blindsided

Friday morning, while I was at work, I received a call from Dan. In an uncharacteristically nervous voice, he asked me to say a prayer for him, as his boss had asked him to set aside some time to talk that afternoon. Red flags started to wave in front of my eyes, my heart started beating a little faster, and I became worried. "I'm sure it's nothing," my husband said, attempting to comfort me. But I heard something in his voice....

Later that day, after several hours of fretting, praying, and wondering, I walked into the house to find out what had transpired. Dan's red-rimmed eyes and the stricken look on his face told me all I needed to know, but his next words still took my breath away: "They fired me."

Woosh. "What? Why?" I felt my eyes bulging, my chin starting to quiver, my heart racing even faster. The explanation he received from his boss did nothing to pacify me. He has been falsely accused of damaging a rental car, which was, in actuality, stolen from in front of his hotel room many months ago while he was on a business trip. When it was found, it had several thousand dollars' worth of damage inflicted upon it. The rental car agency maintains that this automobile is virtually un-stealable, and that one must have the key in order to start the engine. And since the key was given to Dan, he must've crashed it into that ditch, walked away, and blamed it on someone else in order to keep his name clear. That's their story, at least, and it appears they've convinced Dan's former employer that this is the true sequence of events.

My husband is a man of great integrity; if he had truly had an accident in this car, he would've been the first to phone the authorities and report it. If the retribution had to be taken from his pay, he would've agreed, had the fault been his. But he doesn't, at this point, even have the opportunity to defend himself. Not to a judge, a jury, or to the people sitting behind their desks, casting down judgements and changing a family's life.

I was very angry at first. But I continue to be inspired by this man who exchanged marital vows with me nearly 15 years ago. He has not shown anger or resentment, although I believe he has every right to. He continues to provide the kids and I with a sense of security, even through this trial.

I have faith that we'll come through this with minimal damage, because although I claim to spend most of my time in the driver's seat, I know that it's God who's really in control. And now it's time for us to put our faith to the test, allow Him to take the wheel, and to listen and learn what He has in store for us.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declared the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11