God stood in the way

This has been a week to remember.  A week when God stood in the way, like the angel in front of Baalam's donkey, because apparently we were about to make a mistake.  

As I told you last week, Dick was offered a job at Blaise Alexander, a Chrysler Jeep dealership.  He had given his two-week notice at Pepboys, and was planning to start at Blaise a week from Monday.  We could almost taste the no evenings, no weekends work schedule. That's how much we were ready for it. 

BUT.  On Wednesday Dick received a phone call from the person who offered Dick the job at Blaise.  He was very, very sorry to tell Dick that, unknown to him, one of the owners of Blaise Alexander had made the decision to give the position to a guy who works at another branch of the dealership.  Apparently the guy is moving into this area.  Makes sense, right?  But zero communication.  

After the phone call Dick told his shop manager.  He asked,  "Is it too late for me to still keep my job?"  The manager said,  "I don't know.  I already have it in the system that you won't be here after April 8th.  I'll have to ask the district manager."  Dick then made his own call to the district manager, leaving a message on his voicemail.  Dick has a good rapport with him. 

Dick didn't tell me about the phone call until we were on our way home from the Lenten service at church that evening.    You can only imagine how that felt.  I was stunned and scared.  Were we going to go through unemployment again?  Was God getting ready to totally wipe us out?   Move us again?  

At the same time the news about Dick's dad was not any better and it all felt unbearably heavy.  I did all the things I know to do.  Dick and I prayed together, I read scriptures to boost my trust in God, I thanked Him even for this.  I sang songs. 

The next morning Dick got a phone call from the district manager asking him to come in half an hour earlier than his 11:30 starting time.  We prayed together again before he left, letting God know our fears and desires, but affirming our trust in Him and His ways.  I told Dick to please let me know what was decided either way.  I thought I'd get a text at 11:30.  Haha!  I didn't get one until 2:30.  I could only assume that it was bad news and he hated to tell me.  

But it wasn't bad news.  Dick actually had a very good two-hour meeting with the district manager and shop manager.  Neither of them were happy he was leaving.  He's their only mechanic with Master Tech certification.  Many of the things that make working there so intolerable were fully addressed in the meeting.  We have hope that as a result of this turn of events there will be some improvements. 

So we're at peace now that we've had time for it to all settle.  But I don't care to go through that kind of scare again.  

Our hearts are aching for Dad and Arlene.  The stroke has taken away his ability to swallow properly, so he will be having a stomach tube inserted on Monday.  He will then be able to be moved to a rehab hospital where they will work on restoring his losses.  This is hard, hard, hard.  Just two weeks ago he was still working at Bombergers Store a couple of days a week, volunteering one day a week at the hospital, working in his beloved woods.  But having increasing episodes that were due to the bad heart valve.  Now he can't eat and needs help to take even a few steps.  Okay, enough of the negative.  God is the Great Physician, and we are all crying out to Him on Dad's behalf.  

Lori is on a three-day business trip, so Anthony and I have been tag-teaming it with  Austin.  Here's an adorable picture of Anthony "fixing" Austin's hair before I took him to daycare yesterday morning.  And how does one fix hair like his?  Spray some stuff in it and then mess it up.  The curls just emerge all nice and shiny!