A few weeks ago, I received a letter in the mail detailing the worker’s compensation I should be receiving for losing my job. My first thought was “Oh my, I have been fired, laid off or will be very soon!” Then, the human resource office from my place of employment contacted me about an unemployment compensation request they received in my name. To say the least, my heart stopped beating and I broke out in a sweat! Since I am employed full-time, HR sent me a link to contact the appropriate offices to file a report of fraudulent activity with my personal identity information.

Upon filing a police report, I learned that a crime family has filed more than 40,000 unemployment claims fraudulently and that is just in Arkansas. The crime family obtained social security numbers and detailed employment information to take advantage of the COVID online claim system. 

When this happens, the Attorney General advises to make contact with the police, the social security office, the bank, the unemployment claims office, the Federal Trade Commission, and the credit bureaus in addition to putting fraud alerts on accounts and 7-year extended fraud alerts on credit reports.  It is truly a hassle!

I pray that I am contacting all of the “right” offices. 

Therefore, I bake.

I bake to release tension and stress. I bake to create. I bake to show my gratitude to dear friends who support me on this journey. I bake to feel my Danish bread whisk blend together the flour, sugar, eggs, oil, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla flavoring. I bake to smell the pumpkin and cinnamon in my kitchen. 

I baked pumpkin bread for a dear friend who is recovering from heart surgery. I sat at her kitchen table and listened to her telling me how life has changed. She shared with me how much she misses her husband who passed away recently. I set up a card table in her garage for the grocery delivery person because she cannot pick up heavy items. She asked me to come back to see her again soon. In this short visit I again recognized, the credit identity theft is an inconvenience, but people are most important.

I walked back to my car reminding myself my identity is not in this earthly world. My identity is eternal. A credit report, a social security number, and a credit score do not define my identity. My identity is who I am becoming. My journey on earth massages me into the woman God planned for me to become, and He is where I find my identity.

I am grateful for systems and processes to follow when fraudulent activity occurs.

I am grateful for people in these offices willing to help with compassion.

I am grateful for pumpkins, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla flavoring.

I am grateful for crisp fall weather, eating outside on the patio, and needing a light jacket.

I am grateful for my family and friends in heaven cheering me on.

I am grateful for my family and friends on earth cheering me on.

I am grateful for God the Father, my Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit watching out for me and guiding me through this life towards a home in heaven.

Many blessings. CC