Locks: Are you in or out?

Ever lock your keys in your car?     I'm the person who usually leaves the keys in the ignition, doors unlocked, and I'm open to anyone borrowing my wheels.....  So yesterday ... I'm commuting home from my 2 and 1/2 hour weekly visit with Greg.    I decide... 'hey.. I really could use a pit stop to empty my 'tank' and hey..while I'm at it... I could check and see if that bar stool that I found on clearance is here at this store so I can purchase a match.'     As I pull into the parking lot I get a work phone call regarding a clients behavioral issues, so as I multi-task I finish up the conversation, get out of my car, put phone away, feel for my keys.... realize... I have no keys.... turn around with enough time to hear the locks go 'click'.     Here I am... 85 miles away from my 2nd set of keys locked in my apartment... in some suburb along Interstate 69.     At this point I realize I left my drivers side window open about two inches.... this is where I attempt inserting my chubby arm.     I soon realize this method is not working... so I go inside and purchase this thing...

The WONDER BAR!     The lady at the Meijer's checkout looked at me funny when I came through to purchase this and an extremely long metal ruler.     She made some comment about doing some 'heavy work' and I responded... 'well actually... I locked my keys in the car'.    She said I needed to go get a hanger instead, I told her if this didn't work I'd be back for the hangers in a minute.    I head out to the parking lot and start my mission.    Before long, I have an audience of encouragers.    By my forth attempt I hit the locks and was good to go.     One guy says to me 'you're sure a smart one!'.... I responded ...'I'd have been a whole lot smarter had I not locked them in my car in the first place!'.

So thank you WONDER BAR for coming to my rescue....

I've just had the realization that I've not been very good at updating my blog these past few months, so many things keeping me preoccupied here that I seldom have down time to sit and gather my thoughts to share, but its important to give you an update!

I finially feel all settled in my apartment, its nice to have my own place to come home to again, and nice to have some of my own stuff again.

This last week Gregory had his final test for his class he has been taking, and I'm proud to say he got a perfect score!   The only one in his class to manage a 100%!    So this confirms that he will receive his 90 day time cut!    WOOHOOO!!!   Beyond excited.     We are definiately on the down hill slope of this hurdle.      I am very blessed to get to go down to Plainfield once a week to visit him for a 2hr visit (often our visits last a tad longer which is an added bonus).    It's so nice to be able to see, touch, and sit across from him to have eye to eye conversations with him.     It looks like June 27th ... if not before will be his expected release date, and it could be sooner than this.    We are praying that his paperwork and everything gets processed quickly so that nothing is held up in the system to hold him back from getting his early release.

We both know there is a long, difficult road ahead of us and that it will require a lot of work on our parts but we are so excited to continue to move forward on this journey God has brought us on.   Very excited to see what the road ahead entails for us.

Interestingly enough.... I find it amusing that God used a locked car door this week to remind me of God's open door policy for us to join Him.     Here I am... week after week... waiting, wondering, and trying to get in and of locked spaces while Greg just longs to get out.     Freedom is a precious thing, I'm thankful for the freedom I have in Christ.     Walking into the prison courtyard and being shut inside layers of gates and doors is not confining because of who I am, free in Christ.     Lord thank you for your grace, your love, and the abundant joy you put into my life.     Thank you for opening the right doors and closing the wrong ones in my life and pushing me to walk boldy through the gates you have prepared for me.