Realizations

It's been a week since our latest dilemma and the aftermath is still very much alive every time we enter our garage and see the things that now need a new home.

As we pulled in the driveway, Ben reached for the garage door opener. Sometimes it's a little finicky and takes a few hits of the button before the garage door actually opens. This day was no different. "C'mon...open". "Here, let me try", I say. Still no luck. Back to Ben. Suddenly it goes, but very slowly. Slowly enough to give us mini glimpses of what had gone on while we were gone for 30 minutes. As a can of motorcycle chain lube and some other auto fluids came rolling down the driveway, we both looked at each other with a very puzzled look. The garage door sort of looked like it was caught on something - and then it gave way - up it went. As it did we could see that the cabinet that was, 30 minutes prior, neatly holding all of our auto accessories on the wall was now being supported by the concrete floor, the parked truck and Ben's bicycle. "Hmmm...guess that's why the garage door didn't want to open."

Ben parks the car in the driveway and we get out to inspect the damage. To our surprise, shock, and disbelief, we found not only one, but FIVE cabinets dismantled from the wall all leaning against the truck parked inside. Tears fill my eyes as I stand there looking at the huge mess and the dents and scratches in the truck. Emotion overcomes me. I feel angry, sad, and violated. Questions fill my mind... how? why? Guess we won't be enjoying our breakfast of lattes and scones that we had just picked up to bring home and eat in the backyard gazebo. Disgust... that's what it was. Well, what else could possibly happen this year? Our basement has flooded, our roof has leaked, our shed has collapsed, our dog broke her leg, and now we have a damaged vehicle.

After "the dust had settled", I sat in my yard taking a mental road trip of this year's strangeness. There was a common theme - we still don't know why or how any of these happened. We can only speculate. But one thing was clear... we are lucky. The better term is probably blessed. Yep, blessed. God had taken care of us.

Without flood insurance, our ruined basement was our problem. Our policy even said so. We were going to have to cut into our savings to make the repairs, but at least we had some savings. Our insurance company checked out the damage to the house, roof, and shed. We waited for the grim news of how much the repairs would cost, and instead we were handed a check. A check to take care of the damage.

Several months later, I started a job that I didn't apply for and wasn't looking for. But something prompted me to do it. A few months after that, the vet surgical bill is thrown in our face. If not for that job that I randomly accepted, we would have had to cut into the savings. But we didn't.

Then there's this latest dilemma. Substantial damage to a vehicle...more money...more costs. Auto insurance to the rescue. Again, we were spared.

Realizations:

• We really are blessed.
• God really has taken care of us - and the sad thing is that I probably wouldn't have even realized it if not for an unusual series of adversities.
• Funny how He works.
• I can choose to be ticked off about all the crap that's happened, or I choose to to be thankful for the way it is all worked out. I choose the latter.