Friday, March 5, 2010

I Have Not Perished!

Well, the past couple of weeks have been interesting!

I have been studying the book of Esther (the Bible). While reading about one man’s plan to destroy the entire Jewish nation, Beth Moore (who’s study I am reading) challenged us (the participants) to think about times where we might be tempted to make something trivial into a major tribulation – a mountain out of a molehill, if you will. At the time this question was first posed, I had only a few recent examples. BUT, I was given the opportunity to practice keeping crises’ in proper perspective within hours of evaluating my behavior in this area.

On the Monday following our daughter’s 16th birthday (my last post), my purse was stolen. I did what everyone in Dallas knows NOT do – I hid my purse under my seat with a towel thrown over it and went into the gym to work out. When I came out, my window had been smashed and my purse (along with the bag I carry to work with lunch, paperwork, etc) was gone.

I called my husband who promptly began cancelling credit and debit cards while I called the police. I walked through the next hour with quiet, focused precision, speaking to the fitness center management, the officer who came out to file my police report, and the various people I needed to contact immediately. (My son, my boss, and my housekeeper whose services I cancelled for the following day) I drove home in deep thought, no radio, and the sound of broken glass falling into my back seat.

I was tempted to scream, to cry, and to say all kinds of horrible things about whoever did this. And when I got home, I did have a little crying to do and my husband had a little “venting” to do. And then I walked through these last two weeks. The crook managed to get away with almost $30,000 of cash – just by using my bank account number and I am now on a first name basis with my personal banker plus the bank fraud analyst.

A couple of people commented on how calm I was, when inside, I felt like a frazzled mess. But the lesson that God was teaching me is that He has all things in His control, including check fraud. And although check fraud and identity theft is not a small matter in my life, it is not that large in the grand scheme of things. It’s not a major tribulation, just an inconvenience.

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

The words of Esther - "If I perish, I perish"

4 comments:

pam said...

oh my...that study walked us through a few things as well. There are always perspectives from others while we go through something but God has unique words to whisper to us. Breathing out....praying it is all getting resolved and praying God's conviction BIG TIME on that unlucky soul who stole from you....pray them to their knees. Glory, I can not imagine....I think I best go get all those important phone numbers gathered....

Laura said...

I'm so sorry, Liz! I remember how I felt this past summer when my wallet was stolen...just violated. It is so hard to accept that someone could do something so heartless. Praying for you. That your not accountable for the stolen money. That they catch the thief.

I'm sending you love.

Patty said...

I too have studied the book of Esther with Beth Moore's study. It is amazing how timely things can be. So sorry you are having to deal with such trouble. I so agree ~ worrying won't change a thing but God certainly can.

May the peace of God keep you. (Glad you stopped over.)

Cindy said...

And yet, having your purse stolen did not take the Lord by surprise. Even though you may not see it right now, He is working behind the scenes with this. I don't mean that as a cliche because I know this has to be devastating in many ways and more trials will likely come from it, but it doesn't take away from the truth of His protection over you. I hope things get worked out quickly and that the loss will be minimal in the end.