Revelation

The corporate job only lasted about fifteen months. That was plenty long enough. I learned enough about myself and the corporate world to realize that I don't belong.

Once that job ended I bounced around for a few months until I finally landed at a small custom window coverings business. It was owned by a friend of mine named Joe. He took me with him for the first couple of weeks to train me. Then he started sending me out to houses on my own.

It took another month or so before I was actually confident on the job by myself. (I've never been good with tools) But, those times alone in those empty houses and empty offices were wonderful gifts. The peace and quiet, the simplicity of the job, the complete unneccessariness of politics or diplomacy was exhilarating.

One day I was sent to a house. I was told the new owner had already moved in and really needed her blinds. It wasn't a big job. I'd be done in about three hours. I was greeted at the door by a beautiful, black woman. Maybe five feet ten inches tall, athletic looking, confident. She welcomed me and let me get started.

With less than an hour of work left she started talking with me. How long had I known the owner of my company? Was I like him? (I've never met anyone quite like Joe) In other words, was I a Christian?

It wasn't long before she opened up to me. She had three young children. Two girls and a boy. She and her husband had been pastors of a church for five years. Then he decided he wanted to play the field. So, now she was working for her mother, who was pastor of another church.

At one point she had to take a phone call in the other room. While she was in there, of course, her children came home from school. They opened the front door to stare wide eyed with fear at some strange white guy in their brand new living room. I said, "It's OK, your mom is in the other room on the phone. She'll be here in a moment."

The oldest girl bravely walked past me into the master bedroom to find their mother. At which time they resumed being normal little kids.

As I was finishing up I found a window that was leaking so badly that the new paint was peeling. When I told her about it she said, "they've assured me they'll fix it." I knew that if her husband had been with her they would have fixed it before closing day.

By the time I had everything cleaned up and was lugging all the equipment back to my vehicle I was pretty upset. This woman and these kids should not be going through this. This is not the way things are supposed to work. We are supposed to do the right things and the right things are supposed to happen for us. That's the way this life is supposed to work.

As I was walking to my car with both arms and hands filled with the last load of tools something exploded in my head. 


I heard, "You know God the Father is a single parent. If anyone knows how to do this He does."

I nearly dropped my tools. It stopped me in my tracks. All the anger drained out through my toes. I was filled with peace for days afterward. I had just been given a spectacular reminder that neither she nor I were alone in this thing. We both had access to the greatest parenting mentor ever available. And that changes everything.

Being a single parent is difficult. And there is no getting around the loneliness, at times. But, we are never alone. God was not taken by surprise by me (or anyone else) becoming a single parent. He's been prepared for this for a very long time. As long as I stay tuned in to Him, we'll make it through this.

That's my view from here.