Monday, June 11, 2018

Our Provider

June 6, 2018
 
I wrote a post the same day as my last post to update you all on my situation.  However, the events of this last week has had me thinking along different lines.  Our family lost 2 people dear to us.  On Tuesday, I got word that Mr. Cavender had passed away and on Thursday, my good friend Mrs. W passed away.  Our family was blessed in different ways by each of these friends. This is a very sloppy post.  I have not had time to process everything and get my thoughts together.

Both Pat and Sydney worked for Mr. Cavender on his personal ranches.  They had close daily contact with him.  Sydney ate lunch with him at least once a week.  He adored Sydney and was always bragging about her to someone.  Although, they both are still working on the ranches while, Mr. Cavender’s family decide what their plans are for the ranches, it will never be the same without Mr. Cavender.  He was a go-getter.  Always excited about getting work done.  Excited about selling a place and buying a new one.  He was a very likeable, funny and generous man who will be greatly missed by our family.  

Mrs. W was a sweet lady who loved well.  And she was well loved in return.  She knew everybody’s name.  Whether you were the post master, a clerk in the grocery store or a nurse she had recently met, she learned and remembered your name. She loved to bake and share her goodies with others.  She loved to celebrate life. She taught me much about living…what she had done well and what she wished she could change.  And she also taught me about dying.  It was my privilege to spend time with her over the past several years.

When your husband and daughter’s jobs are at risk, it’s easy to be anxious.  It’s easy to think that Mr. Cavender was our provider and that without him we will not be provided for in all the ways that he provided for us.  Pat and Sydney were compensated in many more ways than just a salary.  And it will never be the same without him.  

But God reminded me of the job Pat had before he began working for Mr. Cavender.  It was a great job, close to home with many perks.  When that boss died, he stayed on working for the trust.  Eventually, he was sued by the boss’s widow (the lawsuit was dropped after several years) and was let go by the trust.   

At that time, I thought it was such a loss and no job could replace that job.  But I was wrong.  God provided the job with Mr. Cavender and then provided Sydney with a job, too.  But not just a job, but a relationship and mentorship with Mr. Cavender.  It will always be remembered as a wonderful time in her life and our lives.  Sydney was married on one of Mr. Cavender’s ranches.  

It is amazing how God works in our lives.  The lawsuit against Pat caused him to lose his job, and that caused him to go to work for Mr. Cavender, which in turn enabled Sydney to work for and get to know and learn from an amazing man. I have often told her she should thank God that C.S. sued her dad. It is one of those times, that in hindsight, we can see how God worked something bad together for good.

I realized that Pat’s previous job and current job, and Sydney’s job are gifts from God.  God was being good and generous to our family through Mr. Cavender.  God was providing for our family through Mr. Cavender.  And although Mr. Cavender is gone…God is not!  He will continue to be good and gracious and generous to us through whomever He chooses.  Man is not our provider.  God is our Provider.  So, although we will dearly miss those through which He has provided, we can be certain that He will continue to provide for us.

I am looking forward to what God has in store for us next!

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