Whirlwind Week!

(preface: I just got off the phone with Brian and I love that he always refers to Brandi on the phone as “my beautiful wife”)

Today I was supposed to be at work to open. But unfortunately neither of the two people opened had codes and keys to get in. Problem! So I had the delightful misprivilege of sleeping in and going to work at 845. I worked with Slayden again today. As we worked together in an unusually slow drive through, we had a good conversation. We talked about Solaris Invictus (I think, that was in the middle of a complicated transaction…), Mithras (again), and how last week we were both wrong about something, but both kind of right. Apparently we had some roman gods mixed up, but whew, we’ve cleared the air now! I was worried, weren’t you? It was a great time with him, but it kind of cracks me up. I mean really, he had to go home and check just to be sure about who was right, and he felt the need to tell me? I mean, I don’t care. I don’t care about half the stuff we talked about last week. I just want you to know Jesus and have a little hope. Maybe when we close together on Friday, we’ll have that conversation. Not likely, but miracles still happen!

Speaking of miracles! On Monday I picked up a car from a friend’s cousin down in Denver. It was a sketchy* area of town. I prowled around small homes searching for an address where there aren’t any streetlights by which to see the house numbers. Most cars parked on the side of roads and in alleys were run down, rusty and looking for retirement. I pulled up in front of 219, and started towards the chain link fence with half sized gate. As I pushed against the creaking gate someone called from the next door house–a man in his bathrobe with a hairy chest and bulging lower torso. Middle aged and a bit sad looking. “You going to see Ben?”

“I’m looking for Ben,” I answered, thinking I might at the wrong house, trying to find a man I’d never met.

“Great, I have a package for him, mind taking it?” asked the middle aged hairy chested man with a receding hair line. I nodded, a little wary of the strange situation but I didn’t really feel that the man looked dangerous. So I carefully opened up this gentleman’s gate and proceeded toward the open door. At least I had just talked to Ben on the phone barely 2 minutes past–in case the worst should happen. I stood as far as possible from the man and took the large package. “You have a great night,” he said in a weary voice, aware but unconcerned by my caution. “Tell Ben hi.”

So I walked into Ben’s house, run down with a huge poster of Bob Marley, sagging couches and no tv, with a package in my arms. “Yes! You can come get a car ANYTIME!” he said excitedly as he took the brown box from my arms. I heard laughing from the couch, but no one was there. It happened again and I thought the tinkling laughter sounded rather similar to Genessa–but she is in Pennsylvania and there was no one else as far as I could see. Ben was still staring at his package, absorbed in the long awaited treasure. He turned back to me after a moment with a huge smile on his bearded, cherub like face, “Genessa and Todd are on the computer, they’ll be glad you’re here. Come on in!” I popped inside, we closed the door and headed to the white mac on the couch where Genessa and Todd were grinning at me, and I was so excited I could have clapped my hands and jump for joy.

Genessa and Todd are friends from my parent’s church and from my own in highschool. They are going backpacking in Europe for 5 months. They have no need of a car in the US for five whole months. As you may have guessed, on Monday night, Ben handed me keys to a perfect white stick shift Saturn. I could have hugged him, dressed in sweats and a tshirt with week long scruff and messy hair. I could have hugged him and that little computer screen. I now have a car. For five wonderful months.

Today I went straight from WF to Brandi’s. It was a busy day, especially considering I am pretty much out of gas and had to speed my way to Brandi’s because I was let off late. On the bright side, I did balance perfectly and the kids were wonderful tonight. It’s been interesting working two jobs these last couple weeks, but it’s awesome. I like the variety–and in some ways it’s great practice in case I ever end up being a working mom (not ideal, but it could happen). God has really blessed me with these two jobs, and the third job on Sundays of working in a church nursery. He has more than met my needs and I am learning how to be grateful.

As well, I am learning how to be more okay on my own. Tye and I talked about this one week during set up. I started crying about how lonely I was (I might also add that I didn’t have much sleep the night before and this was pretty early in the morning). He gave me a big hug and said he and his wife Devonna would pray for me–but not that I would be given friends. Instead he told me he’d be praying that I learned how to lean on God and trust Him; that I would learn to be content in the midst of loneliness and friendlessness. Certainly, I am not without friends, but the loneliness of coming back to a place I desperately wanted to leave; forsaking my friends and familiar ties in Seattle; and losing a very dear and serious boyfriend; all these things have taken their toll. But I am doing so well this past week. Or perhaps, I should say, Christ is doing well within me. Or the Spirit (to be trinitarian-ly specific). And while I am still not very good at this faith and believing thing, I have more hope that He’s not finished with me yet.

*and by sketchy I mean beautiful.