This post is a continuation of the previous post Best Laid Plans Part One. If you haven't read that one, please stop and go do that now. I'll wait...
Back? Good!
The day had not started the way I thought it should. But things were about to make a dramatic turn. I will pick up the story right after the call has been made to emergency services.
Thursday
8:50 AM - Emergency crews arrive at site. The gas company arrives shortly afterward.
9:15 AM - Called city and talked to a live person. Explained the situation and the miscommunication with the contractor. The person I talked to made a few phone calls and lined up an inspector for that morning.
9:30 AM - The phone rang, It was the plumber and they had someone en route (shout out to Ledbetter Plumbing - if you live in the Longview area, I highly recommend).
11:00 AM - Foreman calls concrete company to inquire about delaying delivery. Concrete company informs him that the weather forecast has changed and that they can deliver at 9:30 AM on Friday.
12:00 PM - Inspector arrives - arranges to return on Friday at 8:30 AM for inspection of balance of piers.
12:30 PM - Gas company completes repairs.
1:15 PM - Carport crew resumes drilling piers.
3:00 PM - Ledbetter Plumbing completes repairs on water line.
Friday
8:00 AM - Crew arrives to finalize piers and hand dig as required.
8:30 AM- City inspector arrives and signs off on pier preparation.
9:45 AM - Concrete truck arrives and places concrete in all the piers.
11:15 AM - Rain starts. Rain continues for most of Friday. The good news? The concrete was placed and the crew had to wait for the concrete to cure enough to install the carport. They were done for the day before the first drop fell.
The crew worked all day Saturday and part of Sunday morning. The project which looked to be woefully behind schedule on Thursday morning was completed on Sunday and on time. The installation cost extras were no longer part of the discussion; all the hurdles had been cleared.
I could say that this happened through a lot of hard work. This would be true. I could say that this happened because the right phone calls were made at the right time to the right people. This might be true. But no human explanation would include the whole truth. No amount of hard work or dumb luck can explain the mass grouping of coincidences.
Truth is when I felt like the plan was unraveling, God's plan was unaffected. I have a tendency to think of God's plan as following behind us and creating something beautiful from the things that we break. Truth is, He has already made the tapestry of His plan and redeemed the messes I do not yet know I am going to make. The carport on Thursday morning looked to be a fiasco. In reality it was reminder of who is in control of even the smallest details, and thanks be to God that isn't me!
Hallelujah and Amen!
