The Lord Directs My Path

The program "Nightline" had a special presentation on television, DC: A City Divided. The topic of the program was racism in the US Capitol and the focus was on education. William Bennett, the Secretary of Education at the time, spoke -along with others. I found the speakers uninspiring, but after the main program finished, the filmmakers started interviewing people in DC. I found myself moved by how trapped the children were because of the rejection they faced in the larger society of the city. They were also trapped by failing schools.

I knew a lot about the problem with K12 education by this time. School was a nasty experience for my younger daughter who is dyslexic. In addition I was making my living using an Apple II+ and the school down the street had MAC computers, but they had no idea what to do with them. I thought that computers could make it possible for teachers to share resources (this was the late 80s). I had some experience programming computers. I thought there might be a way I could help solve this problem if I could go back to school and learn how to get computers to communicate with each other.

Before making a decision, I went to the elders at my church for their counsel. One was concerned that I was going to be taking time away from my children if I went to school full time. (The children were 10 and 12 at the time.) My parents were living next door, so I knew the children wouldn't be alone. Still I knew that taking time away from them was a big decision and that I should ask the Lord.

I prayed for a week. The weekend was my birthday. I was used to the Lord getting me gifts on my birthday (see my earlier post on this). I wondered what I would get for this birthday.

On Saturday, my birthday, I went out to the mailbox to find a “Special Issue” of Newsweek. Newsweek usually arrived midweek and special issues are rare. The cover proclaimed “The Future of Education.” The entire issue was devoted to the types of things schools need in order for students to be successful. Some might think it was a giant coincidence that this issue arrived on that particular birthday. I took this as a sign that the Lord wanted me to pursue the knowledge I needed in order to help teachers get the resources and tools they need to do their job.

For thou [art] my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness. -2Sa 22:29 (KJV from the Blue Letter Bible)

Harry the Angel

Building an addition to transform my house into a duplex was more of a trial than I had predicted. My parents and I and my daughters were living in the original, small house. There were too many bosses under one roof, living on top of each other. Winter was coming and I knew things would get worse. I prayed for the Lord to solve the problem.

The shell and framing of the addition were complete. I wanted to move my family in over there, but I knew I would have to insulate it first. I only had $600 cash left in my budget. This was 1990 and I knew the money wouldn't go far. I also had a charge account with the building supply store. I figured I could charge the insulation. I could put up the insulation in the walls, but not the ceiling. The ceiling needed to be drywalled before I could insulate the roof. I realized I could not put up the ceiling drywall myself. I could charge the drywall at the building supply store and then see if I could hire a drywall man to put up the ceiling for $600.

I called the building supply store and asked the lady who answered the phone how heavy drywall was. I figured I could bring the drywall home on top of my station wagon. I would have to get it upstairs though and I knew that would be a problem if it was too heavy for me to lift. The lady at the drywall store asked what I was doing and I told her. (I guess most folks don't ask how heavy drywall is.) She told me her husband did drywall work, so I asked her to send him over to bid on doing the ceiling.

Harry, the husband of the lady at the building supply store, came over, and looked at the house. He said he would drywall the whole house for $200. I told him that was ridiculously low, but he said he needed something to do.

Harry told me a strange story as he worked. He said that he had been listed as killed in action in Vietnam.

Harry put up all the drywall in the house, then asked if I wanted the flooring put down. The flooring included laying a hardwood floor in the living room and tile in the kitchen and bathrooms. Harry offered to put it all down for $250. He did a terrific job. He even added tiling the bathtub area and building a vanity top out of tile for no extra money.

Then Harry said he would build my deck for $50. Next Harry offered to put in the baseboard in the house for $50. Instead of buying trim, he routed the wood himself and stained it. Finally he offered to paint and texture the entire interior of the house for $50. That used up the last of the $600. He painted the house and I never saw him again.

I never told Harry that I had just $600. I marveled that he came and bit by bit finished the addition and charged exactly $600. Wherever he is, I know God is blessing him. I call him my angel Harry.

I thanked the Lord and moved my family into the addition before winter. This was quite a testimony to my unsaved parents. By this time living with my family, my father said my life was "uncanny." Fortunately he came to know why. That will be in a later post.

Once again the reminder:
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Phl 4:19

The Master Builder

When my parents retired I wanted them to come to Colorado to be by me and my daughters.

My parents had just suffered a financial setback. They had invested all there retirement money in a house in a small town. Just before they retired five factories closed in the town. Real estate values plummeted and my parents ended up with very little money for their retirement.

I owned a small house on a large lot. The lot was zoned for a duplex so I set about seeing if I could add on to my house. I wanted to build an addition that had an office for me and bedrooms for me and my two girls. My parents could live in the original half of the duplex.

I didn’t have much money, but figured I could come up with enough to put up the outside and insulate it by winter. I had a plan created and with my father, began to interview builders. The builder recommended by a family member came over, inspected the plan, and told us it would cost much more money than I had. My father gave up hope, and suggested we downsize the plans by half. We were talking in the kitchen with the plans spread on the table. I prayed for the Lord’s help. Then there was a knock at the door. I answered it and there was a builder there who was a relative of a friend. He told me that he remembered that I knew accounting and he had an accounting question. I answered his question and told him I had a question for him too. I brought him into the kitchen and showed him the plans. He said he thought I could certainly build the addition with the budget I had. My father was convinced and we moved on with the plans.

I know the Lord answered my prayers that day with His generous and gracious Spirit. He prepared a place for me in this life and is preparing a place in the next life.

For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Hbr 11:10