Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7
I've been trying to think of a way to blog about Andy's situation with Sofa Mart but have struggled with what and how much to share. Instead of going into the details, here's a summary - Nearly two weeks ago, Andy resigned from his position as store manager after becoming the scapegoat for a situation and being wrongfully accused of something that he would never, under any circumstances, ever do. Andy went to work that day knowing corporate was showing up and resigned before the store closed that evening. I was waiting for him at a friend's house and, after showing up earlier than expected, which of course signaled to me that something was wrong, he took me outside to fill me in on what happened. I had been on pins and needles all day and was absolutely devastated as Andy described the day's events.
Even though we were both in shock and very, very sad about what had just happened, God stepped in immediately to calm our fears. A few weeks ago, right after Andy's annual review went terribly, he had begun talking with this guy from church, Todd, about possible job opportunities. Immediately after telling me the news, Andy called Todd to see if the two of them could meet the next morning to discuss any more possible job opportunities. As Andy and Todd were talking, Todd asked us to come to church, where the monthly all-church prayer meeting was going on, so people could pray for us. I really, really didn't want to go, because I'm terrible at crying and being vulnerable in front of other people, but I knew Andy needed the support so we went, and I'm so glad we did. When we arrived, Todd, who works for a temporary employment agency, said that there was a factory position open (through Christmas, maybe) that Andy could start Monday morning. Todd also mentioned a sales position available that Andy could submit his resume for. We were absolutely stunned. In no way did Andy or I ever expect that walking into the church, less than one hour since Andy had left Sofa Mart, would result in a job opportunity that would enable Andy to avoid any kind of lag in employment. Of course, because of Andy's character and commitment to providing for his family, he didn't hesitate to graciously accept the position. After our conversation, Todd asked if we'd like members of the church family to come into the pastor's office to pray for us. I deferred to Andy, again because I hate showing others my vulnerability. Andy said it would be fine and within a few minutes, the office was packed and we were surrounded by people praying to God on our behalf. The love we felt from near strangers was simply overwhelming. When they were finished, we walked out of the church, hand in hand, praising our Lord for His provisions.
It has been amazing to have our eyes opened to so many things in such a short amount of time! Personally, I'm thankful to God for providing a husband who didn't think twice when offered a factory worker position, after running a multi-million dollar retail operation for the last year. I know men and women who would have said, "I'm sorry, but I'm going to sit at home and wait for something better than that to come along." But not Andy. He takes his role as provider of our family very seriously and I thank God continuously for placing that kind of character in Andy, and for providing him as a husband to me. I'm also thankful that Andy is currently working a schedule that allows him to be home in the evenings and on weekends! Last weekend was our first weekend together at home in nearly 2 years. Being with a company that only allows their managers 3 weekends off a year and weekly schedules which include 13 hour days 5+ days each week, we had gotten used to a very different kind of schedule. It's an understatement to say that I'm enjoying having him home much more often right now.
Despite the anger over the situation and the moments of fear about what lies ahead, Andy and I are both thankful that he now has opportunities for a different job. We had been talking for some time about how family-UNfriendly this position was and Andy had been suffering from incredible stress usually daily and always weekly since assuming the store manager position in March. Though he may not currently be in a position that he desires to hold until retirement, we're both unbelievably thankful for an income to contribute to our household and I know that Andy's very, very thankful for the reduced daily stress he currently endures.
As we go into the holiday season, I'm thankful at the prospect of having Andy with me as I travel around Indiana and Kentucky to see family. That was another thing that Andy missed out on, working for Sofa Mart. While we've both really enjoyed relocating to Indiana, I've had many opportunities to see my family and friends but that always meant leaving Andy behind to work. It's amazing to know that this Thanksgiving and Christmas will be our first back in Indiana and, God willing, we'll be able to enjoy the holidays together and won't have to try and coordinate around Andy being back in TH to work the big retail days following Thanksgiving and Christmas.
We're also so very thankful for all of the support of our family and friends. I'm especially thankful of the hope and positive attitudes that we've witnessed as we've called people to tell the of the news. It's a wonderful reminder that our jobs do not define us. To be honest, I was afraid that, when I told people what happened, they would be devastated in the way Andy and I both were; instead, folks have been so great to encourage Andy that something better is just around the corner. People see exactly what I see in Andy - an incredible work ethic, a great personality, and a willingness to learn. I am faithful that God will provide and am excited to see what comes along next for him.
Finally, I'm thankful for a God that never leaves us. Through all of this, not only have I felt closer to Andy, but I have felt closer to God. He continues to provide a strength and hope that I could not get anywhere in this world.
The only way I can think to end this post is where I began...
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7
