it or know what has gone on in the background. When they do something stupid or offensive, it is glaringly obvious. My experiences with stupid, control driven people have led me to think about how I will treat an employee or a client in the future.
In my conscious mind I'm always telling myself that God will lead me to the best result, but unfortunately, my brain doesn't always agree and I fret about things too much. The demons of anxiety take control and make me crazy. I'm constanly reminding myself that the end result will benefit me and be in my best interest and I try to thank Him for leading me there.
I wouldn't have minded having a car to get me to CNC-Midwest in Missouri last summer, but actually, this resulted in the blessing of getting acquainted with a fellow Christian naturist couple from Lincoln. So everything works out for the best.