reversal of fortune

This week in Heather's finances:

Sunday - Austin cut his foot and the bleeding wouldn't stop. Took him to Urgent Care and they refused to treat him unless I paid the entire amount up front. He has an accident policy through State Farm but they wouldn't accept the assignment of benefits. SOOOO... I have an emotional breakdown and call Pop and get the treatment paid for so Austin can be seen.

Monday - realize that an automatic draft went through that I had intended NOT to allow through... bank account is very anemic... but we can make it ... the car has gas, there's food in the pantry. Neighbor brings over dinner so we are able to stretch the groceries even further.

Thursday - payday... a good payday because I haven't missed any days of work... but I realize that Austin's pay as you go phone had drafted out of BOTH of my accounts... spend a half hour getting one of the charges reversed. Find out that Austin's accidental policy will pay enough to cover the charges so I can pay Pop back PLUS will give us enough to pay for his health insurance for almost a full year.

Friday - get violently ill at work RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE of a life insurance sale... and by violently ill I mean running down the hallway and puking my guts up in the office bathroom while my poor customer waits. Seriously... not my finest moment. While checking to make sure the charge from the cell phone was reversed, I discovered another unauthorized deduction to that account. Spend an hour on the phone chasing down the company that placed THAT charge and get those charges reversed.

Saturday - balanced out my accounts... realize my cash flow is seriously hampered until those two unauthorized charges are reversed... make grocery run on faith and spend ONE dollar more than I had budgeted for the week. Pleased with myself... THEN... I get a huge box in the mail from my friend Tracey from waaaay waaay back with a fabulous new bag and wallet and lots and lots of treats and treasures including an awesome financial blessing.

It's amazing to me how blessed Austin and I are. I guess if you're not a person of faith you could see it as luck... or you might even see us as terribly UNlucky... but I don't feel that way. I feel like our life is a beautiful example of the good in this world. I feel like we live out God's promise to provide for His own. It's not because of anything good I've done, that's for sure... but just like my earthly daddy who provides for us when times are tough... our Heavenly Father just continues to shower us with unexpected blessings. I haven't seen Tracey in probably 25 years! And many of you who write me sweet cards and emails of encouragement (like Barbara, thank you sooo much for your card!) I've never even crossed paths with in real life... but time after time after time I find blessings in places and from people that I would never have expected to bless us.

I just feel like we live such a charmed life. Yes, at times it's tough. Yes, I wish I had more financial security. But we're living in a world where you can experience a reversal of fortune with just one bad decision or one crooked investor. No one can say for sure what tomorrow holds. Nobody REALLY has financial security if you think about it. Life can change in a breath - and ours sometimes does. But God is faithful. I FEEL secure, despite the number in my bank account.

Hope you have an awesome weekend! I hope you participate in a blessing today - either in giving or receiving!