We went through the cost and hassle (and, boy, what a hassle!) of moving from Surrey to Oxfordshire as a university promised me a job and a particular income, in writing. Then, unbeknown to me, they couldn't get enough students and then cut the promised income to a quarter of the original sum … perhaps. The start date and many other aspects of the position became much more uncertain. In the end, I decided I needed to be treated with more respect and that we didn't need to be living in a swamp of uncertainty and indecision - I resigned the position and trusted in God that something else would come along … they will come!
Now, we could have felt anger, bitterness and unfairness about all of that - and what would that have done? Just got us feeling anger, bitterness and unfairness!
Actually it did - we were very angry, bitter and revengeful about them … and very fearful for our very uncertain future.
However, the university ain't gonna change. So, with the help of our friend, Nick, we realised we had LOSS, LACK and LET DOWN floating round in our minds and, out of that, we had created LOSS, LACK and LET DOWN in our lives! As Nick said, the evidence does not lie … the fact of our lives is irrefutable proof that LOSS, LACK and LET DOWN are inside us. How else could we manifest it?
So, having realised that, the three of us gave those three Ls, in prayer, to the Holy Spirit to undo and, after that, all the stress and all other negative thoughts went ... and then I got a call to have an interview. Since then, I've had another call - I obviously got the CEO's approval - and so we're off to Swindon for a 2nd interview, to see if the branch manager likes me too! They have come!
Now, we could have felt anger, bitterness and unfairness about all of that - and what would that have done? Just got us feeling anger, bitterness and unfairness!
Actually it did - we were very angry, bitter and revengeful about them … and very fearful for our very uncertain future.
However, the university ain't gonna change. So, with the help of our friend, Nick, we realised we had LOSS, LACK and LET DOWN floating round in our minds and, out of that, we had created LOSS, LACK and LET DOWN in our lives! As Nick said, the evidence does not lie … the fact of our lives is irrefutable proof that LOSS, LACK and LET DOWN are inside us. How else could we manifest it?
So, having realised that, the three of us gave those three Ls, in prayer, to the Holy Spirit to undo and, after that, all the stress and all other negative thoughts went ... and then I got a call to have an interview. Since then, I've had another call - I obviously got the CEO's approval - and so we're off to Swindon for a 2nd interview, to see if the branch manager likes me too! They have come!
And now Arthur's ideas have come, with "three or more" gathered together to bring in the ideas. His story is continued from the previous blog ...
"Uh, we have search agents ... oh, my gosh, of course!" exclaimed Arthur. "It's what I've done for the past thirty years! How stupid of me! Why didn't I think of it before?"
"Because you needed your highly intelligent son to do it for you," said Martin, smiling. "Must be something in the air - we're all losing it! But that's OK, isn't it. Emily?"
"Absolutely," said Emily, looking very relieved, Arthur thought. Maybe the possible solution Martin proposed has given her hope. Maybe Martin has given her hope, somehow. Whatever the reason, Martin felt hugely grateful for his son and sweetly happy for Emily. The poignancy seemed to touch as a gentle silence filled the room and no one seemed to want to disturb it.
"Look, I've got some contacts who might be able to help," said Martin, eventually, his usual restlessness reasserting itself. "And you must have some, Dad. So why don't we get together in a few days' time to see where we're at and take it from there?"
"Excuse me, Mister, but could I go to the car races with you?" asked Chloe.
"Oh my God, I'm not going to get away with this am I!" said Martin. "Look, it's now Wednesday and Brands Hatch is this Saturday and I think my mate, Stuart the steward, could wangle some tickets for us. Why don't we all go for the day on Saturday - kids and all - and we can see what we've turned up about Chloe's grandad then."
"Emily, do you want to join us?" asked Joan.
"Oh, ah," said Emily as if rising from a trance. "Yes, that would be lovely. Absolutely lovely!"
"Look, I've got to go and pick up the kids from school, so let's swap cell phone numbers, Emily, and you can give me all the details I need later on tonight," said Martin, picking Chloe up and dumping her playfully back into his chair. She giggled and leapt up to grab his leg. "Sorry, kiddo, but the silly crying man has to go now."
Joan stood up to give Martin a hug goodbye and she held him for a long time, crying gently.
Arthur stood to shake Martin's hand but Martin grabbed him in a bear hug.
"Oh, oh ..." said Arthur, taken aback.
"Thank you so much, Dad," said Martin. "Just for being there. You don't know how much it means." Martin then shook Emily's hand, formally, awkwardly, ruffled Chloe's hair and sort of skipped from the room. "I'll be in touch with you all," he called as he went out the front door.
______________________
Arthur found it most difficult to concentrate on his work but he just had to get it done … and quickly. He'd yearned, just a little, for more excitement in his life and now he had that, along with fear and confusion … in spades as he'd heard them say.
Joan had helped him move the bed against the wall in their third bedroom and they'd set up the desk in front of the window. It was most fortunate that a builder, some forty years ago, had had the foresight to place both a power and a phone switch in that corner and he now has a lovely aspect, with his desk, computer and phone, looking over their small back yard, over to the St Mary Magdalene church, with the afternoon sun smiling in at him.
Yes, most pleasant had it not been for the unnerving situation he now found himself. He'd spread the files out on his bed, in vaguely logical order, and tried to reconcile them all. It seemed that Lord and Lady Atkinson had both been tied up while their house was being burgled and then burglars had set it alight as they left. Unfortunately, Lord Atkinson had resisted, most strongly, and his arm and rib had been broken in the struggle. Though their property, Darmley House, was large and unseen from the road, their daughter and son-in-law had just returned from New Zealand, wondered why they'd not been met at the airport and, sensing something wrong, immediately took a taxi from Heathrow to the property near Kings Wood in Surrey. That seemed quite clear to Arthur. The reports he had, however, weren't so clear.
The local police reported that they had been called by a John Maranui, the son-in-law, along with an ambulance and fire brigade. The bottom storey of one wing of the house - containing the office, mainly - had been extensively damaged while the rest of the house was untouched, except for smoke damage. Lady Atkinson was having difficulty breathing, with the shock and her asthma, and Lord Atkinson was in considerable pain but would not leave the house to have his arm and rib attended to at the hospital - the ambulance people treated him as best they could, with a temporary brace and sling. He insisted on helping the police inspection of his burned office and was looking for an item or items (undisclosed) quite frantically. Tyre marks were noticed across part of the lawn, near the office and Sergeant Tomlins felt it was most likely from a four-wheel-drive vehicle. He had no chance to confirm this. A half hour into their investigation, four more police turned up.
Initially, they were thought to be the finger-print experts who had been called but, it turned out, they were from a higher branch of the police, though they would give no clear details of who they were. The local police were ordered to leave the premises and were told not to report the incident. This was most irregular and the Sergeant Tomlins insisted on completing a report, on behalf of his team, and forwarding copies to both his supervisors and to the Atkinsons' insurance company, AIL.
"Uh, we have search agents ... oh, my gosh, of course!" exclaimed Arthur. "It's what I've done for the past thirty years! How stupid of me! Why didn't I think of it before?"
"Because you needed your highly intelligent son to do it for you," said Martin, smiling. "Must be something in the air - we're all losing it! But that's OK, isn't it. Emily?"
"Absolutely," said Emily, looking very relieved, Arthur thought. Maybe the possible solution Martin proposed has given her hope. Maybe Martin has given her hope, somehow. Whatever the reason, Martin felt hugely grateful for his son and sweetly happy for Emily. The poignancy seemed to touch as a gentle silence filled the room and no one seemed to want to disturb it.
"Look, I've got some contacts who might be able to help," said Martin, eventually, his usual restlessness reasserting itself. "And you must have some, Dad. So why don't we get together in a few days' time to see where we're at and take it from there?"
"Excuse me, Mister, but could I go to the car races with you?" asked Chloe.
"Oh my God, I'm not going to get away with this am I!" said Martin. "Look, it's now Wednesday and Brands Hatch is this Saturday and I think my mate, Stuart the steward, could wangle some tickets for us. Why don't we all go for the day on Saturday - kids and all - and we can see what we've turned up about Chloe's grandad then."
"Emily, do you want to join us?" asked Joan.
"Oh, ah," said Emily as if rising from a trance. "Yes, that would be lovely. Absolutely lovely!"
"Look, I've got to go and pick up the kids from school, so let's swap cell phone numbers, Emily, and you can give me all the details I need later on tonight," said Martin, picking Chloe up and dumping her playfully back into his chair. She giggled and leapt up to grab his leg. "Sorry, kiddo, but the silly crying man has to go now."
Joan stood up to give Martin a hug goodbye and she held him for a long time, crying gently.
Arthur stood to shake Martin's hand but Martin grabbed him in a bear hug.
"Oh, oh ..." said Arthur, taken aback.
"Thank you so much, Dad," said Martin. "Just for being there. You don't know how much it means." Martin then shook Emily's hand, formally, awkwardly, ruffled Chloe's hair and sort of skipped from the room. "I'll be in touch with you all," he called as he went out the front door.
______________________
Arthur found it most difficult to concentrate on his work but he just had to get it done … and quickly. He'd yearned, just a little, for more excitement in his life and now he had that, along with fear and confusion … in spades as he'd heard them say.
Joan had helped him move the bed against the wall in their third bedroom and they'd set up the desk in front of the window. It was most fortunate that a builder, some forty years ago, had had the foresight to place both a power and a phone switch in that corner and he now has a lovely aspect, with his desk, computer and phone, looking over their small back yard, over to the St Mary Magdalene church, with the afternoon sun smiling in at him.
Yes, most pleasant had it not been for the unnerving situation he now found himself. He'd spread the files out on his bed, in vaguely logical order, and tried to reconcile them all. It seemed that Lord and Lady Atkinson had both been tied up while their house was being burgled and then burglars had set it alight as they left. Unfortunately, Lord Atkinson had resisted, most strongly, and his arm and rib had been broken in the struggle. Though their property, Darmley House, was large and unseen from the road, their daughter and son-in-law had just returned from New Zealand, wondered why they'd not been met at the airport and, sensing something wrong, immediately took a taxi from Heathrow to the property near Kings Wood in Surrey. That seemed quite clear to Arthur. The reports he had, however, weren't so clear.
The local police reported that they had been called by a John Maranui, the son-in-law, along with an ambulance and fire brigade. The bottom storey of one wing of the house - containing the office, mainly - had been extensively damaged while the rest of the house was untouched, except for smoke damage. Lady Atkinson was having difficulty breathing, with the shock and her asthma, and Lord Atkinson was in considerable pain but would not leave the house to have his arm and rib attended to at the hospital - the ambulance people treated him as best they could, with a temporary brace and sling. He insisted on helping the police inspection of his burned office and was looking for an item or items (undisclosed) quite frantically. Tyre marks were noticed across part of the lawn, near the office and Sergeant Tomlins felt it was most likely from a four-wheel-drive vehicle. He had no chance to confirm this. A half hour into their investigation, four more police turned up.
Initially, they were thought to be the finger-print experts who had been called but, it turned out, they were from a higher branch of the police, though they would give no clear details of who they were. The local police were ordered to leave the premises and were told not to report the incident. This was most irregular and the Sergeant Tomlins insisted on completing a report, on behalf of his team, and forwarding copies to both his supervisors and to the Atkinsons' insurance company, AIL.
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