Refusing Stress

Yesterday they didn't give me a locker for my things at the outpatient procedure place. I handed my wallet to Kiel for safe keeping. Afterwards, he was taking Drew places and meeting friends, and I knew he would need gas in the car, so I told him to use my debit card. Instead of taking the card from my wallet as he usually would do, he just kept the entire wallet.

This morning, after organizing for the day, I woke the boys. As we were headed out for the car, I asked for my wallet back. Kiel got a funny look on his face and said, "I already gave it back to you. Didn't I?" No, you didn't. We looked around, sure he had set it down with the movies he had rented after getting gas. No. Not there.

We began a serious hunt for my little black wallet with the entire core of my life inside - driver's license, credit card, debit card, AAA card, insurance card, cash, stamps. Goodness, I can't do anything without it! It was not in the living room or in anyone's pocket, not in the car or the kitchen, not in the trash, nowhere! Help! My life is LOST!!!

After wasting precious time, I decided to go to the Library and try to get things done while Kiel retraced his steps. I fumed all the way to work, accusing the poor boy of being irresponsible and careless. It was as if a dam had burst and I could not stop my mouth. I knew it was senseless to get so riled about it, but I just couldn't seem to shut up.

Sitting in my office, I tried to put it out of my mind. I was terrified that someone had taken it and was at that very moment draining my checking account and running up untold bills on my credit card. Fear. It smelled bad. OK. Let's get back in control. Deep breath. Check your bank account online. Nothing unusual. Call the credit card number. Nothing reported recently.

Now. You are going to have to ask God to take charge. Leave this to Him and just focus on what you need to do. It wasn't easy, but I was finally able to take care of what I needed to do. Too soon I ran out of umph. Kiel picked me up on my request. Energy dropped off much faster than I had hoped. Darn pain killers. I hadn't counted on having to deal with a recovery period after the biopsy. I didn't really get much done, and figured I could go home and doze and read as I was able.

On the way home, I apologized for yelling. He was quiet. I knew he felt bad. I said that wallets don't just disappear. This one was somewhere. Silently, I acknowledged that God knew where it was. If it doesn't show up by Monday (yikes! That's days away!) I will call the appropriate places and pay to cancel things.

I sat in the big blue chair and read my assignments. From time to time exhaustion took over and I would put my books down and nap. I got almost everything read, stopping only for a quick lunch. Around 3pm, a quiet knock came at the door. I peeked through the peep hole. Our next door neighbor was standing there.

I opened the door, and he was holding my wallet! I was dumbfounded. "Where did you find it?" I almost hugged him. "Out in the parking lot last night when I was going to work. You must have dropped it. I knew you weren't home since your car was gone, so I just took it to work with me, then when I got home early this morning, I went to bed before you were up."

Well, that explained it! No wonder we couldn't find it. It had fallen from Kiel's pocket when he got out of the car. God knew it needed to be kept safe, and had a good samaritan pick it up for safe keeping. Whew! I didn't even think to give him a reward for returning it intact.

Kiel suggested maybe a Starbuck's gift card. Good idea. Meanwhile, that will "learn" me not to get all bent out of shape and be a bit less stressed when there's nothing I can do about a situation.