Proverbs 3: 5-6

What am I into today?

What a difference a year makes.  Truly.  One year ago today, Mark was pulled off a job he was doing, put into a room, and interrogated by his superiors about what he was doing at work without his boss being there.  His boss being the lineman partner he was supposed to be working with.  The lineman had been going home every day, early in the day, leaving Mark to do all the work by himself.  That in itself was a bad thing because he had not been officially trained to do any of it, even though he knew what he was doing.  Mark was the helper.  The grunt who was supposed to be driving the truck and getting supplies together.  Not the guy actually working with the high voltage electricity and doing all the other work.

To make a LONG story short, in the following month, Mark was put in the shop at his work, basically put in adult time out, and the lineman boss was telling him to lie about everything.  During that month, the application for LMA's (Line Maintenance Assistant) was due.  He was encouraged to apply from the guys in the shop who knew that Mark was only following orders and knew how much he had been harassed and bullied by the lineman.  Mark's conscience beat out the lineman telling him to lie, and he went into his next interrogation, umm, interview, and told the truth.  About everything.  He told them absolutely everything and more.  He went in with God on his side and peace in his heart knowing he had to tell the truth.  They admitted to knowing some of what Mark told them, but didn't realize how deep things were. 

Today?  Mark is officially a Line Maintenance Assistant with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.  Wouldn't you know it?  He placed 3rd out of over 100 guys in the LMA written test.  He aced the interview.  The same guys who interrogated him just months before now were giving him pats on the shoulder and helping him to move up and promote!  He did great during the LMA class at the training center and was even the first of the LMA hopefuls to climb the tallest pole there.  I think he said it was a 90 foot pole.  90 feet!!!  That would not be me... but he loved it!  Every second of it!

Today, Mark has run different crews by himself.  He's been tested by the higher ups in his yard to see if he can cut it.  And he has.  Today, Mark can run a crew with a helper by himself now.  Today, he knows the type of boss he wants to be and how to be that type of boss.  And you know how all this happened?  Through God.  We prayed so much together during this whole time.  "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)  This was our mantra.  We were putting our trust in God.  We had to.  There was no where else to go, and not one else to go to.  Guess what?  God was there for us.  For Mark.  

Today, Mark is off by 4pm and home by 5ish every day.  He gets to have dinner with us at a normal time.  He gets to come home and take the kids to the park.  He can come home and enjoy a little TV in the evenings.  Today, Mark is able to put his family first and not his job.  He is not threatened by his boss for taking time off.  Today is a Blessed day!  Today is a day of new beginnings.  It's a day to rejoice!

There were repercussions for the other guys in the yard.  For the other lineman who were doing the same sort of thing with their helpers.  The two guys that Mark had so much trouble with somehow retired out before they could be punished for their actions.  One guy has been fired.  They were all taken by greed.  Money was their god, but they didn't want to do the work for it.  Today though, Mark is working with some really good guys.  He's working with guys he can talk about his family with.  Talk about God with, and guys who understand that family is more important than anything else.

Yeah... we're struggling financially.  Mark was working 40+ hours of OT per paycheck before.  Now there is NONE.  Zip.  Zero.  We're barely hanging on.  But the regular OT will come back. In this economy, it was only a matter of time before the regular OT was taken away.  But in a couple of months, it will come back.  Some fancy smanchy millionaire is going to start complaining about the light in their front yard not being on.  And then another will complain and another... and then the OT will come back because there are jobs that just can't be done during the regular work day.  When the OT does come back, guess what?  Mark will take it. But we won't be tied to it like we used to be.  And you know what else? It won't be every day.  It will be every other Monday and Saturday's.  But only until 3pm those days.  Still plenty of time to be with the family.  And if he doesn't want to work one of those days, he doesn't have to!  He will still be home by 5 every day!  

Thank you Lord for helping us through this extremely tough year. Thank you for being by our side and walking with us. Thank you for giving Mark the courage to tell the truth.  And thank you for all the Blessings we have in our life today.