When I write about my day it is to help me sort through what is going on. Sometimes, with the help of all of you wonderful readers of this journey YOUR comments help me find answers, strength, courage and even faith.
The last 30 days have been bad for Mike and I. We are being sued for a medical bill, the lenders on my car are threatening to take my car from me so we decided to sell some bathroom fixtures that we bought long ago. Jacuzzi tub, toilet, sink, shower- so long ago that the colors that match is raspberry! LOL
We were in the middle of remodeling our 40 year old farmhouse when MIke became ill. All remodeling stopped and well, here we are.
A “nice” elderly couple answered the ad for the fixtures and said they would take them all. They gave us a few hundred as a down payment and came over a few weeks later to pick up the merchandise. When they saw Mike’s state of health, they stood with us in the driveway and prayed for God’s healing hand to be upon this house. It was “wonderful.”
Well, we got snookered and now they are refusing to pay the remainder of what we charged them for this merchandise. This stuff might be old- but it was NEVER used, the shower was specially built to accomodate Mike’s large size and my tallness. We went to their home in Tangent the other day and this meek, mild, Christian woman turned into a stark, raving lunatic and said if we didn’t leave she would call the law! We were trying to take our tub back because they hadn’t paid for it yet!
Mike who NEVER gets angry was furious and after they went into the house, he hobbled over to their door and laid on the doorbell for over 10 minutes. They were watching from the living room and even though they knew he can’t stand on his own very long- they were ignoring him- so I laid on our air horn LOL That got their attention. The woman came to the door, flung it open and screamed “WHAT DO YOU WANT?” Mike said he wanted our money and she said “Do you want a bounced check?” (Found out later we should have said yes).
Anyway, we left frustrated and cheated and talked about our options all the way home.
Yesterday, I drove to town to get gas and supplies. I was so exhausted and worried about the lawsuit (our phones haven’t been working for a month) which is why some bill collectors were furious with us for “avoiding them” I was in line waiting for my turn at the pump. It was a hot, sunny day and I was near tears when a nice, young kid walked up to the car and tapped me on the arm. To tired to be startled, I looked over at this kid. His face had a peace about it and he had piercing blue eyes. He was not a meth head or a crazy. I looked up at him and he said- “Excuse me Ma’am, I know you might think this is wierd or strange but God wants me to tell you that everything will be okay!”
I looked at him and even in the hot weather, I got goose-bumps. I thanked him profusely and drove home crying (yeah, I know I am emotional) I always have been.
When I got home and was sharing with Mike what happened- he got the strangest look on his face and asked me if I knew what time this had occurred. I told him and then he told me that he had been praying after I left and asking God why all of a sudden we find ourselves in so much turmoil and trouble. While he was talking to God, God was apparently talking to this young man.
Not that I want my dirty laundry aired in public, but something has led me to share this event with all of you.
I came to the Lord in Jr. High when my choir teacher took us to Melodyland Christian Center to hear Dave Wilkerson preach. I was a member of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, I was a “Jesus Freak” in high school joining Campus Crusade for Christ and I have tried to walk the straight and narrow as best I can. I have gotten lost along the way- when my son died, I got so mad at God and turned away from him and went to unhealthy pursuits until he decided to slap some sense in me and I stopped self-destructing and found my way into church again.
I got snowed by this church lady and her pious husband and for that we are out some major monies, but yesterday taught me that someone is in control of my life, no matter how crazy, stressful or ugly it becomes. Giving Him back the controls is what we have decided to do. Bottom line is We should have never tried it any other way.
It’s ok, God never turns away from us. He never says bad things will never happen to us, but we know He’ll be there to pick us up when they do.
God Bless,
Marian in Houston
we are very sorry about those mean people. it is sad the some religious people use it to hide their “meanness” but we are so glad that the kid found you and gave you some peace…..
When life’s tragedies continue to tumble down upon us, God is always there. Often it doesn’t feel like it. I have seen many people profess to be good and righteous and I guess knowing they will be forgiven by God gives them the green light to do whatever they want. True goodness and righteousness is from the heart, because it glorifies God. The people you describe in your post don’t seem to be those kind of people.
Are you able to talk with the finance company about interest only payments and renewing the loan to bring it to a current status? I did that one time many years ago. Not sure if this can be done now. As I recall, I paid the past due “interest” on the loan, and they reinstated it to a current status. I had to sign paperwork agreeing to it but might be worth a try.
Are your phones off because of non-payment, or is it another issue? You probably can get into a prepaid service landline or cellphone service. I have done both and it allows you some outside contact. You could give the number out to just certain folks.
Unfortunately you should have taken a check from them, sent it through and then you would have legal ground to stand on when the check bounced. It’s against the law to write a bad check and that would work in your favor.
Do you have anything else you can sell? Some agencies will step forward to help people with medical issues keep their utilities on, provide groceries through a food bank, etc. Anything they can do to assist in providing life’s necessities will allow you to handle the other big issues.
And who is suing you? Is it a hopsital? Doctor? Service provider? Most of the time if you can show that you cannot pay it, they have to work with you with payments. We had to do that about 3 years ago with a $60,000 hospital bill for my husband. I just kept at them and we finally got the bill down to $4800 and we are paying on it monthly (tiny payments)
Last thought on this, not sure if this an option, but you could file Chapter 13 bankruptcy which stops all collections and that pesky lawsuit (and possibly repo of the car). A good bankruptcy attorney can advise you further on that one.
I wish I could help but unfortunately I am sort of in the same boat at you. My prayers is all I can offer
Prayers are welcome. The phones just stopped working about 35 days ago. They “think” they have found the problem (a switch in the main office) and so far (knocking wood) the phones have worked the entire day.
We have nothing left to sell as we don’t have many assets. The only thing we have of value is mike’s mill-drill-lathe and that isn’t going anywhere.
It is a old medical bill (mine) that they are suing for. I had made a committement to pay it off in small increments, but last month, I missed the payment (long story) but it happened. I guess I am paying for that oversight now. I have been notified I will be served after the 20th-
It’s not an uncommon story or situation that I write about. So many people are struggling to survive. Because I chose to get a cat spayed or neutered, or taken to the vet instead of making a car payment is my choice. Perhaps a poor choice, but one I would make time and time again as they are the important ones here.
You are right about everyone struggling to get along right now. Can’t find many people who aren’t dealing with money problems. Try to check on the interest only option on the car. You can’t go without the vehicle.
Not sure about the laws in the state of Oregon, you will need to check, but we were served with a notice from magistrate court for an old credit card bill. The creditor was trying to sue and I had an attorney actually solicit us to take the case with no retainer/investment from me. Apparently there’s big money for the attorney if he can prove the filing, or wording of the subpeona, etc. or agreement paperwork was handled incorrectly. I think the hook for the attorney is that this must be easy money. I would guess they must regularly find those kind of errors. They settle with the collections company for damages and the debtor (me) waives rights to that monetary settlement. It seems weird but we just did this in January and the case went away. I was definitely not able to fight that on my own. Had no idea what to do, so if the attorney made a lot of money off of it, good for him.
And honestly, don’t beat yourself up for missing payments. I have this in my life as well. Sometimes it just can’t be avoided. When there’s more obligations than cash flow, it’s going to. Many things in my financial world are 30-60 days behind. Money just gets tighter so not sure how it will end
It is probably no news to you now, but there are a lot of scam artists that pull that sort of (honey badger) out there. If you have any paperwork (and maybe even if you don’t) you might want to check out small claims court, or even just call the cops on them. (doubt this is the first time they’ve pulled that sort of thing)
It might be worth visiting their church, if you can find it. Don’t say a thing to them, just visit for a service, and maybe wave to them.
LOL! I like the way you think!
One meets the most interesting people in life, don’t you think? Unfortunately, sometimes interesting isn’t a good thing.
Goldie Goodwin has some good advice. I wish I could give you something equally as useful. If good wishes were money, you’d certainly be wealthy by now.
Are there other local animal rescue charities that you could try a partnership with, even informally? Perhaps in terms of fund-raising and helping with supplies and equipment, it would prove useful. In any case, contacting them may provide beneficial, or at least sympathetic, connections.