I've Been Thwarted

That’s right, I used the word thwarted. Last week I was sufficiently thwarted. It all started when I tried to put down a deposit on a new apartment…

Last Wednesday afternoon I found an apartment I really liked. Problem was, it was a little more expensive than I wanted to pay. I was hoping to keep all my bills within 60% of my income, and this new apartment would make all my bills use up 65%. I debated and debated about this all day, and talked to a lot of people who I consider smart with their money and they all agreed that to have a variance of 3-5% here or there would be ok, in fact normal. So I faxed the application and decided to take the plunge.

Later that night there was a big storm, and the news threatened hail. So I moved my beloved truck to my parent’s barn, where it would be safe. We’ll come back to that in a minute.

The next morning, I still felt a little uneasy about the whole apartment thing. So in my quiet time, I told God that I was planning to go to the complex that morning on my way to work to put down the deposit, but if for any reason I was not supposed to commit to this apartment, to please “thwart my efforts”. Now, I don’t know who uses the phrase “thwart my efforts”…but I did.
Fast forward to an hour later…my mom drives me down the back alley to the barn where my truck is parked. We turn the corner find half a tree blocking our way, it had been knocked over from the storm the night before! We had to get out and take 10 minutes to move the tree out of our path! Keep in mind we are both on our way to work, and it’s still wet and raining. So she drives me the rest of the way to the barn and drops me off, and leaves for work. I get in my truck, drive out of the barn, and immediately get stuck in the mud. I’m not talking just a little stuck, I’m talking the mud was up to the running boards! And yes, I’m still in my work clothes and heels. So I try getting some momentum and rocking back and forth to get out of the mud. Nothing. I get out and grab some boards to stick under the tires. Still nothing. I call one or two friends who may or may not have time to give me a hand, and only one of them can show up in a few hours, but not before. I seriously consider hijacking the tracker, also stored in the barn, to pull the truck out. I was actually sitting in the tractor, fingers on the ignition, when I pictured all the things that could possibly go wrong with this plan. I give up.
So I walk back up to the house, in my work clothes and heels, in the rain. When I get to the house, I find my parent’s puppy has broken out of her crate and has proceeded to play in the wet bushes and muddy puddles. So 15 minutes and a few choice words later, the puppy finally gets back in the crate.
I go back in the house and suddenly realize…I’ve been thwarted. Knocked down trees, immobile trucks, and muddy puppies have all been pawns in God’s Master Thwarting Plan!! I can’t believe it, but yes, I’ve definitely experienced a divine thwarting.

*Note: Through yet another series of not-so-coincidental events within a few hours of all this happening, I found a place I like even better, and the rent just so happens to bring my total bills to exactly 60% of my income. Coincidence? I think not…