Too Easy

It is so ridiculously easy to forget how blessed our family is. I am making this note more as a journal entry for myself than anything else. Yesterday morning I woke up after a night of about three hours of sleep and left my house headed for court for day three of the trial I have been up to my ears in all week. I was stressed to the hilt about whether the jury was with my client and I or not, and was extremely worried about how I would possibly keep up with the rest of my cases while I was spending 10-14 hours a day on my trial.

Yesterday afternoon my legal assistant called me and told me that she got a call from a defense attorney on a case I have been particularly concerned about (as if there was not enough already on my plate). At the close of yesterday both parties had rested their cases in my trial and we were to start closing arguments at 9:45 this morning. I went home last night and had to compile my Power Point presentation for my closing argument, and also had to finalize the jury instructions and email them to the Judge, all in addition to attending a Court of Honor for my scouts who were getting their advancement badges.

I managed to get everything done by about 9:30 p.m. and then practiced giving my closing argument to the mirror. I went to bed at midninght and did not go to sleep. I don't mean I had a tough time getting to sleep, I mean I did not go to sleep. I lay in bed until about 3:00 a.m. reviewing in my mind what had gone on throughout the trial, and considering what I would do and how my closing argument would go. At 3:00 a.m. the other case my assisstant had called me about entered by brain and I found myself stressing about that as well. I finally told myself I was going to lay there with my eyes closed until the alarm clock went off. I have heard that if you cannot sleep, laying still with your eyes closed gives you 80% of the benefit of actual sleep. I don't know if that is true or not, but it got me through the night.

When the alarm went off I got up, got dressed, kissed my girls (all 5 of them) and headed to the courthouse. On the way I called the attorney in that other case and dreaded what she would have to say. When she answered she told me that her client had decided to accept the settlement proposal I had made on Monday. It was the best possible news I could have received on that particular case.

Trial started a little late and the closing arguments went well, even though I had not been to sleep since I woke up Wednesday. The jury took the case at 1:00 p.m. and came back at 3:15 p.m. I drove to the courthouse worried and second guessing myself, and wondering how I could possibly deal with things if the jury shafted my client (it certainly did not take long for me to forget the amazing blessing I had just received in that other case just a few hours before).

As I entered the courtroom I saw my client and told him I hoped for the best but that you never know what jury will do. He told me "Don't worry David, you did a great job, if we don't win it's not your fault. I got the Lord on my side, and whatever happens is what He wants to happen, and I will be fine." The jury came in and read a verdict that awarded my client more than twice what we had offered to settle for. It was a home run in any park. My client was thrilled. The defense attorney shook my hand, congratulated me, and told me "State Farm will write you a check." Again, if I had written the script for the day myself I don't know that I would have ever imagined asking for more.

The Lord is in control. He is on my side (and yours). Whatever happens is what He wants to happen, and I will be fine (and so will you). It never ceases to amaze me no matter how good things get, I always find an excuse to worry about something. It is just way too easy to forget our blessings, no matter how much the Lord slathers on us. Today was living proof that the Lord is mindful of His children, and that everything that happens is part of His plan for us. I am sure I will sleep well tonight, and after I do I hope my client's words to me today echo in my ears when I wake up tomorrow, and every day after that.