I was born into a working-class family in the US. We moved a lot and about time we would get “settled” my mother, who suffered from depression, would get sick and be put in the hospital. My brothers and I would stay with our grandmother until my Dad would start all over in another place, get Mom out and then come get us. The last time he started over but didn’t get Mom out or come get us. He started over with another family.
We were helped by the government until Mom got sick again. My brothers and I were placed in the Foster Care system, where we stayed with other families until after High School. Growing up in this unstable environment, I was set to be a statistic of low expectations and low achievement, “but GOD” had put it in the heart of my parents to send us to Church in the many places we had lived. In those Churches dear Christian people showed us the love of JESUS and that had a lasting effect on our lives. When we stayed with my grandmother, she always took us to Church with her. One of the foster families three of us stayed with were Pastors of a Church.
As a teenager I worked in the small grocery store owned by my foster parents. I figured I would keep doing that and stay in the small town I called home. I didn’t see anything else I could do, “but GOD” connected me with an Air Force recruiter that convinced me to join up. That got me out of that small town and led to a 24-year career that took me overseas, where I met and married my wife.
I loved the job I had in the Air Force, operating heavy equipment and was quickly promoted. Still, I looked forward to getting out of the military and returning home to make a good living with my new-found skills, “but GOD” had another plan. I got out of the Air Force in the middle of the Reagan recession. I found a minimum wage job, with no benefits, making wooden pallets. With a wife and baby to care for, I went back in the Air Force and was satisfied with the regular salary and benefits.
When I came back in, the Air Force had too many people in the job I loved so much. They put me in a work controller position. I couldn’t believe I was working in an office, “but GOD” had a plan. My new position was selected to manage computer systems for our engineering squadron. The experience and training I got in that job helped me qualify for my next career in computer systems administration.
My wife Susan is from the Philippines and so we volunteered to return to Clark Air Base. It was such a blessing to get back, “but GOD” wasn’t finished. After a coworker was disqualified for an assignment, I was selected to relocate to John Hay Air Station, in Baguio. Along with my civilian supervisor, I oversaw 125 Filipino employees and took care of a picturesque recreation base, perched a mile high in the mountains. That helped me get promoted for a second time in that job.
As our time in John Hay ended, we tried to return to Clark AB, less than 100 miles away. It seemed like the best for us, “but GOD” had another idea. He sent us to the Portuguese Azores. Those little islands in the Atlantic were about as far as we could get from where we wanted to be. Surely there had been a mix-up somewhere. After we left the Philippines Mount Pinatubo erupted and everyone had to be evacuated from Clark AB, leaving their possessions behind. Once again, GOD’s plan was better than ours.
Our next assignment was near San Antonio, Texas where we wanted to settle down, but figured we would have to transfer again before I retired. I was assigned to a base that because of its mission never deployed overseas. That was a relief until I was sent to Saudi Arabia twice for 6 months at a time. The Air Force said I was hot for an assignment, and they would not extend my tour in Texas, “but GOD” had other ideas. A clerical error had my position listed under the wrong skill-code and the one time I was considered for reassignment, it was cancelled. That plus my two Saudi Arabia TDYs kept me at the same base for 9 years.
Near the end of my career, I was loaned to a nearby base, which was in another Major Command, an unheard-of practice. My time there led to me getting a Civil Service job after I retired from the military. I was set with my military retirement, a government job, a nice home, my dream pickup truck and we attended a wonderful Church. I was ready for “and they lived happily ever after” to fill the rest of my story.
While still in the military I attended a job fair where I filled out an application for the State Department and had been interviewed. With no firm job offers at that time, I saw it as a long-shot possibility. I wondered if they were still considering me but dropped the idea when I got my job at Randolph AFB. I wouldn’t consider giving up my sure-thing job to try for a potential position with the State Department. They required me to take and pass a lot of classes and then hope to get tenured, but this “old dog” wasn’t looking for “new tricks.” By now you should realize GOD’s plan was different than mine.
A government decision to contract out base support threatened my “happy ever after” plans and so I accepted the State Department’s offer and gave up my sure-thing job, sold my great pickup and our nice house to set out on an adventure that has taken us to live in the capitals of the World. We met wonderful Christian people everywhere we have been and tried to do our share of blessing them. The financial blessings from this job will soon let us comfortably retire back in Texas, “but GOD” may have other plans.
Wayne Lance (2015) – That’s Good News to Share!