I am beginning to spaz big time! Usually at this point in planning for my contract everything is lined up and pointed at the highway! Not this year! Little nitpicky things continue to pop up at every juncture. It's a good thing I am a professional. Don't try this at home!

Yesterday was Krl's worst day back in the work force. It is a very disheartening situation. Krl is working with a former employee but their roles are now reversed. He is the store manager and she is inside sales. During their previous work together they developed a relationship similar to that of a mother and son. Krl developed and pushed a training/advancement regime that meant a steady onslaught of pay increases for her fledgling trainee. Due to new direction by their previous employer the Abilene branch was closed and they went their separate ways for about seven years. Earlier this year they reconnected in a chance encounter as Krl and I were looking for a new Sunday School class. Her ex-pupil was being promoted and he began to recruit Krl for a sales position. Inside sales in the beginning, outside sales after she re-established her contacts. A deal was struck! Realize that Krl is happy to put in her time and come home without the hassles of management. She was very happy for her former employee's advancement. Now it is becoming evident that while her former star trainee was a desirable employee he leaves much to be desired as a manager. He is a good guy, but you cannot lead from the rear of the pack. You lead by example, you lead by motivating, you lead by planning, you lead by building, you lead by playing to the strengths of your team. An effective manager is pro-active, not reactive. What has happened is the equivalent of him being elected cheerleader captain but he has to stand two steps behind the other cheerleaders and mimic the routines because he doesn't know what to do. The store runs out of stock (his job), orders are not meeting customer time lines (his job), he instills no sense of team or purpose or direction, and the store is filthy. He gave an ultimatum to the senior inside sales representative that resulted in the sales person resigning his position. Then everyone was going to be moved up (but no pay increases) and a new entry level delivery person would be hired. He hired a new delivery driver whose license is suspended, who lied on his application and it has since been learned that the company insurance will never cover him in the delivery truck. Enter, lie, deceive and go to the front of the class. This new employee has no discipline, no drive, no product knowledge and has no intention of doing any more than he has to do to collect his check. Morale is being destroyed daily and the final straw is that the managers wife apparently believes she is running the store and is simply using her husband as a "medium" to do it. They need an exorcist! It has not been pretty. There have been promises made and not delivered on. There was a bond and trust that has been broken and quite possibly severed beyond repair. I have asked Krl to hold fast for two more weeks, insurances should be in effect (unless this too is a broken promise), then if she feels it necessary, check it to him and begin looking for another job. If we can get the insurance in effect, we can COBA it for the interim. In the back of my mind I am wondering if GOD has his hand in this. I have been wishing that Krl was able to go to St. Lawrence with me. I know she loves what she is doing and that ultimately she works for her customers. I don't want to be selfish!

I would be disappointed with Krl's manager if he were just a manager. It is more disheartening when he is supposed to be a friend, colleague, and Christian. I/we need some help here. Pray for us, pray for him. We don't want him to fail, Krl doesn't want his job. Our hope is that the manager becomes the man that we have seen before, that is lost somewhere inside him. I am afraid if this doesn't get righted it might cost a friendship, a high price to pay.

Thanks for indulging me! Whew, I feel a little better. I will try to do better and not vent so much in the future.

If you are not reading it regularly you might make a special effort to look at Mike Cope's blog Wednesday. Spiritual imagination. Intriguing! I love the line "Picture a world where hope and grace are leaking through every window--even in the midst of suffering."

FATHER, take control! I find myself spiraling, updraft, downdraft. I pray that YOUR will be done. I continue to ask for the knowledge and peace and comfort that everything is on track on YOUR timeline. Help me to surrender my concerns, my will to YOU. FATHER, be with Krl at her work, be with her manager, guide and direct all those involved. (YOU) Be in the decisions that are made by all. Help me to be what YOU want me to be. I continue to lift up Rene', Carol, Michelle, and Aimee. Bless and comfort our extended family. You are a mighty and powerful GOD from whom all blessings flow! Thank YOU!