Stolen Wallet

Today I worked all day and during my break from noon-1pm I went to Panera with Steph, Meg, and Meg's friend Mel (who is visiting from JMU).  It was so jam-packed crowded in there and I followed my usual routine:  ordered food, threw my coat and purse down to reserve a table, picked up my food when my buzzer went off, filled up my drink, and finally sat back down.  I was in a great mood because of some really awesome conversations with customers that morning at work.  Sometimes I can really feel God working at Borders because He brings me so many people that give me their testimonies while I'm helping them pick out books.  It really blows my mind every time.  And so I was sharing some of the inspiring stories with my friends over the famous broccoli cheddar soup.  When I looked at the time and realized we needed to get back to Borders, we all stood up and threw out our trash.  That's when I realized it.

My wallet was not in my purse.  At first I  F.R.E.A.K.E.D.O.U.T.!  We talked to the manager, traced my steps, dug through the trash.  It was gone.  And I realized that someone must have taken it out of my purse while I was getting my food.  I was so angry and upset.  For one, I really REALLY loved that wallet.  It was a clutch that I got for $7 at Forever 21 freshman year.  It was snake-skin looking with pretty blotches of blues and yellows.  I was always complimented on it.  Another thing was that I had about $300 worth of gift cards in that wallet.  (Goodbye guiltless money spent at Victoria's Secret and GAP.)  The most annoying thing to me was that my license and UMW ID were in that bag.  The license is going to be really frustrating to replace because according to the Fredericksburg police, I have to go in person to the New Jersey DMV (but I won't be home for three weeks because that's when spring break starts).  The UMW ID is just going to be a nuisance until I can replace it:  I can't get into my apartment building without it, I can't do laundry without it, and I can't eat on campus without it.  And the worst part was that my debit card was in that wallet.

And so I immediately call my dad.  I'm emotional and freaking out and yelling and on the verge of tears.  He calls the bank while I go back to work and freezes 2 of my 3 accounts (the third I have to go in person to do on Monday).  To make a long story short, everything is currently being figured out.  I called the bank and the Fredericksburg police right when I got off of work and they are processing everything.  Apparently another wallet was stolen at the same time as mine at Panera and other wallets have been stolen in the area this week (so they think it is the same guy and have a search for him).  Unfortunately, he used my debit card before my dad froze the accounts and spent $400 of my dollars.  Best part?  HE SPENT THE $400 AT CRACKER BARREL.  Cracker barrel.  When the woman from my bank told me that on the phone I DIED LAUGHING.  I said "Wait.. he spent $400 AT CRACKER BARREL?!"  She started laughing too, it was great hahaha.

I spent the first half hour angry and upset.  When I went back to work there was a very long line that lasted a consistent hour so I was stuck at the register.  I was mad that I had to deal with a constant flow of customers at a time like this.  That's when I realized... it was taking more energy for me to be angry when I could just be nice to the customers and laugh with my co-workers.  And I realized that it's not a huge deal.  Yes, I'm now down $700 and have to go through the annoying process of replacing my ID cards and dealing with the police... but it could be so much worse.  I mean, the person who stole my wallet took less than $1,000.  He could have spent ten times that.  I was lucky.  I also realized that I have always been way too stingy with my money.  It hurts me to even give up $5.  And in reality, that money isn't mine:  It's Christ's.  Everything good I have in my life is because He has given it to me.  Ultimately, it's His.  Not mine.  Job 1:21a says, "The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised."  It's not my money to become angry over, it was a gift I had received from God that now He chooses to use in another way.  (Perhaps to teach me this lesson?)

The rest of my time at work I spent giggling with my co-workers and making the most of the busy afternoon.  When I got home, I wasn't the least bit affected by the morning's crime.  I was actually almost happy.  Glad to see the Lord teaching me so many things in just one day.  Thrilled to know that my security doesn't come with money:  It comes with my salvation in Christ.  When I walked in the door to my apartment, Steph and Meg were out to dinner for Allan's birthday but Meg's friend Mel was still on the couch.  She jumped up and began telling me how when they dropped me off at work after lunch they went back to Panera and tried to watch the surveillance cameras and gave my information to the manager.  Then they went to Walmart and bought me presents.  They bought me a HUGE case of diet coke (because it's my favorite!), three candles, a bag of Reese's Pieces, and a cute new wallet!!!  They even made me a card!

gifts I found in my room!

gift I found in the kitchen!

I realized how blessed I am to have people in my life that care about me.  It's not about material possessions.  It's about making the most out of life and living my life to glorify Jesus.  It's about having Christ so entwined into my day that I can never get away from Him.  It's about those awesome conversations I had this morning with customers.  It's about making work a happy place and joking with my co-workers.  It's about having friends that show me Christ by loving on me and allowing me to reciprocate that love back.

I lost my wallet and $700 and some ID cards today.  I gained wisdom, saw God working in my life and others' lives, and felt complete joy in the fact that my wallet was stolen because of the mere fact that I felt closer to Christ in that event.  Proverbs 3:13-14:  "Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold."  Guys that's just it!!  Do you see it?!  Your joy and security cannot be bought with this world.  Your retirement fund and your career cannot protect you from the craziness that surrounds us.  Only finding peace in the Lord can keep you safe.  I am so joyful when I see the Lord slowly giving me more wisdom and shaping me to be more like Christ.  I am so content in just falling to my knees in worship daily and surrendering my life to Him.  That's all I'm striving for.  That's where my hope is built.

"To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God.  This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind." -- Ecclesiastes 2:26

Build yours there, too.  Nothing else even amounts to it.