Our Burglary & What "Works" Through It

My church, Inland Hills Church, is currently in the middle of our Fall Focus. It’s a church wide Bible study and this years topic are the One Anothers in the Bible. Church has picked a few One Anothers from the 50 or so that are in the Bible and have narrowed down our focus. Months of planning have gone into the study. On the first day of the study each one in attendance received a bound copy of the study to follow along in church for the Message and then to work through the study questions at home and with our individual Small Groups.

I was approached by my MOPS group coordinator Elisabeth - that Carol Stoeklein, Pastor Dave’s wife had heard about our recent break in and the support we received from the people we know. Carol thought our story would be a good fit for the focus. Conversations went back and forth and we made the focus. This weeks topic is our inclusion in the focus, of One Another: Serve

Read it below.

Facebook Status Update - June 24, 2010, 10:41PM “Um. Got robbed”

I love my cell phone. The little bit of blinged out technology helped keep me connected with the people I needed to get me through. They react fast; faster than I expected. Sending love and support within the first few minutes of my post. After the police leave, before my husband comes home from work, and before I get the kids from next door; I am all alone and I now have a moment to take it all in. To survey the damage. To pray. To Pray. TO PRAY! I give it all to Him. God calms my fears and soothes my soul. He puts me on the right course to deal with the coming days.

Our first night was a sleepless night. After all we do not have a lock and our front door barely closes. We consume LOTS of coffee in the morning. Time to start taking back our lives. I grab hold of the anger and do not let it go because if I do then the depression with suffocate me and there is no time for emotions. Our first visitor is Julie and she brings Ice Cream! Aaaah, Comfort Food. Very much needed and oh so yummy! Next at our door is Jamie with a TV/VCR Combo deal, a camcorder, and stuff for the kids. When the Insurance Adjuster is here Scott and David show up to take door measurements and we start talking about changing the door configuration from a double door entry to a single door entry. Bad news, the insurance company won’t cover the personal stuff only the property. It’s OK. It’s only stuff and we needed to get new stuff anyway. Right? Brian’s parents come over with another TV, a laptop, and they feed us. They bring a little normalcy and lots of love with them.

Great the burglars got to the accounts, now we’re talking Identity Theft. Close everything and start fresh. But now what? No money until the Bank does their investigation and we can clear everything up. But we have no door so we cannot leave the house unattended. Bible Verses are coming at me from everywhere to remind me it is not in our hands, to put trust and faith in God & those we need to, and to only take on what we can control. We pray a lot.

Our nine year old daughter and I start walking the neighborhood handing out flyers sharing news of our burglary. People stopped us on the street to ask us questions or to tell us of strange stuff they have been witnessing of late. Lots of cars drive by the house. Strangers are now knocking on the remains of our front door. First up is this cute little old man who received our flyer and wanted to make sure we were ok and check to see if we needed anything. Next the neighbor from a few doors down told us he’s had stuff taken from him recently. More and more stories like that are being shared with us. But now everyone is aware and watchful. Maybe THEY will be caught, as our five year old son calls them “The Bad Guys.”

Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard...I think we can make do with what we have… Gwen stops by with some soup and stuff. Then Kelly shows up with a care package of items for us. That was yummy and definitely appreciated. A few days later, HELP! We are out of toilet paper and it is past time to go grocery shopping. We do not need meals per say, however we do not have the necessities to get us through the day or the resources of which to attain them. Next up is Elisabeth with grocery items; my MOPS girls band together and purchase for us some much needed groceries to get us through to the end of the week. Milk, bread, cheese…toilet paper. Who’da thunk I would be so excited over silly old toilet paper? Seriously.

Shawn and Alex stayed with us evenings when Brian had to work. We had late night play dates at our house. The kids started to climb the walls with their cabin fever. What a way to spend summer. Two weeks to the day our front door is installed. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! We now have a door that locks! The guys burn the midnight oil installing the door before Scott leaves in the morning for his family vacation. Alarm goes in, security cameras up and running. We are now starting to feel more secure and restful…

Reflecting back to those first weeks my husband and I are truly overwhelmed by everyone’s caring and generosity. The love and faith we were shown by those who cared for us. I Corinthians 12:25 says “so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.” No truer verse can describe the spirit of community and love we experienced from our extended “Families” They all cared enough about us to want to help in whatever way they could. Ice Cream. Toilet Paper. Pulling in favors to get a stronger more secure door installed faster. Calls, cards, visits, oh and LOTS of Facebook communication & sometimes cheering me on after a rambling rant or two. Nonetheless, we were lifted up by our community and made whole by their help. There is no way we can ever really truly thank everyone who helped support us, who came through when we needed them. All we can do is love each and every one of our “Family” and be grateful for their care and concern. After all, one day somewhere in the future will be our turn to help them when they may need us. Because that’s what The Body does. We care for one another.

Until Next Time, SoCal Marisa