Last week was a pretty bad week. A car accident, a stolen CD player along with a favorite new CD, some frustrating kids at school, along with some other minor setbacks all came together and made things pretty rough.

Erica and I seem to be a magnet for such things. Really, it seems like both the Checkeyes and the Shorbs are bad luck magnets, so now that our forces are combined, it's going to get really bad. Start praying now for our children.

And sometimes we hear about friends and all the breaks they get, you know, good deals on this or that or free stuff or whathaveyou. All of it is small in the big scheme of things, but they begin to add up. And instead, Erica and I are here, losing our cheap cars, having all of our appliances burn out because of bad wiring in our apartment, so on and so forth.

It's fun to joke about, but after a while, it gets pretty old and tiresome.

That's when I start up a pity party. Why us? I don't mind if it's us every once in a while, but why is it ALWAYS us? What did we do? We're decent people, trying our best. When will something ever work out for US? Just once?

Maybe we should be the opposite...Erica and I will start robbing people...we'll just be creeps....really awful and ugly and cruel. For one, it seems we'd get away with everything and enjoy ourselves. But if not, then at least it would be justifiable, we'll deserve it then.

Go ahead and worry about me, but I'm not the only one who thought this way. Asaph did, too:

I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong.
They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills.
Their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance.
This is what the wicked are like—always carefree, they increase in wealth.
Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.
All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning.
When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me...

--And then he starts to come around, I guess, and it's a good reminder--

...till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.
Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin.
When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered,
I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.

Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds.

(Psalm 73)