Something happened to me today and I thought I’d share with you all.
In the course of my job, I sometimes work at height and with/near hazardous substances. How does a 32%w/v Hydrochloric acid (HCl) at a temperature of 80-90 Celsius sound? Nice huh?
One of the characteristics of HCl is its high vapour pressure. At temperatures as high as these, the vapour pressure is even higher. This implies that if the process does not include very good fume extractors, everyone and everything around are in danger of inhaling acid fumes. This can be damaging. The effect of this on material around is increased rate of corrosion in metal components.
Today, standing on Iron mesh at about 15 feet above ground level, I was working by an acid tank (about 12%w/v, 85 Celsius HCl) where I was planting Q-Panels to monitor rate of corrosion around the tanks. Health and safety procedure required that I wore my gloves even if I wasn’t going to touch any solution. After changing the panels, I took out my notepad and started making notes of my observations. It can be quite awkward trying to hold a pen with gloves on when you could hardly control your fingers. I finished taking my notes and as I tried closing my notepad, my pen fell. It fell into a drain 15 feet below. My instinct told me, just walk down the stairs and pick it up. But I couldn’t. Not because there were no stairs and not because the stairs are inaccessible – I came up via the same stairs.
I knew it was bye-bye to my lovely pen. In the nearly filled, two-feet deep drain, a “clear-ish” liquid slowly flowed and my pen swam inside. Though not my most expensive pen, this was my favourite pen and I’d had it for a while. I still had need for a pen and my office is about half a mile trek from this job location. So I walked to one of the plants nearby. I’d made friends with the contract staff in that office and we all flow real well. Aubrey was the guy on shift. I told him I just lost my pen while working near the acid tanks. He graciously gave me another pen, which is a lot nicer than the one I had.
Why do you think I’m taking you through the torture of this story? As I continued with the task I was on, with my new pen, what transpired played itself in my mind and I was able to liken it to my life. Sometimes, we hold on to something because it is the most convenient thing to do. Sometimes we just don’t know why. But when God says it’s time to let go, He orchestrates situations that’d make you give it up even if you don’t want to. The pen I lost wasn’t the most expensive but I’d got used to it at work I couldn’t see myself using any other pen, not even from the many other ones in my drawer and bag.
Another lesson learnt is that if God knows that after giving up something, because you’re attached to it, you may want to find a way to reclaim it, He makes it really awkward and often impossible for you. I had the option of giving up my pen completely or dipping my hands in the acid drain where it fell and get burnt or even lose my hands from acid burn.
That’s not all, when God asks you to let go of something, He has a better plan for you. It’s just that often we’re not patient to wait for His perfect will. I wouldn’t have the joy of owning this new pen that Aubrey gave me if I didn’t lose the other one. When God gives you something, it’s always the best. Even if it was this same God that gave you what He wants you to forfeit today. He knows that the season for that blessing has passed and it’s time for you to move on to fresher and newer and usually better things. My new pen feels smoother on paper and it’s branded and more beautiful.
For anyone reading this, know that when God leads you to a new vision, He’s already made provision S for it. He already planted your Aubrey nearby if you lose your pen.
Aubrey is an elderly man in his sixties and there’s only one person on shift in his job. You’re often by yourself if you work in his part of the plant. After he gave me my new pen, we spent about 30 mins talking. I learnt more about him and his wife. I didn’t know he’s a painter and such a good photographer until then. His wife and daughter are fabulous cake makers. I told him about my poetry skills. I could see he felt happier.
Another lesson learnt, even if God sends someone your way to bless you, know that you’re also being a blessing to them by receiving the “gift” A few years ago, a friend’s sister refused a cash gift from another friend. My friend reprimanded her for refusing the gift. He said to her, “do you know that you just robbed him of his blessings?” The girl asked how; afterall she was the one who just refused a gift. My friend said to her, “For every giver, God has prepared a blessing. You just blocked this guy’s blessing by not accepting the gift and you also just refused God’s blessing” That was hard to take in but it makes sense to me. God used Aubrey to bless me with a pen and used me to keep him company for as much as was necessary. He probably was feeling alone in his little cubicle.
Another lesson learnt, even if God sends someone your way to bless you, know that you’re also being a blessing to them by receiving the “gift” A few years ago, a friend’s sister refused a cash gift from another friend. My friend reprimanded her for refusing the gift. He said to her, “do you know that you just robbed him of his blessings?” The girl asked how; afterall she was the one who just refused a gift. My friend said to her, “For every giver, God has prepared a blessing. You just blocked this guy’s blessing by not accepting the gift and you also just refused God’s blessing” That was hard to take in but it makes sense to me. God used Aubrey to bless me with a pen and used me to keep him company for as much as was necessary. He probably was feeling alone in his little cubicle.
Catch ya!
