It’s true. I am exceptionally gifted at attracting trouble.
As a teenager I remember wearing a baseball cap that read those exact words. I am not proud of the fact I attract trouble and I can’t take any credit for it. Besides, it’s hardly something to brag about anyways. It just happens.
And it didn’t start yesterday. Here’s a glimpse into my history…
What small child got lost on a beach in Holland – spending the day in the police station until they found my distraught mother? Me.
What six year-old was riding an open chair lift up Mount Baker when her pink rubber boot slipped off her tiny foot and she lunged to grab it back – giving her mom the scare of her life? Me again.
And what college student managed to cause the entire dormitory power grid to black out? Yup, that was me too.
I could fill pages of this blog with examples from then ‘til now.
Ty Pennington’s First to the Future home
So it will come as no surprise that while flying to Florida this week to attend the Product Sponsor Event at the opening of Ty Pennington’s new First to the Future smart home, I was delayed for over two hours waiting in a plane on a runway in Dallas. There was a horrendous storm which meant I landed in Florida at 2 a.m. I had to wait apprehensively at a deserted car rental shuttle stop with only my dead cell phone battery and a lone tattooed leather-clad scary man for company. Then, within fifteen minutes of leaving the car rental place, I got lost on the way to the hotel and was involved in a hit and run, nearly totaling my rental car. For the record, I was the one “hit” not “run” in case there was any doubt.
Growing up my family and now my own kids, say it’s my fault these things happen to me. That I’m careless or something. I don’t know. I’d like to think that’s bunk, but I can’t prove it either way.
But here is what I do know.
First to the Future Home
As crappy as it may feel at the time of my misery, who am I to complain?
I woke up the next morning to find out that my long wait on the tarmac paled in comparison to the havoc the storm wreaked in Texas and Oklahoma. Homes and businesses were flooded and even worse, families were devastated by the loss of loved ones.
As for the man in the truck in front of me who decided to slam into reverse and hit me? He’ll be waking up to a knock at his door by a man in uniform, thanks to his license plate number giving up his identity. He’s gonna end up paying for the dumb decision he made to take off.
Yup – I got to meet Ty Pennington!
And in the end, I still was able to meet up with Ross, our VP Sales and make it to the house’s big reveal. Plus I got to meet the celebrity of one of my old fave TV shows Extreme Home Makeover.
And, while there we serendipitously got introduced to some wonderful folk who head up an amazing new charity aimed at building affordable shelters for the homeless, giving displaced families a safe and secure home. You can read about them at facebook.com/abodshelters.
Ty Pennington is an ambassador for this charity and we were graciously invited back to Ty’s home that evening for an in-depth introduction to Abod’s incredible mission and to meet the passionate people and hear their stories behind this initiative. What an incredible group of inspiring folk!
So, truth be told, I will probably continue to attract mishaps. But I will gladly do so as I also seem to continue to attract many undeserved blessings too!
Here’s my point: things could always be worse and a silver lining does exist behind every cloud. We just have to look for it!
It’s funny, but back in my office today I read my June calendar’s inspirational thoughts by Chuck Swindoll and smiled:
Serendipity Occurs
When something beautiful and unexpected breaks in to the monotonous.
When we lose our capacity for surprise and spontaneity, we settle into life’s ruts.
We expect little and we’re seldom disappointed.
Though I’ve walked with God for decades, I still find much about Him mysterious.
But this much I know:
He dots our pilgrimage from earth to heaven with amazing serendipities”.