Low Blow
Someone stole my new MacBook today. It’s quite obvious that it’s been pilfered, but I’m not going to compromise the “investigation” by posting details now.
To be honest, though, the laptop itself isn’t really that important. Though it and Louie (my car) are really my only material possession of any value, I could care less about “owning” them. Rather, three things really bother me:
- That something like this would happen at Pleasant Vineyard. This is a place where I expect more … where the standard of trust should be well above-and-beyond that of the world. Something is drastically wrong if anyone in this place would do such a thing … and something needs to be done about it immediately. Every week, so many people entrust to us the most important things in their lives (their children) … and it is essential that we do everything that we can to safeguard the emotional, spiritual, and physical safety of the precious little ones that we serve.
- The whole reason why I bought this laptop was to open up communication with the outside world during my next year in China. I want to take thousands of photos and share them. I want to write stories of redemption and embarrassment. I want to video chat with the most beautiful girl in the world. I want to use the Internet to learn about the exciting new culture and language I’ll be immersed in. But now I have to second-guess all of those desires, re-evaluating if this should be a time of isolation and intrapersonal growth instead of experiential teaching and interpersonal growth.
- This one didn’t hit me until late last night … but I’m quite sad that anyone here would have this little respect for me. After six years of pouring so much into this place, I somehow expect to be automatically given an extra measure of grace, personal safety, and mutual respect. I know I’m a screw-up with some glaring character issues … but I have loved and will continue to love these people with all my heart. So it honestly just hurts to be targeted so specifically and spitefully by someone who really doesn’t understand what this place is all about.
I know, it’s all kind of silly … it’s a laptop. I’m not sulking around or anything, and I’m doing what I can to not make a big deal out of it. But I’m a confrontational kind of guy, and I like a good Sherlock Holmes mystery. I want to aggressively get this done and move on, but unfortunately I’m not really in control of it all. It’s very humbling.
And in the long run, that’s probably the best thing about it.
June 24th, 2006 at 12:05 am EST
i really, really, really wish you were joking. but i don’t think you are.
#$@^*!&%.
June 24th, 2006 at 12:10 am EST
I really, really, really just hope I’m wrong.
June 24th, 2006 at 12:54 am EST
so lance…did you find it?
June 24th, 2006 at 12:15 pm EST
Lance, that is soooo frustrating and angering. You sound like you’re really working on handling the anger part though so it doesn’t take over. I will pray for that and that hopefully it will show up, and that overall, something good will come of the situation.
You know C-Lib from Whiskerino? His Powerbook was stolen last fall and he had to work through a lot of the same stuff…feeling violated and all.
I’ll be prayin’. God’s in control.
June 24th, 2006 at 1:45 pm EST
I occasionally joke with Matt that the day something happens to our laptop (as something inevitably will, and on my watch too because I’m usually here when the boys are, and they’re the biggest threat to it!) is the day that I’ll have to run away from home until the storm blows over. Matt is pretty even tempered but this thing is his third baby and it’s well known, you don’t mess with the man’s machine!!! All that to say, we’re really sorry to hear about this and hope that it is returned to you.
June 24th, 2006 at 8:44 pm EST
um…bummer dude. and i was worried about it getting stolen in china. i’ll pray that God convicts whoever it is and that its a good learning and growning experience for all in the end.
June 25th, 2006 at 1:46 am EST
Holy crap man … that is terrible. so soon after you got it too. I HATE it when people steal. I had my bike (wheels) stolen in college and yeah it was just a bike but it was more the violation of my property and the lack of a way to get to class that made me the most mad. I hope you find it.
June 25th, 2006 at 9:59 am EST
Ugh. Sure it is just a laptop but there is still that feeling of loss no matter how insignificant the object should be. I pray that it will be returned to you. I was really, really looking forward to reading about your experiences in China.
June 29th, 2006 at 10:44 pm EST
Kina odd that this happened…. I went to a Younglife camp this past week, and had a sizeable amount of dinero bojanked from my wallet, I was not a happy camper (pun intended)… so I didn’t get to buy any camp store stuff, it was a bummer.
June 30th, 2006 at 3:11 am EST
If only you would’ve been at PVM … are you coming this summer at all?
July 6th, 2006 at 3:28 pm EST
To be honest…. I have no idea.
I feel so much older than everyone there, it is weird. I don’t know, I would love to go, but my home life isn’t the best in the world at the moment. I have football practically all the time now, and free time isd hard to find.
I guess if everyone there really wantes me to come, I can talk to my parents and see what is up.
July 7th, 2006 at 11:15 am EST
Dude … of course we would want you to come! We love you! But there are only two more weeks left with open spots (week 8 and 9). Do it!
July 7th, 2006 at 11:22 am EST
Wow … I was just given a note that says that week 8 is full, and there are only 30 spots open in the last week of camp. If you’re gonna come, I’d recommend registering this weekend!