Calming the Storm

from PlasticSmileRealTears on iconator.com

Beboppin' to The Fox by Nickel Creek. It's absolutely impossible not to smile when I listen to this song. Or think about Old McDonald. 
Cursing the Yellow Plague from the Pollen Capital of the U.S.
    The most awesome thing ever happened yesterday! It started out being really stressful and upsetting, but then God stepped in and calmed the storm (reference to last night's sermon, check). So here's the sitch. I direct a children's choir at my church, 4-7 year olds. The spring concert for all the choirs was last night. And I was scheduled to work.
    This is a problem, right? Well, this past week and weekend has been so chaotic for me that I didn't even realize the scheduling issue until right before church yesterday morning. I'm talking ten minutes before the service started. So I skedaddled out of the church to make a phone call up to my work. Luckily one of my favorite managers answered and I gave him the skinny. The problem was that on the request-off book - which is really just a daily planner - Saturday and Sunday share a box (Figure A). 

    As you can see, I clearly requested for Sunday night off (Figure B), but whoever wrote this week's schedule misunderstood and gave me Saturday night off instead. It's an easy mistake, and I understand; however, even though it wasn't my fault, I was responsible for getting the shift I shouldn't have covered. Insanity, I know. So I asked Manager J-man for some numbers for people who might could cover my shift. He gave me five. Three didn't pick up, and the two who did couldn't cover it. That left me with quite the predicament, which I fretted over all during the service. I shouldn't have, but it was a very stressful situation. All through the service I prayed for God to work it out, because I didn't know what I was going to do.
    So here was my solution for the worst-case scenario if none of my voicemails were answered - which Manager J-man agreed to - I would go to work at four, work until five-fifteen, then leave for the spring concert, then come back afterwards and go back to work. It would be crazy stressful for me, but I was willing to do it.
    By three, I still haven't heard from any of the messages I left. So I get ready for work. Curl my hair so when I took it out of the ponytail and hat, I wouldn't have the hairband-bend and hat hair, and go to work with my clothes to change into for the concert. The thing was, I was pretty sure that Manager J didn't realize how long I would be at this concert. It would've been roughly half of my shift, not the twenty minutes or so I was sure he was expecting. So I knew I needed to explain this to him. I walked in to work right on time and went on a wild rampage to find him and when I did, he goes, "You know [insert name here] is covering for you, right?"

Me: "She is?? She told me she had her brother's graduation party."
Manger J: "Yeah, she's just coming in a little late."
Me: "Well I wish she had told me!!" *laughs shakily*
Manager J: "She texted me earlier and told me she'd cover for you."
Me: "So... You don't need me?"
Manager J: "I don't think so..."
Me: "That's such a relief! I was freaking out!! Oh my gosh, the weight has been lifted!"
Manager J: *laughs awkwardly* "Yeah, you're good."
Manager L: (hasn't said anything through entire exchange.. not sure if she's okay with it) "Good luck with your concert!"

    I was so relieved I was giddy. I headed out to my car and started laughing like a maniac, and of course one of the new managers, Manager A, was right behind me. I'm pretty sure he thinks I'm crazy anyways, but still. Some girl you work with but barely know trotting out to her car and cackling like a serial killer is not something most people are okay with. I didn't care, really. I was, and still am, so in awe of God and how He works things out for His purposes. I shouldn't have worried so much; it was needless stress. I'd already prayed and given the problem over to Him, and just look how he handled it!
    Isn't it great to know we have a God that solves all the little problems that cause us so much strife?