Ready, Set, Go!

 

This has been an interesting week. I have learned a lot about interpersonal relationships.

I manage a crew of around 5 on a given day for a design installation.  The challenge comes when one of the people does not carry their weight.   My husband gave me a wonderful sense of encouragement on Monday morning as he read from the Message Bible “Don’t fret or worry.  Instead of worrying, pray.”  It went on to say “let G-d know all your concerns.  Before you know it, it is a sense of wholeness, everything coming together for good,  will come and settle you down.”

  This was going to be a great Monday, as  a builder called me to have us “stage” 2 of his homes, one he took in on a trade and another of his $5million custom homes he had built, to help clear out his present inventory.  This seemed to be a “match made in heaven” I am trying to “let go” of  furniture from “previous relationships” -  a furniture affair!

      This “match” had a few added pieces to the puzzle.  Some of the furniture was already happily “arranged” in another home.  How would it be  “broken up” and split between 2 households?  Would it work and have the right sense of arrival? Rooms, like people, talk and make a statement. The timing of the day was essential.  We had 3 houses to do, one to undo , a warehouse pick up, and 2 new houses to stage.

  I am so glad I am only moving furniture and not people with emotions and children with broken hearts form one parent and home to the next.   My frustrations come from unheaded worry about how “things will work out” and nothing will be broken, missing, or not fit. Will my crew be  responsive to the day?

Are they READY to GO?

    I love and hate cell phone communication.  I love it when I get the call from my married son in San Franscico saying “I made the Presidents Club”.  I hate it when I get the call from the driver and he is LATE.  I am ready to go.  How many times have we made people wait?  I say no problem. I know the traffic is bad on Monday morning, so will you be there in 20 minutes?  “Sure”. I settle into a hassle free day knowing I can go to the warehouse and sort thru the necessary components for the “rooms”. 

      The next call: “I am here but I am LOST”.  This is over an HOUR LATE.  I say “did you get a map from the guard at the gate?”  “No”. he says. I say “where is the map with the lot numbers I gave you?”  At this point everything my husband has said to me has gone out the window. Worry changed to ANXIETY.  Now all I need is another “call” saying they have no room in the truck for all the furnishings.   Sure enough, the CALL came “we don’t think it will all fit”.  I was near breakdown but I knew that I had to reach into that place hidden inside and pull up those  BURRIED TREASURES… PEACE  JOY & FAITH.

     I had done these moves many times and they always worked out.  The furniture like relationships change and move but the lasting ones work and stay with you . 

    What else could go wrong with this wonderful blue- sky- filled Monday?  We were already LATE and LOST.   What next??

       I get the CALL they were leaving the gated golf community and I could meet them at the next house, the NEW HOUSE.  I must start being excited to see where all  the pieces from the “past relationships” would fit.  It is just like meeting people for the first time. You are not sure how they will like you and the other way around.  There is excitement mixed with apprension.  I had everything I needed for the first trip so I better go and MEET AND GREET my CREW.  The next truck could get anything I forgot. My nerves were calm, my heart was steady, SET to GO. 

        By this time I had prepared to take the crew cookies and chocolate for the explosive phone conversation…after I lost it, like when your husband brings you flowers when he comes home LATE!   I was really “settling into the words of Paul read from my husband to START my day,  I  like NIKE,  JUST WANTED TO DO IT!!

          I turned on the key to my car - not a sound,  not even an engine grind.  Oh my, the BATTERY is DEAD.  I must REJOICE IN ALL THINGS, but this was getting ridiculous!!  I truly had seen the CALM before the storm.  My warehouse is next to several people who could help me “jump” the car.    I needed a JUMP START TODAY!!

   I finally arrived at another beautiful European Villa, LATE but not LOST.   I  realized this day would turnaround.   I  turned it over to prayer.  IT  is like LOVE and MARRIAGE. They do stay together when we work on keeping our BATTERY CHARGED.

     I will write next week on how the houses turned out and perhaps include some pictures.  One thing for sure, the G-d that loves me watches over me.  He is NEVER LATE & LOST and always EVER READY TO HELP!!