Impact - Day 16

Day 16 – The Relative Nature of Disappointment

Numbers 14:30  Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home…

Today, as I write, I am angry, sad, and, honestly, a little surprised. Let’s back up a couple of days.

Friday, my wife and I began a trip to Portland for my annual unplugged work week. During this time, I disconnect from my usual routines, the internet, and my phone to take on a set task. This year’s goal? Writing the series guide for our Joshua study.

All of this was interrupted Sunday when our neighbor texted my wife and mentioned that our garage door was standing half open. FaceTime provided the discovery tour of our garage and house. As the camera neared, we could see broken glass on the garage floor. Someone(s) had broken the center panel of a window in our garage door, reached in, and pulled the cord that detaches the door from the electronic opener. This gave them access to lift the door halfway, as they had done. We had been burgled.

What had they taken? My heart immediately dropped as I followed the camera pan across the floor of our garage. The last thing I did before we made our way to the airport Friday was remove a bag from our car and place it in the middle of that floor. It was gone. 

This past May was my 60th birthday, and my wife and some friends had given me an extravagant gift. I was fitted for new golf clubs that took most of a month to be delivered. It was the most expensive birthday gift I’ve ever received, and I treasured it. Even as we left for two weeks, I was filled with excitement and expectation for my summer of golf upon return. Did I mention that just before departing for the airport, I took this gift out of our car and placed it in the middle of our garage floor?

The thieves grabbed that bag of clubs and rounded the corner to the second garage bay. They found my old set and golf shoes and took those as well. Golf equipment was all they took. They passed by expensive tools, a generator, an air compressor, and a power washer. And they neglected to enter the house through the unlocked entry from the garage to search for more valuables. Somehow, this made me feel worse.

The joy of receiving this gift and the love that had provided it, my affection for the game of golf, my expectations for the remainder of the summer… poof. It was gone. And it was all too much to process. If I’m honest, I was near tears. I was angry and sad. 

… continued tomorrow.

1. What hobby do you have that fills you with joy?
2. What is the most lavish gift you have ever received? Who gave it to you? Have you told them what it means to you?
3. What disappointments do you struggle to process? Why do you think that is?