Sometimes there is Adversity
I had an interesting if not challenging week this week, but
the Lord brought me through and I am home and okay with it all.
After sunset last Saturday, I went and checked for any new
information about the Galaxy Note 7 phones and found one website that said Note
7 owners could exchange their phones at ATT and Tmobile carriers. I have ATT so I decided to transfer the
last of what I thought I would need to my email before putting the phone in a
bucket in the tub in the bathroom.
I typically keep my phone on or off charge at a special
place I have next to my bed…by my face.
In the morning, I got dressed and took my son and the phone up to the
ATT store. The phone rode in the
trunk, that I just repaired in September.
The sales guy had no issue exchanging my phone and I picked up the Edge
7, got an otter box case with clear plastic protector window, and two braided
ATT brand D style cords free of charge.
I even was refunded $7.
I went on to my parent’s house to see my great aunt and
cousins who came up from down south for a funeral. I spent more time than I thought I would. Now I assumed I would not be talking to
one cousin who came up. I felt as
though she didn’t want to be bothered with me and since we walked different
life courses, we didn’t have that much in common. I did decide to make an effort to be hospitable and
connect. She disclosed something
to me that troubles me. She is doing something that is very similar to what I
did four years ago and I pray that the Lord will reveal to her what she ought
to do. She told me not to tell
anyone, so I will keep that promise.
I had fun playing on one of the pianos my parents have. There are two full size wooden upright
pianos and one Yamaha full size Clavinova piano in that house that I have
enjoyed playing over the years. My
youngest cousin (now 11) has studied for about 2 years and she impressed me
with her progress. I just downloaded
a great music app on my phone that allows me to play piano, bass, guitar, a
standard trap, has a synthzer and voice options. I also received a new keyboard charger so I can allow my son
to use the medium sized keyboard and teach him on it (I used to use that
keyboard to teach other children when I was a member at one SDA church years
ago. But enough about the music (I
could play for ever if permitted the opportunity because I enjoy it so
much). I had a good Sunday. Now Monday I worked from home for most
of the day and my son was not feeling well. He picked up a new germ and spread it to me and I’m still
coughing from it today. Later that
day I drove and the same guy who was driving in July at the same time of day,
was driving directly towards me and another driver in a one way two lane
road. He knows what he is doing
but one day it won’t turn out so well for him. I moved over to the side to give the driver to my left room
to escape should the guy get bold enough to try an extra block and crash head
on.
Tuesday.
Tuesday my son was supposed to go on a field trip to a farm
but he was so sick that yet again (what is this the third time?) I had to keep
him home from school. I went off
to work and drove about 34 miles to one meeting to find out that the person I
needed to see was not even there and people forgot. I spoke to one person who would be at a second meeting in
another town and agreed to reschedule the first one and still see her for the
3pm. I headed to another location
in the same town and my car broke down.
I also learned that the person for my second meeting, despite reminders
sent, they forgot too and I had to wait there 1.5 hours for the person to
arrive. I also had to wait for AAA.
AAA came and jump started my car and I decided to press on and not have
them tow me 34 miles back home. I
drove to my 3pm to find the person I agreed to still meet had to go home
because her daughter was sick at day care. I went to my fourth with no issue all the while trying to
make it work with my Edge 7 that was not connected to my agency’s server. I was sending from and forwarding
messages from my business account to my personal gmail and I don’t like doing
that. I got to AAA and the car
would not start up for the mechanic in the bay.
Now the Lord was looking out for me because he had a lady
who was sitting behind me offer me a ride home and she lives in my town 10
minutes away. She was also
familiar with my parent’s town and as a traveling tax accountant, she had no
problem and enjoys driving as much as I do. I originally figured I could borrow the car my older
sister gave up to my parents but came to find out that the insurance was
getting dropped on it effective Thursday, if not the same day (sister had to
come by and drop off the title or something). My dad was also working on the car so that meant it was not
yet drivable. AAA would close at
7pm and the only shuttle was the guy who was closing up the building. I took the lady’s offer and she talked
about her need to pay it forward and was a really cool lady (seemed in her mid
40’s if not 50’s). I was dropped
off and saw my sister in the driveway so that meant the other car was not an
option and I would have to rent. I
stayed over at their house and couldn’t take a shower for long because my dad
thought I was wasting water and he is hard of hearing at times. My son coughed
me all over the bed and I didn’t get much good sleep.
The next morning I picked up a rental from Enterprise and
drove no less than a mile to have the tire pressure signal go off. I turned around and received a mixed
response from the sales girl and drove the rest of the day with worry that I
might actually have a flat and it not just being the sensor malfunctioning
because it’s a newer car. I drove
to town and could not find a parking space like I always do, so I ended up
paying for parking, which I hate.
I talk to the administrative assistant but this time, she could not
figure out how to connect my phone to the server so I am going another week
without being connected and that means I need to bring my heavy computer every
where I go. I left the office 15
minutes early because I was hungry and wanted to get food from my vegetarian
spot that has been my spot early on during my first round of
vegetarianism. I walk all that way
to find they closed permanently. I
look across the street and see my favorite Indian spot that topped the other
one that is now over priced is closed permanently too. I decide to stop in a place where as a
meat eater, I would only order smoked lox with lemon cream cheese wraps. I ask if they sell rice bowls at this
time of day (first time I ever stepped in there they said I had to wait till
4pm), and this time they said yes.
I order and I am so hungry that when I get my food, I expect to eat in
the car.
First time ever they gave me food without eating
utensils. Satan played with my
food man. And worst of all, I was
driving a rental so I didn’t have spare forks or spoons I could reach for in
the glove compartment. I
remembered a youtube video that showed how you could make a spoon out of paper
if you didn’t have eating utensils.
I arrived at my meeting place early and made a spoon with the paper and
ate several bites before the “spoon” started getting soppy because of the
moisture in my teriyaki tofu bowl.
I made a second one before finishing and leaving for the meeting.
I arrived to the meeting to realize I was missing an
important paper. I embarrassed
myself by asking the host to give me a blank copy of theirs (I’m the one to
bring these items).
I left for the day and when I got nearly to a service
station where I planned to fill a tire with air, the tire pressure icon
disappeared, plus when I pulled in the area, there was a long line so I wasn’t
going to do all that. I headed to
my parents to pick up my son and my dad wanted to try to pick an argument with
me so I opted to get a car seat and take my son home. I like baths, not showers. The next morning I took my son to their house and drove only
to my meetings. I called AAA
because they forgot to call me.
Then they called me and said I would have to give up $654 and some
change because they found the problem.
It was the steering column and the ignition switch. And it was $300+ for labour costs that
really hurt me. I wanted to pay
off my credit card bill, but that was not going to happen.
Oh I forgot to mention, I received a bill from EZ pass
declaring I didn’t pay a toll and I had to pay a $30 violation fee. I looked through my phone and one thing
I sent to myself from the Note 7 was the EZ pass payment I made the day before
they said I had a violation. The
website said my account was active and in good standing, but they still wanted
to charge me. I waited days for
someone to return my call about filing an appeal but did not receive a
response. I decided to go ahead
and pay it and when I did, the system would not give me a confirmation
number. So that means if they want
to say I didn’t pay that violation, they could. I have the receipts and I still want to appeal despite it
being paid, it’s not fair.
Going back to AAA, I paid the $654. If on Tuesday, if I had to have the car
towed, I would have towed it to my mechanic, but I drove it to their store and
it was held hostage. I don’ t know
if I could request that they tow it to another car repair show, I don’t think
it works that way, but they fixed it in good time and I didn’t have to rent a
third day.
Friday I drove my car without issue, found a parking space,
without issue, and got home without issue.
Good things this week: my car was fixed, I managed to remain
vegetarian for another week and clothing is fitting better, and my son and I
have started an indoor garden. I
planted a ginger plant on October 7th and it has grown two more
leaves since. The ginger was a
broken off piece that I put in the cabinet in a paper bag and forgot about for
a good while. On October 9th,
my son planted a few handfuls of beans (I mix navy, black, small red, kidney,
and other varieties in a big container and scoop them out to cook rainbow beans
whenever I desire). I also planted
a full bulb of garlic cloves (separated some) in a third container. This Sabbath morning, my son’s beans
are standing up, the garlic is growing like weeds, and the ginger is doing
well. My son gets to see these
creations grow and the beauty that God creates even in the simplest of things,
and I get to have a harvest of yummy garlic, beans, and ginger because those
are staples in my home.
This was the week that didn’t make any sense to me, but
regardless of being stranded, giving up the Note 7 (was a beautiful phone),
getting a cold that felt like pneumonia at times, and having to toss out
spoiled produce that I didn’t have a chance to enjoy because I worked over time
and some (I’m salaried, I’m not permitted to work overtime), God is good and He
helped me through.
I give God the glory and the praise for this.
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