...blessings retrospective

my life has lately been like this persimmon tree...
while the leaves were green, then copper-colored...
they, though a pleasure to the eyes, hid the true blessings beneath...
and as the fruit has become ripe & the leaves dropped...
the birds now have a feast, since these people don't pick the fruit...

they don't gather the pecans that fall from their trees either...
which I gathered last winter and will do again soon...
they just planted an apple tree on the other side...
if they follow their pattern, I may get a few of them too...

but I digress...

in my long & unsuccessful search for a job these past 7 months...
there have been two jobs that I went after that I could have done very well...
the first was the high school band director in August...
the second was the librarian job in November...

I lost the band job because I was reluctant to go full-time...
which would have caused me to have to "un-retire" & stop my pension...
not a problem if the position lasts more than a year past the "un-retire" date...
because you can "un-retire", then retire again as many times as you want...
but an entire year must pass before you can retire again after "un-retiring"...

about 2 months after I would have started the job...
the school district announced cutbacks for the next year...
the job I would have had wasn't eliminated...
but as I had lost all my seniority, I would have been bumped...

my checks would have ended in June...
leaving me no way to pay my mortgage for months...
as I would probably have had to un-retire in October...
just before the budget cuts for the next year were announced...

leaving me with a real chance of loosing my house...
so had I not been so adamant about only wanting part-time...
I would have gotten that job [I was their 1st choice]...
and ultimately been as a friend so succinctly put it...
screwed...

then there was the librarian job...
Evenings & Weekends Supervisor...perfect for me...
Saturday & Sunday, afternoon into late nights...
with some "graveyard" [I'm a nightowl anyway...]

and then, in setting up our Ren.group rehearsal schedule for January & on...
Sunday evening became our only viable choice for a regular rehearsal day...
with Friday & Saturdays for extra or alternate practice times...
again, I would have been screwed...

the group could get along just fine without me as a quartet...
but I would have lost the chance to sing with them...
and that would have hurt me, a lot...
as I love being in this group...

I am amazed at the length that God goes to to protect me...
like keeping my pension coming...
even providing my heart's desires...
like being able to continue to sing with the Ren. group...

and I should already know this...
I've seen it so many times before in my life & the lives of others...
just now I'm seeing His loving & protective hand...
guide some friends through what is for many a time of great stress...
with an ease obviously blessed by His touch...

oh, there is still great effort needed on their part...
but doors open, opportunities appear...
help & support arrives...
and faith, hard work & planning are rewarded...

in His time, in His way, in His will...

so I'm quite confident that the promise He made me a few days ago...
that the new year would bring me renewed heath, increased wealth...
and the job that He has for me to do...
will be kept...

in His time, in His way, in His will...

God is very good, all the time...