What a Blessing?

I put a question mark at the end of this post because I feel that we should always look for God and the good in any situation, whether you're looking in the past, present, or future for how things will work in your favor. Where should I start?

I was in need of a new car last year, and after doing a ton of research and contemplation, I bought a brand new 2006 G6 GTP Coupe last July. I drove 3+ hours and waited almost half a day at a dealership just to get one I wanted. It was sharp, sleek, fully loaded, and most importantly, was a lemon and a half. The list of issues I had with it from day one includes all of the following:

• Bad ECU (Electronic Control Unit)
• Bad HVAC (Heating Ventilation/Air Conditioning) Controller
• Bad Clucth Plate (replaced twice)
• Bad Slave Actuator (replaced twice)
• Leaky Sun Roof
• Gas Leak
• Bad Rack and Pinion
• Bad Amplifier (Premium Sound my butt, also replaced twice)
• Bad speaker (replaced thrice)

I'm pretty sure that's it. It was in the shop all the time, and drove me crazy just as often. I think the worst was when I had to drive a Chevy HHR while it was in the shop. That was pretty embarrasing because it looked like a little breadbox (not my style at all), but at least I wasn't without transportation. I came to discover that I wouldn't need a car when I moved to Chicago because I'd be living downtown near the El's and the buses, and parking is EXPENSIVE in the Chi, not to mention the car insurance hike, jump in probability it would be vandalized/stolen, or the cost of a yearly garage spot ($150 to $400/month). I spent $70+ to park for a day and a half, mind you I spent $26 of that parking for 3 1/2 hours at a movie theatre. Let's not forget I would only be in town from Friday to Sunday night/Monday morning because of my travel schedule. So, I was going to take a hit in the pocket if my car hadn't been bought back by GM. On top of that, I made $1200 from GM after subtracting all of my expenses after it was all said and done. Not bad.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago. I bought a motorcycle shortly after the car was repurchased for a little fun this summer. No more than 5 minutes after I'd affixed the new plates, I had to lay it down because someone pulled out in front of me. I walked away with scratches...Thank God for that one. My bike had a few cosmetic scratches, but a bolt broke away from the frame, taking a chunk of the frame with it. This is, more than likely, going to cause the motorcycle to be totaled out. Thank God, again, that I was not found to be at fault and her insurance company agreed to pay for my property damage and medical expenses. So, it was a fun two or so weeks with the bike. Without that distraction, I'll be able to focus on a website I'm developing with a friend, catching up on some reading, blogging, hanging out with friends I haven't seen in a while, etc. It's basically going to make me slow down before I get too comfortable dippin' around town.

Lastly, when I started undergrad I went to an engineering school, and my GPA dropped to the mid or low 2's, horrific. That was around the time when I knew that wasn't what I wanted to do for a living, and the only way to salvage my college education/sanity/personal growth/spritual growth was to transfer. I ended up at IU in the Kelley School of Business (one of the top b schools in the country), and just left with a Masters and a 3.5. God is great! I never could have conceived that most of these things would have turned out the way they did.

I pray that I'll reach the point when my outlook is always positive, no matter how negative present circumstances may seem. I also hope this is encouraging to someone. Peace and love.