Workplace Miracles Series
It would normally seem that where you work would not usually be the place to witness a miracle, but I did. Many years ago I was building a swimming pool for a client that had lots of money, a short temper, no patience, and an unfriendly wife. They would make change after change and many times during construction. I would need to use their phone as it was BC (before cell phones), and would ask to use theirs to call a sub or to chase materials for their project. On one asking she replied for me to just go home and use my own phone, as she was busy. To make my point on her, she called me at 11:30 pm one night to complain about something she did not like. She explained she had seen it earlier in the afternoon, but had been out all evening and just now got home to call me.
Throughout the process they would make changes that would delay things a day or so, or a week or so. Finally when getting ready to plaster, he advised me that I better hurry as the many trees in their backyard were getting ready to drop their leaves for winter and there would be thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of leaves everywhere. I explained that if any leaves got onto the 'new plaster' and laid there for any time, it would stain the fresh plaster. I then suggested that we postpone the plastering until after all the trees had dropped their leaves as it was getting cool enough that no one would be doing too much swimming this late in the year anyway. He was having none of that!!!
He told me that I was three weeks behind in the schedule and what I did about the leaves was my problem. I tried to explain we were behind due to all the changes they had made along the way, but he was deaf to any explanation. "Plaster my _____ pool!" were his exact words. We were scheduled for plaster the next morning, so I advise the sub to watch for the leaves and should they have dropped overnight, just pull off and I would pay a "trip-charge" for him coming out. Before going to sleep, I prayed to God to please hold up on the leaves, and please do not let them fall into the pool and ruin the fresh plaster.
The next morning I went over to the job about 10:00 and they were well under way (as this is a half day job) and they started at sun-up. I asked about leaves and at that moment only TWO had fallen into the fresh plaster and they got them out immediately, so no harm done. By shortly after noontime, the plastering was finished and three water hoses were filling the pool. Only one more leaf had fallen so a total of three all day long.
When building a pool, the construction is the builder's responsibility until the plaster is finished and you have started to fill the pool. The pool was pretty large so it took all night with three water hoses running full blast. In fact the owner said he turned the water off at about 7:30 that morning, and only a few leaves had fallen. But as he was pulling out of the driveway heading to work, it turned loose!!! Leaves were dropping like the Stock Market on Black Monday (Oct 19, 1987) and he had to stop his car and run to get the Leaf Net and started pulling the leaves from the pool. He had an important meeting at his office and could only stay and skim for about half an hour, so he had his wife come out and showed her how to do it. He told her in no uncertain words, not to let any leaves sink to the bottom and rest on the fresh plaster, as it would stain the pool.
Out of curiosity and obligation, I went by to check everything about 10:00 again. She had already done her hair and make-up as she was supposed to leave for some sophisticated Book Club Friday Meeting with the beautiful people of which she ran. But alas, she was still in her house robe, with beautiful hair and lovely make-up, wearing her house shoes, just working that leaf skimmer net as fast as she could. I asked how it was coming and she said so far only a few had sunk to the bottom but she got them out pretty quick. She then complained that she had other plans for the day and this stupid pool that her husband and son had wanted was messing up her day. She offered to pay me to stay and be the leaf skimmer, but I explained I had another appointment in about 45 minutes and had just come by to make sure the pool had filled ok.
As I look back on it now with all the problems of the world, praying for leaves not to fall has got to be pretty low on God's agenda. But He knew it was important to me at that moment and I really think He knew this was a way to let me know back in the day that:
”He does exist, and He is always listening!!!"
I like what the scriptures say about God listening to our prayers. Just, maybe, there have been times you have doubted God’s existence or if He was listening to you. I pray these scriptures will help you believe as it has helped me.
Psalms 20:4 “May he give you the desires of your heart and make all your plans succeed.”
1 John 5:14 “This is the confidence we have in approaching God; that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”
Hebrews 4:16 “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Jeremiah 29:12 “Then you will call on Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.”
More on that aspect 'of listening' in Workplace Miracles #2 and #3.
Thanks for Reading