A Father's Day Story

If you’ve been following these ramblings, you may remember that last year I “hired” an unemployed man to do some work around my house. I had a rainy day fund; it was pouring on him. It seemed like a fit. He seemed a good man, put out of work but working a number of part-time jobs to hold house and family together. Pride didn’t enter into his work decisions; he’d do any menial job for pay. He delivered pizzas; he cleaned my messes. He was a good worker.

Last fall, I ran out of things for my “hired man” to do. That last day we sat down over coffee and talked. Things were still bad for him, and I was silently embarrassed I could not find more for him to do, and I knew he wouldn’t accept charity. So I took out my checkbook and wrote. He looked at the check I handed him and protested that he couldn’t take it, and I responded that it was not charity, but that I was continuing to hire him to do work for me. “What work?” he inquired. I answered that I was hiring him to take some time off from his stress-filled life, some quiet time to meditate alone, to pray, to get away from all his worries. I told him I was paying him to do this work – for me. Like all those days when he let himself into my house and went about the chores I gave him, I said I would trust him to track his hours, to justify this check, his pay. I told him I trusted him. He thanked me and he said he would do it.

Then I forgot all about it.

This spring he again contacted me, still looking for work. I created another list and invited him to come over and dig in --- really! I left the money to pay him on the kitchen table, as before. As before, when I got back from caring for mom I saw his note explaining what he had done that day, and the hours it had taken him at our agreed-upon rate. Then one day he called me on my cell phone and said he had an upcoming job interview, “for a good job”. He asked me to pray for him. Later, he called to tell me he had gotten the job, but still wanted to work for me weekends “to help get out from under my debt load.” And so our arrangement continued.

Yesterday I wrote in this blog about how we are all charged by the Scriptures to treat others as children of God, and to also act as children ourselves. I had totally forgotten that today is Father’s Day, but yesterday’s blog now seems appropriate to today’s theme: We should all love one another as a father loves his children. I thought of this theme as I read the below note, which was sitting on my kitchen table, as I arrived home from Adoration at 2:30AM --- on this Father’s Day:

Txx,
Last year you gave me a very nice bonus and asked me to pray to Jesus in return. I probably said thank you and maybe said it twice or something. But now let me share with you what that gift has done for me.

I’m quite sure you know I’ve been in a tight spot for a while. When we met, I was quite certain, and was totally resigned to the idea that I was going to be thrown out of my house and have nowhere to go. I wasn’t as much concerned for myself as I was for my chronically ill wife and our last two kids. I did everything I could and it was never enough; I was drowning.

I was drowning in debt, in stress. In anger about my situation I had already decided that the Lord had to take over, because I was on the verge of total collapse. And although I had given up on my situation, I just kept going anyway.

I believe it was the Holy Spirit who pushed me forward when I had no reason to go forward. It was the Holy Spirit who guided all of my moves at that point because I hadn’t the will to move forward on my own. And it was the Holy Spirit who introduced you and I to each other.

Well, I’ve always felt the presence of God in my life. I should have died many times, but haven’t yet. So many times in fact, that logically and mathematically it’s beyond reason that I haven’t. And so I have always believed that there must be a God, and He must have a plan for me.

Last year when I worked for you, it was one of the darkest times for me. After your gift, I decided that this was the moment of reckoning. It was yet one more sign from Him that He wasn’t done with me yet. So I capitulated. I decided once and for all that he would have to “take over the wheel” because my driving had gotten me lost. And if indeed He does have a plan for me, He can just “drive me there Himself.” So now I’m on the “Prayhound” and I’ve left the driving to God.

Well for no good reason that I can explain, I am still living in our home. Have been unable to make ANY payments since Nov. of 2008, and cannot explain why we have been ignored by the bank for so long. On May 3 I started my new job, back in my field of choice, making the money I need to make. After just nine days on the job, the bank called for their money. And they seem willing to forgive most of the back payments and modify our mortgage to keep us in the house. And now I can prove enough income to be able to stay. And although my wife will never fully recover from her ailments, she has stabilized somewhat. I’ve been able to unbury myself from nearly all of the crushing debt I was under. In general, things have turned around for me. I don’t know what his plan is, but I can tell you that I trust His driving better than I trust mine. Oh yeah, and besides all that, I’m actually finding it easier to smile again.

So in case you were wondering if your gift had any effect? Rest assured it has. More than you know. More than a mere “thank you” could ever convey.

Your friend for life,
(s) Mxxxx

It’s been an interesting week for me. One old friend dies, and now one new one lives. And in all these things, I know that God is good. God is good.

P.S.
My Protestant “daughter” was waiting for me in church this morning, and we attended mass together. Afterwards, she bought me breakfast and gave me beautiful shirts (to replace some of my many stained ones), great cherry salsa, and some wonderful, sentimental cards.
It has been a beautiful Father’s Day for me, loving and caring for my friends/children, and being loved and cared for by them also. God is good. He is indeed good.
Thank you, Father.