Leaving IBM

I had been working For IBM on the Y2-K program. As soon as the contract had been fulfilled we were all laid off. As I went home I was a bit upset because once again I wasn’t sure how I was going to support my family, (there were eight of us) As I walked in the back door of the house my wife said to me, “You got laid off didn’t you”?
I said yes I did, to which she replied, “Come out here to the garage I have to show you something”. I opened the door and what I saw was our two car garage packed floor to ceiling, wall to wall with antique furniture. She told me how during the day, a company in town (Paul Davis Inc.) had called and asked if I’d be interested in restoring furniture that had been damaged in a tornado that hit a retirement home.
I looked at my wife and said, “We are in business”. I knew at that moment that God put my next task right in front of me. Our business grew from a 25’ x 25’ garage to a 10,000 sq ft of space in an industrial park. We now have so much work that it’s hard to keep up with it all, even with seven employees’ and we no longer advertise in the papers or radio, it’s all word of mouth.
In our business we strip, repair, and refinish furniture. Typically antiques, flood damage, fire damage or customers who just walk in off of the street with a family heirloom such as grandma’s rocker or cedar chest.

I have found that God is also in the restoration business. He restores souls by taking each one of us from where ever we are and brings us back to the designer’s intent.

God never intended us to be lost in a world of broken homes, broken bodies, broken spirits and low self esteem, and lack of purpose or functionality because of the exposure to the elements of sin. When God restores our souls through His son Jesus he gives us a new song in our hearts and gives us hope in this world of despair.