"Welcome to Missouri" *sarcastically

Okay, so here's how things went down.

Because I was going to stay in MO after my parents left, we packed up two cars and drove from Bville to Columbia for my brother's family graduation party. I had all my stuff for my summer stay in my car (bicycle, clothes, running stuff, shoes, books, etc). We arrive and everyone helps carry my stuff downstairs. I was going to just carry some stuff in, but people kept coming, so we just unloaded everything. So we go inside and chill, eat, hang out, whatever. Bedtime. Wake up the next morning.

We were eating breakfast and chilling the next morning when my cousin and aunt start looking for a cooler. "Did you bring it in?" "I don't remember bringing it in." "Did YOU bring it in?" So it gradually comes to light that her iPod and the cooler full of beer have been stolen out of her car. And this happening in a what we thought was "nice" neighborhood. So I go outside and look in my car which I find unlocked. Crap. I don't ever leave it unlocked; must have just gotten overlooked because everyone was unloading. But nothing was in there. I saw a first aid kit that I keep in my console had been moved to the seat, so I knew they'd gone through my car, but nothing seemed to be missing, because, again, we had thankfully unloaded everything the day before. So I go back inside and suddenly it dawns on me: all the cash that I had taken out for the summer (all $200 of it) was in that console (where I ironically stored it so I wouldn't be carrying that amount around in my purse where it could get lost). I race outside in full knowledge that it's not there. And I am not mistaken. Needless to say that I was upset. Upset at myself for being so careless mostly. It's very hard not to relive all the "if-only" scenarios: if only I'd double checked that it was locked; if only I'd remembered to take it in; if only I'd put it in my purse in the first place; and the list goes on and on. So I went running (good way to burn up some of that upset-ness). Didn't work a whole lot but I suppose it did help a bit. Still ruined my day however. Which sucks, cuz I missed the graduation lunch thingy (feel kinda bad about that). But I had to find a way to get "un-upset" because there was gift time and family time still remaining. As I was running to burn up the upset-ness, God eventually pressed this verse on my mind, "Give to everyone who asks you and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back." Wow, if any verse were ever applicable, this would be the one. And then He reminded me of when Jesus was on the cross and said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." Now, if Jesus can forgive those that BEAT and CRUCIFIED him, I can forgive some mislead teens (most likely teens) who took a few dollars and whom Jesus made and loves regardless. But even though I know in my head that this is the right thing to do, it's still hard. It's all part of the process of Jesus making me more like Him.

But, there is more to this story. Later, I went to see how much cash I actually had in my wallet. And lo and behold there is a wad of twenties there. I furrow my brow in confusion. Did I, in fact, move it to my wallet and not remember doing so?... No, I was pretty sure that that had not been the case. So I go ask my mom and she gets this funny look on her face as she tries to cover it up. But I eventually get it out of her that my aunt had given some money to my brother to put in my wallet (this is the aunt who is recently divorced and who works three jobs--I still feel bad about that, and if she'd have given the money to me I wouldn't have taken it). I don't figure all of it was from her, but I don't know who else supplied the rest.

Next night:
My dad gets it into his head that we are gonna do a stakeout and try and catch the culprits if they come back for a second helping. So we spend FOREEEVER in the dining room going round and round about who's going to call who and who's going to go and how dad's going to man the golf club and mom's going to call 911 and now what's our grandparents' address. Sheesh, we'd make awful cops. So the plan is for each of us to take 2 30 minute shifts from 11 to about 3; we sit in the smaller of the two garages in the dark, staring out the blinds of a side door. My brother and my dad slept in tennis shoes so they could run after the thieves? I don't really know what they were planning on doing but whatever. Of course I could sleep before my shift, too excited/too much going on. And then just about the time I DO manage to drift off, my mom is touching my foot. My turn. So I go upstairs and stare at the two cars (which my dad was going to bait with money, but didn't end up doing so) for thirty minutes. Nothing happens. As far as my shifts go, I see one car, hear some dogs, and that's the extent of my stakeout events. I find out the next morning that five minutes after my mom's first shift a guy walks by with his dog, and then down the other side of the street a little later. This was one of the suspects that my grandparents think might have done it. They found it questionable that he was walking his dog that late (to which there are certain scenarios that would fit, but they are rather few). Regardless, nothing happened that night. But now we're all a bit on edge and I've (sorta) participated in a stakeout.

Lessons Learned:
First and foremost, the sacrifice and great love of our Savior. "Father forgive them, for they know not what they are doing"--how incredible.

Second, that family will come through for you no matter what (and that feels so good to KNOW).

And lastly, lock your car! ^__^

Welcome to Missouri, can only go uphill from here!