Friday, May 04, 2012

Boudreaux and the Flood

When I was laid off I updated my resume on (sounds like) Nonster. Within two weeks I was fielding calls from recruiters about temp jobs. About 80% of the calls were for companies in Birmingham; I live 90 miles away. Even though most of these calls were for jobs in my professional "wheelhouse," I kept turning them down because I wanted a permanent job with benefits in my town. For three months I kept applying to jobs in my city, but recruiters in B'ham kept blowing up my phone.

I was raised Catholic, but I wouldn't call myself religious. However, I've been through enough shit in my life that I have faith that everything happens for a reason.

"Faith is that tenuous belief in things hoped for and belief in things unseen."

Now see, that little bit there is from the bible, but I only know it as something I heard CJ Craig say on The West Wing. Sigh. I miss that show.

Anyway, there I am, telling recruiters that while the jobs sound interesting, I'm really looking for something in my town.
Three months ya'll. Three months of watching my savings account dwindle.

I was in the car and I did something I rarely do, I looked skyward and said, "Okay, look, I don't make it a habit to ask for things for myself. You know when I ask for help it's always for someone else, but you've got to do me a solid here G."
So, I walked inside the house and I got a call about a temp job in Birmingham. I froze in my tracks because all this time I've been focusing on jobs in Montgomery, but the only jobs calling me were from B'ham.

It hit me . . . this could be my helicopter.
A terrible storm came into town and officials sent out an emergency warning that the riverbanks would soon overflow and flood the nearby homes. They ordered everyone in the town to evacuate immediately.
Boudreaux heard the warning and decided to stay, saying to himself, “I will trust God and if I am in danger, then God will send a divine miracle to save me.”
The neighbors came by Boudreaux's house and said to him, “We’re leaving and there is room for you in our car, please come with us!” But Boudreaux declined. “I have faith that God will save me.”
As Boudreaux stood on his porch watching the water rise up the steps, a man in a pirogue paddled by and called to him, “Hurry and come into my pirogue, the waters are rising quickly!” But Boudreaux again said, “No thanks, God will save me.”
The floodwaters rose higher pouring water into his living room and Boudreaux had to retreat to the second floor. A police motorboat came by and saw him at the window. “We will come up and rescue you!” they shouted. But Boudreaux refused, waving them off saying, “Use your time to save someone else! I have faith that God will save me!”
The flood waters rose higher and higher and Boudreaux had to climb up to his rooftop.
A helicopter spotted Boudreaux and dropped a rope ladder. A rescue officer came down the ladder and pleaded with the man, "Grab my hand and I will pull you up!" But Boudreaux STILL refused, folding his arms tightly to his body. “No thank you! God will save me!”
Shortly after, the house broke up and the floodwaters swept Boudreaux away and he drowned.
When in Heaven, Boudreaux stood before God and asked, “I put all of my faith in You. Why didn’t You come and save me?” 
And God said, “Son, I sent you a warning. I sent you a car. I sent you a canoe. I sent you a motorboat. I sent you a helicopter. What more were you looking for?” 

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