Ring, Ring

My track record with cell phones is less than stellar! I go thru phones at a very unacceptable rate. Their demise is due to a variety of reasons. My last phone prior to my moving into the “smart phone” world survived a dip in the toilet and a night out on the trail in the snow. The fact that it still worked was miraculous. Last year I was due for an upgrade and I decided I was ready for a smart phone. I got one of the new Droids. What an amazing device! However, I soon discovered that smart phones are very moisture sensitive among other things.

About three months after getting my new Droid, I put it in my back jeans pocket and you guessed it, plunk, in the toilet. I got it out super quick but to no avail. It was dead! No problem, I had insurance. So, a trip to the Verizon store and $89 later I had a brand new Droid. The salesman did caution me that I was only allowed two insurance claims on the life of the phone, so “be careful with this one”, he said. All was well until one night not too long after the toilet episode when I went to pick up dinner at a local restaurant. I had my phone safe at my side in a holster clip, or so I thought. I got home to find it had parted company with the clip and was no where to be found. A trip back to the restaurant complete with scouring the parking lot did not result in me finding the phone.

Embarrassingly, I had to return to the Verizon store and make my second and last insurance claim and spend $89 more dollars. As bad as I hate to admit it, that phone was short lived too. Even more embarrassing is that it too took the toilet plunge from, yes, my back jeans pocket. Again, back to the Verizon store. I did briefly consider wearing a disguise this time! This was getting ridiculous! The news was not good to say the least. No more insurance claims. Not due for an upgrade. No good phone deals unless I added a line to our plan. We finally got it figured out and I got the new Droid Incredible, which is smaller and lighter than my previous version. But guess what, they won’t even insure the new phone! My history with phones is so bad, I am uninsurable. Who would have thought that could happen.

The phone company is not very forgiving and they don’t forget a single infraction. All of this made me think how thankful I am that God is not like them. Can you imagine if He kept a record of our wrongs and met us with, “Sorry no more chances”? You’ve used up you quota of doing dumb things.” How hopeless we would be if Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins had limited redemption? What if we were only allowed two or three dumb mistakes? I don’t know about you, but I am so very grateful that God, knowing our inability to get it right, gives us infinite chances. Every day I mess up in some way, but every day is a fresh start. I don’t have to be ashamed when I come to Him yet again with a failure. He never brings up my record of wrongs and scolds me for not getting it right yet again. Praise God for the unlimited forgiveness and mercy that He so willingly provides for us thru Jesus. What an insurance plan this is!

I don’t know how long this new phone will last. I have, at least, stopped putting it in my back pocket and I’m trying to be really careful, but I do know my record is not good. I also know that my record with God is not good either. No matter how careful I am, I still get is wrong so many times. But God, in his mercy keeps giving me a brand new day and a brand new start without bringing up my past. Thanks be to God!

Psalm 103:8-12

The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.