Thankful Thursday: Part Two

I wanted to expand on my Thankful Thursday today since I'm feeling pretty down right now. Parker's diaper bag was stolen from the trunk of our car today. I'm guessing that the trunk button on my keys got pushed down while in my very full purse and it popped open while we were shopping. I wanted to write some thoughts out to help me forgive the person who took it, as well as try to turn it around in a positive light.

I'm thankful that even as our bag was being taken, I was at Children's Orchard (like a Goodwill for kids' stuff) buying a bigger diaper bag since our old one was being stretched to the limits. Ironic, no? I was going to use the old one as my new purse since my purse is also being stretched to the limits (obviously), but I guess it just wasn't meant to be.

I'm thankful that Parker accidentally left his favorite toy truck in his Grandpa's car yesterday - otherwise it probably would have been in his bag and I wouldn't hear the end of it. As it is, he threw a fit about it being missing this morning and fortunately Grandma sent him these nice pictures showing how much fun Hummer was having at their place. They made him smile:

I'm thankful that we were in a rush to get out the door for P's dental appointment this morning or else we might have put more of Parker's favorite cars in the bag. He keeps track of them all so he'd know if they were missing.

I'm bummed that P's guitar bottom jammies from his auntie were in the bag, but thankful that we had the top safe at home at least.

I'm thankful that even though the new toilet seat thingamajigger we bought was in there, that it didn't work well anyway and now I have an excuse to buy a different one that hopefully works better.

I'm thankful that even though there were $80 worth of Target groceries in the trunk, they didn't touch any of those or anything else of value (like his strollers).

I'm bummed our camera was inside the bag, but thankful that I recently transferred a big bunch of pics over to my computer and there were only a few new pics on there that we'll never see again.

And I'm especially thankful that Parker is being very sweet and understanding about the whole thing. He had a little piano toy in there that he got with Gma and Gpa at Wendy's yesterday. Shortly after we got home he started looking for the bag and asking for the piano. I started crying a little as I was explaining to him what happened. He didn't cry or get upset but got a concerned look on his face and said a few times, "Somebody took the piano away. That's not nice!" And he keeps coming up to me to give me hugs and telling me he loves me because he's concerned that "mama's crying." What a sweetie!

OK, I'm feeling much better now and not quite as violated. The very human part of me hopes that person feels a little guilty when he or she sees Parker's cute face on that camera. But I'm also hopeful that the person who took the bag was in real need and finds use for the items inside (or at least gives them to someone who will).

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"Peter came up to the Lord and asked, 'How many times should I forgive someone who does something wrong to me? Is seven times enough?' Jesus answered: 'Not just seven times, but seventy-seven times!'" Matthew 18:22

"Whenever you stand up to pray, you must forgive what others have done to you. Then your Father in heaven will forgive your sins." Mark 11:25-26

"There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land." Deuteronomy 15:11.