Anyone seen our cameras?
Posted by GaryFeb 22
Yep, that’s what I was asking at the Steak n Shake on South Blvd on Friday night. We took a group of teens to the Pineville Ice House and we stopped by the Steak n Shake for a quick milkshake. I took a bunch of pictures of the teens eating and put my camera back in my camera bag. This bag contains three cameras, several rechargable batteries for the video camera and some memory cards.
So at the end of dinner we all went up front. I set my camera bag on the counter right beside the register and helped get all the teens checked out. I paid the remainder of the bill and we left for the Ice House. OH NO! When we got to the ice house (5 minutes away), I realized I left the camera bag at the Steak n Shake on the counter beside the manager. One of the adults hopped into the van and took off.
Too late, evidently. 15 minutes since i walked out the door, the camera bag had been stolen. I even went back, walked all around the outside, in the trash cans, talked to the manager, and employees and even asked several of the people eating. The best I could get from the manager was a group came up and paid right after we left and they could have taken it. They were the only group to have paid and left since we were there.
At first I was angry, thinking, whoever took this KNEW that we were a church group. They saw me take the pictures of the youth, and they probably saw me put the bag down and leave it. Then I felt guilty because it was honestly my fault for leaving the bag. Had I been more responsible, I would have remembered and taken the bag. Then I felt anxious. That bag held about $350.00 worth of camera equipment in it and now it’s GONE, G – O – N – E, GONE!
As I gave my devotion, it was on Jesus having expensive perfume rubbed on his feet and the “price” that it was worth. The disciples argued that it was a complete waste. As I started to explain to the youth that our relationships are so very valuable, especially our relationship with Christ, it started to dawn on me that maybe there is a message in there for this situation.
Am I bummed that our cameras are gone? YES Did I learn to hold on to things better? YES Do I regret going on this event and taking the teens? NO Although it cost more than I had expected, and it seems like we lost out in the long run, friendships were forged, relationships were built, and the Word of God was heard by over 20 teens. If I had to lose my cameras for that to happen again, would I do it? YES, In a heartbeat.
Gary

