Boxes
Managing Transitions with Prayer and Praise
I left my office on a recent Friday evening nearly wobbling to my car. My job has been especially challenging for the past several months.
You see, we’re remodeling our offices.
As operations manager, my role in this project has included interviewing and recommending vendors, meeting with contractors, designers, electricians, and painters, and arranging and executing our move into temporary offices, which were substantially smaller than our permanent office suite.
I also kept an eye and ear on the rest of our staff, doing my best to serve as a buffer between them and the chaos so they could focus on their usual tasks–and our business could continue to function.
I wove these tasks in between the accounting, human resources, corporate communications, and supervisory duties that filled my days before we began The Project, and fill my days again now that it’s done.
It was good work, challenging, satisfying, and rewarding. It was also, at times, exhausting. On this particular Friday we were but one week away from the reoccupation of our new/old offices; coordinating our move back into our space was my primary focus and I’d spent a good part of the day phoning movers and service providers.
I climbed into my truck and sat for a moment, giving thanks for the stamina that had carried me through another week. I tried, unsuccessfully, to remember what I planned to prepare for dinner that night.
As I buckled up I switched on the radio, tuning to KFSH, our local Christian radio station. I could use some encouragement during my drive home. The afternoon drive-time disc jockey, Big Wave Dave, fills the spaces between songs with words worth hearing and I was looking forward to enjoying some uplifting music on the way home.
I cranked up the volume to the opening notes of ““Agnus Dei”” by Third Day and sang along. A moment later, “Glorious Day” by Casting Crowns filled the cab of my truck and I joined in. After a commercial break, I harmonized on “No One Loves me Like You Do” by Jars of Clay.
By the time I crested the hill that defines one end of the canyon where I live (and blots FM radio reception), I was calm, relaxed, and refreshed. I remembered that I’d make meat loaf for dinner that evening.
As I counted my blessings that night, I poured out my gratitude for musicians and DJs who use their gifts to glorify God. And I poured out my gratitude for my great big God, who hears my prayer and delights in my praise–even when it’s delivered slightly off-key as I make my way home from a tough, tough day.
1 Sing for joy in the LORD, O you righteous ones;Praise is becoming to the upright.
2 Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre;
Sing praises to Him with a harp of ten strings.
3 Sing to Him a new song;
Play skillfully with a shout of joy.
4 For the word of the LORD is upright,
And all His work is done in faithfulness.
5 He loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the LORD.
Psalm 33:1-5 (NASB)
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