Our Jennings Park MIS-Adventure

I was so looking forward to spending time this weekend with the kids doing whatever they wanted, until I had my purse stolen while we were at the park this afternoon! After the usual afternoon nap, we had a snack and then loaded up the car to go to Jennings Park. I hesitated whether or not to go somewhere else because there were a ton of people there for a birthday party and strangely enough, there were mostly dads there with their kids. Anywho, I got the kids out, locked all the doors and then placed my purse into the trunk. I shut the trunk and away we went! The kids and I were only there for maybe 45 minutes when Isabel asked if we could go to the Coke machine to spend her quarter. We then went back to the car, loaded them into their seats and went to the trunk to retrieve my purse.... It was not there :(

What makes this so strange is that there isn't any damage done to the lock on the trunk and the rest of the car seemed unscathed. They didn't take my Ipod adapter for the radio and the the car looked like I had left it. I kid you not, I had my entire traveling world in that purse! Cell phone, Ipod, wallet (with all credit cards and ID in it), Bible, huge can of Big Sexy Hair, books, kids toys and snacks, info packet on Sharon and my new bottle of J-Lo. There was other stuff in it too but those were my big ticket items. So I went to my Aunt's house and called the police, cancelled ALL credit/Debit cards and turned off the cell phone. I had to wait for an officer to call me back and when they did they had the best news!

A lady living across the street to the park found my purse out by the garbage can of her apartment complex and took it over to the police station, they called me and I hurried over to get it! How thankful I am that it has been returned and that my kids and I are doing fine! I felt very violated and sick that someone helped themselves into my car and took my purse. Whats worse, is that they had to have been watching me throw it into my trunk in order to know where it was for them to steal it! I just felt sick about that. I had to remind myself that the kids and I were fine, and that this is just VERY inconvenient for me! I will have to wait for replacement cards and get a new ID asap, but life goes on; even if I hadn't had the purse returned to me! In moments of stress, I can turn into a very nervous person. "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7. Its easy to forget how God strengthens us in times of trouble and never leaves us, even when we feel the most vulnerable to future problems. Will my identity be stolen? Who knows, but I can share with you today that God is faithful. Even if that happens because of my wallet being stolen, my God will be there to see me through the storm.

So here I sit at home with the kids (who desperately need baths) with my returned purse and a renewed sense of God's glory. He used a perfectly rotten situation and helped me see His majesty and power in His love for me. This isn't just about getting my purse back, it's all about God's unrelenting ability to bring glory to Himself. What a mighty God I serve :)

Besides, what would I have done without my can of Big Sexy Hair?!?!? :)