It Figures.....

I knew something would happen. I even called my friend Friday afternoon and told her I was expecting it. *sigh* That morning my tax refund had been direct-deposited. That afternoon, the van was paid off and the emergency fund sat at $1000. Flash-forward to Monday afternoon, 3 days later, and the emergency fund is now at $450 and the van has spent the day in the repair shop. I just knew on Friday, driving back from the bank, that now the van was paid off, that Murphy would visit and something would go wrong. Sunday evening after leaving Grandpa's, the "service engine soon" light came on....and stayed on. I knew the van was overdue for a transmission service, and I was hoping it was just that, but no. It turns out the fuel line was worn and leaking by the fuel filter. They also replaced the blower on the heater as only half the settings worked and I had them do the transmission service. (I've been in a vehicle when the transmission blows, and it's not an experience I'm keen to repeat.) Grand total - $694. I didn't need to take it all out of the emergency fund, and truly, I'm grateful that God held this problem off long enough that I could pay cash and not have to use a credit card, but truthfully, it just feels like 1 step forward, 3 steps back. I know this debt will be paid eventually; it will now just take a little longer as I work to rebuild the EF prior to snowballing the Mastercard. I just need to continue to work at trusting God with my finances, especially since they really aren't mine - they are His.