Lent Devotional – Bring It On!

It didn’t take me long to realize that working for a big corporation was NOT FOR SISSIES!  But I came in with grit AND GOD, so “bring it on!”  Here I was, 30 years old, a single Mom, a mother to an 8-year-old first grader who had lost her brother to cancer months before.  Oh yes, and we lived in a huge city (Houston) vs. a laid-back town (Amarillo).  God, you must be kidding, I thought!  But I was too busy to dwell on this, and I just prayed that all would turn out well…with His guidance.  All I had to do was PAY ATTENTION to what He was putting before me…and PRAY instead of PANIC!

So here I go to work, learning how to be a Salesperson. That part was not difficult for me; however, being put into a hodgepodge of personalities with some believers and some not made me realize I was “standing on fertile ground” …remember that song?

I had grown up with God and Church being foremost in our family’s life for generations and with being around “like-minded” people for the most part.  But here I was, planted in the middle of a younger, party-driven team where minding OTHER PEOPLE’S BUSINESS was folly.  Don’t get me wrong, I love(d) to have fun with the best of them, but since my “curfew” was much earlier than theirs, I was happy to opt for “being a mom” and all that it represented.  (a halo is not appropriate here!)

As God (and Xerox) would have it, I was promoted to Sales Manager in a short time.  It was during this time that few Women had that opportunity.  I was the first woman in our part of Xerox to be given that opportunity.   (Is that congratulations or condolences?  Time would tell!).   I again said, “Bring it on!” and double-timed God with prayers!  It was definitely a “Man’s World” that I said again, “God, bring it on. …keep me close.”

At our first Manager’s Meeting, “the boys” didn’t know what to do…open the door for me, pull my chair out for me?  I had some training to do! I was equal in the business world but still enjoyed the respect that comes with those gentlemanly qualities.  As we progressed, I gently but firmly set some boundaries:  no sexist or crude jokes, and for Heaven’s sake, put the seat down on the Uni-sex potty!  (That part is a joke as we didn’t have Uni-sex restrooms then!)

Time went on, God kept me in His sights, and my prayers were answered.  God came into the hearts of many, and their thoughts, behavior, and remembering their “upbringing” triumphed!  We united with support and friendship and talked about God’s Word, especially in the workplace.  While it wasn’t all rosy, with God’s help, I endured…for 25 looonggg years!

Now I am at Creekwood, and God continues to keep me in His sights.  In my retirement, I can now be involved in “the bones” of this wonderful Church and am forever grateful that God guided me “for a season such as this.”

Blessings,

Janey Richardson