Yucks and Yuks!

I'm starting to see the patterns now that we've been at this for over a year and a half.  Last year at tax time, I sure the exact same thing happened.  My husband has been locked in his office often working late into the night to get his taxes done and out of the way so he can focus on his other projects. Then, the next morning, he usually gives me a financial snapshot of what is going on.  Though, some progress had been made, it seemed to me we were in the same boat as we were when we started.  I, who write on fighting discouragement, etc. fell yet again.  It was only looking back a little later that I realized, "Hey, I bet this happened the exact same time in the exact same way last year!  I'm an idiot! How did I not see that coming?!"  But it happened.  Lesson #6?  STAND GUARD FOR THE ENEMY WHO PROWLS AROUND LIKE A LION SEEKING TO DESTROY.

What made me realize this was talking to my other friend on the Lent journey.  She had talked to what I shall call a "toxic" friend.  She shared with her that she is going to fight for her marriage and even try to win him back.  This toxic friend gave her such a tongue-lashing on why she would basically be a fool for doing so.  I might add this friend is now divorced.  I told my other friend, "It didn't work so well for her, did it?  She wants to bring you down with her!  She wants you to be as miserable as she is!  Run away from her!  Don't listen to her!"  As I spoke with her, I realized that both she and I had had very similar experiences, similar attacks, but perfectly suited to us - both our areas of vulnerability were hit - square on.  We were able to encourage one another, reload our artillery and the next time, we'd be ready.  Lesson #7?  Do not stop encouraging one another......

The same day of my personal attack, my husband got his.  It's almost laughable, but it's also SUPER ANNOYING!!!  We had just received the insurance cheque last week and were quite happy to be done with all that awful paperwork and inconvenience and then yesterday, he found himself in a parking lot, just minding his own business, when all of a sudden, you guessed it, he got clocked on his tail bumper by one very aggressive female driver trying to take his parking spot that he was backing out of.  She was so determined to take the spot from a patient driver #1, who had been giving RM lots of space, signal light on, etc., and had been there way before this other driver #2, that she scooted in, driving around my husband, who was still in the process of backing up.  She turned so quickly in her aggressiveness that not only did she hit the back of my husband's truck, but also the front of patient driver #1's van who never had a chance of getting in.  She got the spot, but at what cost?  My husband tells me he never knew women could swear so much as both drivers got out and had quite the yelling match apparently.  The nervy driver #1 came up to RM and said, "I was just trying to get my spot!"  He looked at her and, with a very stern voice that was barely under control, said, "I don't want to hear anything from you.  Give me your insurance papers."  I think he wanted to bop her one, but, thank goodness he didn't.  He came home just shaking his head.

On top of all this, there will be no cheque as we had hoped this week and possibly not for two more weeks.  The accounting people up in this (mysterious blackhole) office claim the process didn't get started soon enough (not our fault) and so they're (not) sorry, but there's nothing (don't believe it) that they can do.  This leaves us in a very, uh, interesting position, but it's not like we haven't been here before!

On the bright side, my books arrived in time for the seminar, whew!  I thought I would be out of luck in that area, so I'm grateful for that.  And, on another positive note, I'd been really praying about what to do for my nephew whose birthday is tomorrow.  I know this is pride, but I hate looking cheap and poor!  I wanted to give him something that he would like and I didn't want to give him junk.  We have a deal with other friends, that we basically only make stuff or give second hand stuff, but with sisters, I don't know, it just seems harder to do that.  So I prayed and I even prayed with the kids! Then, out of the blue yesterday (talk about last minute as we're seeing him today!) I got an email from the drug store telling me I had enough points to get an itunes card for free!  That's it!  This boy loves stuff like that!  It wasn't a large amount, but hey, that's where we're at!  So, today I'll pick up my "free-not-second-hand-awesome-gift" and I feel it came directly from heaven.  Lesson #8?  God is in the miracle business and He hears our prayers.

At least humour hasn't left our home.  The funny things keep happening in our life and I can literally say it is 24/7.  The other night, my older son woke up, sat up in bed, started playing cards with his imaginary sister, dealt out cards, asked her to play and then just sat there waiting for her to join in. Of course she didn't, she was in her bed!  He kept waiting, calling her name, and then finally he realized, "I'm 'sleep playing'".  So funny. The same night, my other son, the 4 year old, got up, took some steps and then just stopped.  I heard this and should have jumped out of bed, but thought, "No, he'll get up and go all the way to the bathroom."  Then, I heard him go downstairs.  It was only 10 pm, so he was clearly sleep walking, too.  What is it with my kids?!  So I jumped out at this point and told him to go back to bed.  As I put him in his bed, I stepped in a giant puddle.....of pee.  He had gotten out of bed and had literally stood in the same spot and just let it go right then and there.  Yuck.  I made sure he went pee last night before tucking him in.

So, that's been our week - what an up and down series of days!  I'm grateful to be at the end of it all, but I know there's got to be more around the corner.....I need to be committed to standing on guard against the enemy first and foremost as he won't be content to leave me alone so easily.  I need to make sure I continue to believe God is sovereign despite all appearances.  I need to look for His miracles even when things aren't looking so good.  I need to spend time with people who are an encouragement to me, which is pretty much everyone in my life.  Watch out for toxicity!   And may the humour never leave!