Oh Saturday. Oh Saturday.

Good morning guys!

How was your weekend? 

I loathed my Saturday. :(

So last Saturday, after our regular dentist appointment, we dropped by SM Mall of Asia to check-out Forever 21's double markdown sale. I was so excited! Pag double markdown sale kasi ng Forever 21, ang sarap mag-shop. I don't really shop there, I find the items quite pricey. I am a Divisoria-loyalist by heart. But when it's on additional 50% off on sale items, it is a must that I go. 

I went inside the shop while my family went to Razon's to have halo-halo. I shopped quick. Di kasi ako mahilig magsukat, I find it cumbersome changing clothes in the fitting rooms. I just estimate the size. So far, di pa naman ako sumasablay. I got 8 items for 2k. Ok na ok na diba? Sabi pa ng cashier, ang galing ko daw mamili kasi hindi lahat ng items double markdown, sabi ko naman, 'syempre Ate. Di ko yan bibilhin kung 50% off lang'. I was very happy with my purchases. Sulit na sulit kasi. Then I saw my HS friend, Beth, we talked for awhile, kamustahan. Then I called Mika, asking them where they were. That was the last time I remember unzipping my bag and I don't really recall if I ever zipped it again. (Stupid stupid stupid me.)

After Razon's, we went to the Department Store to buy Aeris' new bottle sterilizer. When I was about to pay, I was looking for my wallet. Ayun. Wala na sya. Wala talaga. 'Baka andyan lang yan Carole, hanapin mo ulit.' But it was really not there. I called Mika, balikan ko daw sa Forever 21.  I looked for the counter where I paid, the cashier who took my payment was already out, talked to the manager, asked the security personnel --- nada. Walang wallet na lumabas. They viewed the CCTV clip, pagkatapos ko daw magbayad, pinasok ko yung wallet ko sa bag ko. So hindi ko sya nailapag lang sa counter. Tama, yun din ang naalala ko eh. Pero bakit wala sya sa bag ko. :( 

My happy Saturday took a 360-degree turn. 

On our way home, as I called the banks for cancellation of my cards, I kept thinking 'how can you be so careless and irresponsible, Carole.' 

1) That wallet was new. I got it from Cambodia. 

2) That wallet contained the money to pay our electric bills (the main house and our apartment).

3) That wallet contained the USD we saved from our Cambodia trip.

4) That wallet contained the boutique money for 2 days.

I had a very heavy heart. 

My husband kept on reminding me that I should be more vigilant next time. Charge it to experience daw. Ang sakit na experience naman nito.

Well, I must say, because of this unfortunate incident I was reminded a number of things:

1) NEVER CARRY A BIG AMOUNT OF CASH WITH YOU. It has been my habit to withdraw my weekly salary from my payroll account then immediately deposit it to my BPI account. That morning, I was supposed to deposit the cash I had, but we did not see any BPI Deposit Machine. So I ended up carrying the cash with me. Ito lang yun e, ngayon lang naman ako di nakapag-deposit, ngayon pa sumablay talaga.

2) ALWAYS BE VIGILANT. My husband keeps on reminding me to close my bag whenever I get something from it. Di ko din kasi nakasanayan 'to. But I always make sure that I keep my bag close to me.   Ayoko lang kasi ng bukas-sara bukas-sara kapag may ka-text ako. Well the bad habit backfired.

The last realization is the most important.

3) WHATEVER TAKES UP YOUR ATTENTION AND TIME MORE THAN GOD, HE STRIPS IT OFF YOU. When I was young(er), this was my prayer whenever I kept doing something I know God wasn't pleased of. 'Lord, alam ko pong mali 'to. Paulit-ulit na lang. Paluin Nyo nga po ako ng malakas para matuto ako. Batukan nyo ko Lord para ma-realize kong mali talaga to.' This was something between me and God, and I like it just the way it is. I was/am a stubborn girl/woman. Hangga't di ko ramdam yung sakit, go pa din ako. I want to see it myself, to feel it. Matigas talaga ulo ko, inaamin ko. So I always prayed that God allow me to struggle, because it is in struggling that I am reminded that I still know what is right from what is wrong. When we fail to struggle and just give in to our desires, then it is already in our immediate nature to do what is wrong. We no longer pause and think of the consequences. I believe this incident was God's way of reprimanding me. Recently, I have less time for Him, for His church. I focused too much on my small business, on how to make it grow, on how to earn more and earn big. I am reminded of Matthew 6:24 'No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money'. 

It is not wrong to aspire to earn more. But it is not right to make money your master. Let us not be a slave to wealth.

I am glad to have a husband who keeps on reminding me that despite that event, we are still blessed. Whatever was lost, I can still earn. We are safe. I didn't lose my wallet in a robbery where guns and knives were involved. 

It still is sad that I had to learn my lesson the hard way. But God loves me way too much, He wouldn't allow me take the wrong path any further.

:)