Finding a Job

HIS MYSTERIOUS WAYS
 Not owning a car, I had to find jobs that I could walk to, and considering that the town I lived in was not very large, it always surprised me that I did manage to find work within walking distance of my home. When the newspaper I worked at for l0 years was moving to a location I could no longer get to on foot, I found another place to work a few blocks away. After six years there, it turned out they also would be moving, to a new location out of town. By then, I had no idea where I would find another job within walking distance. So I asked God to please help me. One morning as I was passing the small brick building where the Dept. of Transportation was located, I suddenly stopped in my tracks and wondered if they had any openings. I had passed that building for l6 years on my way to work and thought it was just a state garage or something, a place where only men seemed to work. But that particular morning I decided to stop in and see if I could possibly get a job there. Once I was inside the building, I was surprised to see a few women at regular office desks and asked the one nearest the door if any jobs were available. She directed me to the small cubbyhole of an office where the Personnel Manager worked and when I asked about the possibility of getting a job there, she said, "Oh, you heard about the opening?" They were looking for someone to fill a clerical position that had been vacant for over four months. I was hired!  I guess God was saving it for me.-And it turned out to be the best job I ever had.

The House we lived in and loved

HIS MYSTERIOUS WAYS
 THE HOUSE WE LIVE IN (AND LOVE)
Three months before our fifth child was due, the Owner of the garden apartment complex we lived in sent out notices that everyone would have to find other living quarters because he was converting the apartments into Condominiums, which would be for sale in the next year or so. With no savings and a baby on the way, we had no idea where to go. Apartments were scarce and expensive, and there weren't many landlords who wanted to rent to a family with five children. Since all Our neighbors also needed new places to live, that was the main topic of conversation in the complex. Everyone was looking through the classifieds and talking to real estate agents. One night when I had trouble falling asleep, I let my mind wander and imagine what kind of place I'd like to live in. A house of our own with five bedrooms and a big yard for the kids to play in would be nice. A reasonable price would definitely be a requirement. Soon I found myself asking God to please help us find a decent place to live, even if it didn't exactly meet my imaginings. The next morning when I was relating my wishful thinking to my husband, he looked at me with raised eyebrows, and said facetiously, "Yeah, right. We're going to be able to afford a house with five bedrooms. And tomorrow We're going to win a million dollars." Later in the afternoon, as I was straightening up the living room, there was a newspaper on the coffee table, folded to the classified section. I figured one my neighbors had probably left it there when a few of us got together that morning to discuss our situation. As I was about to throw the paper into the wastebasket, my eye caught one of the ads in the Homes for Sale section. "Handyman Special - 5 BRs, bath, LR, DR, Kit, lg yard. needs some work. reasonable." I immediately called the number in the ad and asked when my husband and I could look at the house. I never did anything like that before, Without even consulting my husband, but I just felt I had to see that house. Much to our surprise, the house was in good shape structurally and just needed cosmetic repairs like painting and cleaning. It was in a price range we felt we could handle and as housing prices went up over the years, it turned out to be the best bargain we ever got. Our family has spent 35 happy years in this house and I thank God for it every day.
Terri Andersen