Not the Nail

When I was little my parents told me a story about a man who was fixing his roof. He climbed up to the apex of his roof and began patching a hole. It was hard work and as he began to get tired he got a little careless. Suddenly he lost his balance and began to tumble down the roof! The man's first instinct was to pray, begging his Heavenly Father to save his life. Suddenly, in mid-prayer his pants caught on a nail and he stopped falling! Relieved he prayed, "Never-mind God, this nail saved me."

This story has stuck with me for a long time. Maybe Bryce got a good score on the GRE with his own great brain; maybe I found a great job during a recession without any help; maybe our car started because a random connection dried out by chance, just as we finished our prayer; Maybe my own lesson planning made my Sunday School lesson a success; maybe it was luck that we happened upon a couple whose car was stuck in the snow; maybe we were never exposed to Swine Flu when we had no health insurance; maybe it was the nail, but I don't believe it.

Timing, Tithing, Prayers and Faith

It is amazing to me how the Lord is mindful of my little life. He asks so little but is willing to give us so much. I know the Lord has been watching out for us and, lately, this has been especially evident concerning my job. During my interview they asked me a math question. It would have been a rather easy math question for someone who was not being eaten up with interview jitters, but the jitters were gnawing on the math part of my brain and I completely blanked. (The math part of my brain must be the most delicious because the jitters always strike there first.) I sat there dizzily scribbling pointless numbers on a paper pad, pretending to be figuring something out. The strange thing is that I heard someone say "Two" in the room. I thought it was the interviewer, but that couldn't be. Realizing that my random scribbles were never going to give me a solution, I surrendered, looked up and said "Two". Imagine my surprise when the interviewer told me that was right! I don't think the Lord would have forgotten me, but I am sure glad Mom McEwen looked at the clock and said a quick prayer for me at that time, because I have a testimony that He is mindful of our prayers. (Also if there is anyone qualified to send math help via the spirit it's Mom!)

The timing for this job was perfect when it came, and it is perfect now when I am leaving it. For those of you who didn't hear, I was approved for the Enhanced Voluntary Separation Program at work, Squee!!! (Everyone is going to have to start calling me 'Moneybags McEwen';) ) I was really surprised when I found out. The program seemed more like it was designed for tenured faculty, not lowly staff members like me, but I applied anyway because I knew I was leaving this summer. It has worked out wonderfully! I will be able to work until it is time to leave for Bryce's internship. (a different miracle for a different post :) ) I do not think for a moment that I would have been selected for this program if we had not been paying our tithing. The timing worked out too beautifully to have been coincidence or something I could have worked out myself.

Thank-you everyone, for your prayers in our behalf. I know that our Heavenly Father hears them! He is mindful of things as small as a math question for a little secretary (and not even a BYU secretary!!!) He knows me, He knows you and He knows things neither of us know right now. I have been thinking about my favorite chapter of scripture, 1 Peter Chapter 1. Where is says that whatever happens in this life we can rejoice because of our faith with is greater than gold. If He cares about something as measly as a severance check for me, something that will pass away like the gold in this chapter, how much more does He care for the part of me that is eternal? I cannot send a thank-you card to Him for these blessings, but I can strive to increase my faith and be more mindful of eternity, and less mindful of the world.