A Reason For Everthing...All Things For a Reason

I believe, quite firmly, in fact, that everything happens for a reason. Sometimes it takes a long time to discover what's behind door number 1 but everything does happen for a reason. I also believe firmly that God will never give you more than He knows you can handle. That can be a problem an issue when You are looking at it as much bigger than you can handle. Sometimes it's all about perspective.

Ah, perspective. So, as I have gone through being un- and under-employed, being harassed, having all the twists and turns of the last 2 years, I go back to the idea that there is a purpose for all of this. Something bigger than I know about; like you cannot tell anyone else about an experience you have not had. Let me share an experience I'm about to have.

I am going to court tomorrow over a credit card debt. It's a pre-trial mediation hearing. Now for the rest of the story, as it were.

I went from a job that paid $33,000 to a job that paid $43,000 so I bought real furniture and got a credit card; not my 1st credit card but a credit card nonetheless. Little did I realize, 5 months later I would be the first of many a layoff. I also went to 2/3 of $33,000 for unemployment for 2 months then landed a now job. I know, you're thinking 'that's great!' and it was except it was $5,000 less than I had been making. When you adjust your life to what you're making, it's hard to adjust it back, especially when you have neither a warning and planning time or a safety net. My safety nets were my credit cards, 2 of them. I still tried my hardest to make some kind of payment. When I didn't, the phone calls started. Harassment, assumptions, mental cruelty, rude and demeaning and the list of awful goes on.

I tried and tried to explain that I was unemployed (even though I still made tiny payments at that time thinking something was better than nothing) then underemployed then unemployed again to no avail. As if I was sitting on $4,000 and not paying them just for the fun of experiencing the joy that is collections.

I was laid off a second time in 18 months and 3 weeks later my mother was in a serious car accident which took me to FL for two weeks, back to Raleigh to pack up my life in about 2 weeks time to move back to FL. It was, to say the least, very chaotic. Somewhere in the whole mess, I had received a collection threat letter/offer to settle but again, it was not an olive branch but rather a 'do as we say or else' letter.

Fast forward to fall of 2008. I got a letter from an attorney saying I needed to call them to discuss a settlement or payment plan. Yeah, right!! I called and was basically harassed and yelled at and treated like I'm not human and the concept of 'I don't have a job or money and, no, I can't ask anyone for money to pay your asses back!' I asked the guy if I should go whore myself out and he said 'you do what you gotta do.' Hello?!

So....after that lovely conversation, about 3 weeks ago I was served papers to appear in court for a pre-trial mediation conference at the court house. I believe that everything happens for a reason and there is a reason for this, aside from trying to come up with a solution to the 'I would love to honor my debt and pay you except I have no money.' issue.

I know there is a reason that I don't see or understand right now for this. I also know that this too shall pass. It's really too bad that, rather than attempt logical solutions like suspending late fees, over-the-limit fees and 'just because we feel like it fees' as, logically, if someone cannot make their minimum payment or even part of it, they clearly cannot pay the other 10 fees imposed upon them.

On the other side of it, I absolutely intended and still would like to honor my debt. My other creditors have settled on payment plans with me but not this last one. I am not alone but I wouldn't wish this on anyone. However, I know for sure that God will never give me more than I can handle and this too shall pass.