Redemption

Chicago

10/2/2018

Have you ever had a moment where you just feel different? Like somethings shifted inside caused by a defining moment. I am sitting here finally writing because of that shift inside me. Recently I filed a lawsuit against my nephew and my sister for a car her son had damaged. He was a few months shy of being a legal adult which left my sister liable. This happened over 16 months ago. My sister helped my daughter Danielle to all her physical therapy appts, so I could sleep in the day and she would take me at 11 at night to work my overnight job. She helped me in the ways she could, but she couldn’t and shouldn’t have had to do it because she wasn’t the one responsible. The person responsible has never made it right. Over this time, I could feel something deep inside me changing in ways that no longer who I was. I was getting bitter and angrier by the day and I didn’t want to let that continue. I filed the lawsuit and as I filled out paperwork I had to fight down vomit and control my shaking to write. I felt such disgust with myself but deep inside I felt like I was supposed to. Times gone on and a TV Judge Show in Chicago contacts us and after a lot of hesitation we both agreed. Sara and I would go on the show and my prayer was this was a way to resolve the problem without making her pay for something her son had done. If my case won, the show would pay what she owes. I got to Chicago earlier that day and as I sat in that empty hotel room completely overwhelmed by all the huge buildings and so many people all moving so fast I prayed. I then asked my sister to go hang out and check out Navy Pier. I had a blast with her. We saw some cool stuff, we talked, and I caught so many new Pokémon. It was win in my eyes. We went to our own hotels and didn’t see each other till court. My sister never wanted me to lose. She wanted me to be able to have a car again and she knows she can’t afford to pay me either. We both just wanted closure. That Judge was so unprofessional and treated us both with no respect at all. He made jokes and told stories about Omaha having homeless after me explaining being in a homeless shelter. He then treated my sister with just horrific ignorance making jokes about slurring words which she never one time did. It was horrific. He never looked at one piece of evidence nor did he let either of finish speaking and slammed the gavel and dismissed the case. I was told by the producer I had a solid case several times and trusted that to dismiss my case in a real court here. I just wanted it over, peace in my family and be able to get to work reliably everyday without having to stand in the dark at 5am on one of worst streets in Omaha to get to work on time. I wanted to be there for things like my kids’ soccer games. I wanted my daughter to be successful in her job and not have to take buses at 11pm to North Omaha by herself. Be there when my grandchildren were born. That Judge cared more about the reaction he got from the audience and the jokes he made when his bailiff took his phone out to calculate what 7x77 was when I explained that I forgave my nephew because if Jesus could forgive someone like me then I can forgive him for wrecking my car. After the show I was told the producer would talk to his boss and get back to me. Rushed out of their wardrobe car and rushed to a car to take me to the airport. I should be livid right now. Well not going to lie kind of pissed. However, there’s something bigger in there that shifted. I didn’t get to replace a vehicle or have the money to move back to Lincoln, but I got something priceless instead. I got to hang out with my little sister in a way that never in our lives have we been able to. No matter how anyone else would see it the way I see it whatever the enemy means for bad God can and will use for good. It brought some healing where division was winning out.