Saturday Saga

This is just a funny story for your reading pleasure.  I was telling my good buddy Andrea a few weeks ago, that I wanted to lighten up my blog a bit in the New Year, at least occasionally.  It has been therapeutic to write about my struggles after losing Lily, but sometimes I go back and read it, and it has some pretty heavy stuff.  I am generally pretty happy go lucky, running around like a chicken, and doing a lot of really random silly stuff in the process.  The reality of tragedy changed that for a while.  But, I love those days when chaos, fun, or just plain normal craziness surface in my day to day adventures helping me feel a little more like we have overcome some of the hardest days of our tragedy.  I will always remember Lily, and the loss, and it has truly changed me.  But, it has also helped me try to lighten up day to day and just go with the flow a little, knowing that we just don't know what might happen tomorrow, and we might as well do our best to appreciate all of today, no matter what the day brings.


So, I have been meaning to post a silly story from last Saturday.   I will try not to make it too long, but here goes.

Sat. 10:15 AM - we arrived at our friend's house for a little retreat gathering with friends from our church.  I had a few food items, and bags to carry in, was chatting with Ted in the process. So grabbed everything from the car, and headed inside.
10:20 - we are getting settled inside.  I have a thought "I can't find my cell phone"  I look, and it is not in my purse, I think "It is probably out in the car, or maybe even on top of the car, maybe I should go check..."
10:21... or less than 30 seconds later, I get distracted by something, start blabbering, and forget all about it..
A FEW HOURS LATER - still there, having  a grand discussion, then eating lunch with friends, I have a tiny thought "Oh yeah, still don't know where my phone is...hope it is in the car"
2:15 PM - Ted & I go out to leave, I am chatting about "What a beautiful day it is, and how we should go do something outdoors and enjoy it.."  We both just climb in the car, and I take off driving.
2:20 PM - I hear a "thunk" as I am entering the on ramp to the George Bush Turnpike, rambling a replay of our time with friends as Ted listens patiently.  So, I look in the rear view mirror and say "What was that?" "Did I run over something?"  Ted says, "I don't know?"  I see a small black object bounce back in the distance, it looks small, cars behind me, so I just keep driving, all seems ok I think...
2:35 PM - we are 10 miles away back near our house at LBJ & Skillman, and I say "where is my phone?"  "I forgot, I never found my phone....then "Oh  S#** (please God forgive my foul language in this moment)  that was my phone on the car, and it flew off..."  Ted then says he guesses we should go back to retrieve it, because even if it is destroyed, in order to get a new one... it might help to have the destructed one to explain..
2:50 PM - we arrive all the way back in North East Richardson, and pull slowly onto the ramp, we start arguing about how I need to slow down and how I don't think it is safe to stop here, and Ted then yells "STOP" just as I almost smash right over the thing...  He jumps out quickly retrieves the blasted phone (My New Android, not cheap, just given to me by my sweet mother about 6 months ago, My first "SMART" Phone :)  It was still INTACT!!! But, the screen was more than SHATTERED!  He jumped in and we headed home again, for the 2nd time! Ted laughs and says,"I guess you will be heading to the Verizon store."

Then, 2 Verizon stores later and about 20 more miles of driving, I was able to replace my "SMART" phone, with a new version and a little cheaper, "SMART" phone.  I had all this internal stress in the process, thinking maybe I did not deserve another "SMART" phone.   How stupid I felt, how we are trying to save money, starting a "financial peace" class, and now I have gone off and left my expensive phone on top of my car and unfortunately found that it cannot sustain life after a crash traveling at 50 + MPH and bouncing on the asphalt.  I would love to say that ANDROID was paying me money to do destructive crash testing, but unfortunately, it was just another Saga of a day to add to my long list of "Unfortunate Happenings."  And, my sweet husband, recalled at least 3-4 other recent "Kristina Classics" as we drove along to refresh my memory, and help me feel even better about myself :) ...

I will say, that my friend Emily had given an example earlier on this same day, of how sometimes God provides a need in our times of crisis, maybe even in the "exact" $$ money amount we desperately need sometimes, and it causes a major "WOW" moment in our lives.  Well, after some negotiating at the Verizon store, they were able to find me a way to change our contract, buy a new phone for $108 and get a rebate for $100.  So, although I lost the rest of my "beautiful" day dealing with this Saga, I ended up down a total of only $8 at the end of the day, It was definitely a "WOW" moment for me.  God did provided, and with some personal commitment to our new goal to "save" money... he rescued me, even in my moment of stupidity and irresponsibility!  Yes, I know God will not always rescue us in times of trial, I have that testament from all of last year.  But, when we pay attention to even these $100 moments, it is so amazing how  he works at times!  So, thank you God, for saving me in my moment of Irresponsibility!  We now have a new rule in the Martin House, Kristina is not allowed to place any items cheap or expensive on top of her car, at anytime!

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, no lacking anything."   James 1:2-4

Have a Wonderful Weekend,