My Life - the Fortune, the Verse, the Bad Checks!

My Life as a Fortune Cookie –

Well, I have really been craving Hot and Sour soup, but haven’t had any in a while – pretty sure it is on my list this weekend. I could even go for some Miso soup – maybe, just maybe even both! (I think Sushi is in order!)

This week has been an especially hard week, it really seems like for every step forward in my life I end up taking two steps back. From everything to my work in the ministry, to my work with my other full time job, to everything at the house….We had another week of snow and ice, and you know I REALLY hate to be cold! Hubby was sick, kiddos weren’t feeling so good – basically par for the course anymore. I was really needing Friday morning to be productive, I don’t mean a little productive….I mean a lot productive. I needed to get ministry work done and some personal things that needed attended to taken care of.

I was sitting down downloading emails and started opening what I believed to be medical bills that I needed to get paid – but, low and behold in the first envelope I opened I found a notice for a “dishonored check” from a home improvement store for $425….Umm…I may not keep up with my checkbook really close, but I KNOW when I have written a large check like that! The next envelope was a notice from a grocery store for $181 – again, kinda a big amount and not something I forget about. I had not gotten any notice from my bank that there was a problem, so what on EARTH?! I was in panic mode.

I called the first company, and after a very frustrating conversation (that was frankly threatening – legal action, fraud, police were all mentioned in relation to ME!), I was able to figure out that it was not my current account. I called the second letter and they were amazing – not to drop names but ….KROGER…) was able to tell me that the check was written in Conroe, Texas (5-6 hours away from me) and they gave me the account that the check was written on. It was an old account of mine…I’m talking four years at least…I closed that account (there is some irony involved with this – I was advised before I closed it that the account had been compromised….now FOUR years later….Hmm?!) Kroger was able to email me a fraud affidavit and a copy of the check (the other copy would not do such a thing – it is all on me!). From there I called the police, filled out the affidavit, went to my bank (who, because the account is SO old cannot even SEE it!), went to the notary public, back to the bank and then to the police station….then to work an hour and 15 minutes late! Then I came home to ANOTHER letter for another store, in the Houston area again….These “people” (term LIGHTLY USED, but in the interest of keeping this friendly – I won’t go any further!) have my driver’s license number as well – so it just keeps getting better.

Needless to say, I am a wreck – total wreck – now on top of everything I have going on I have this to deal with! I expect that there are more checks out there just waiting to pounce – and in the mean time – I cannot write checks at my local stores. It happened last week before I got these notices, I tried to write a check at two places I write checks at frequently – and they were turned down. I knew that my account was fine, but I have had problems with these “fancy” checks that I like to order, so I just chalked it up to that. Nope- I have been BLACKLISTED! It will take up to 30 days for these check companies to “fix” their records and decide that I am not the one who wrote these checks, in the mean time I guess I use my debit card.

What does all this have to do with a Fortune Cookie? I wasn’t even going to write all this out until I sat down to write about my Fortune Cookie – It is a random thing…I have them all in a little bowl and I pull them at random – I pulled out the one I was going to write about and it is:

“Your happy heart brings joy and peace where there is none.”

 Honestly, I kinda struggled with this. But, in the midst of all this going on….my middle son texted me that he was going to read my favorite Bible Verse – Romans 8:28 – “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

I was at work when he sent that, couldn’t focus on anything, and my precious son sent me this…and asked me to explain it to him if he asked about why this is my favorite.

How on earth can I let this be something that works for the good? How can I let my happy heart bring me peace and joy?

How?

I ALLOW it to!

 I have to make the choice to allow it to! All the things that I am dealing with, everything that tries to stand in my way – I can make the choice to be overwhelmed (very tempting!), or I can use this  and let God use this to let something good come from it. I know in my heart it is that simple – I can let God work for the good, I can allow my happy heart to bring joy and peace….or I cannot. The thought of the cannot leaves me sitting here with tears in my eyes, the thought of allowing the joy, the peace, the love, the good to come from this fills me with terror. How, how do I let it go? I am going to have to make the choice – I choose, even with the terror in my heart, I choose to let God into this and work this for his good, I choose to let Him make my heart happy and bring peace. I know that it is going to be a struggle, because honestly I am going to be dealing with all this for a while. It is a choice I will have to make…everyday.

I think that I may take advantage of my lucky numbers this week:

13, 19, 23, 28, 35, 41 – if I win anything I will let you know. Any prayers you feel moved to send my way are very much appreciated.

Live, Laugh, Love ~Vanilla Mama