For several weeks DH has been making plans to go hunting this weekend. We even cleaned out the freezer so that there would be room for all the venison and/or chevron that he was planning on bringing home (lol)! He and Son#1 knew of a spot about an hour's drive from here and they were looking forward to spending some time in the bush and hopefully getting some fresh meat.
However, yesterday morning DIL#1 rang up and said that Son#1 had been up all night ill. What a disappointment (for Son#1 and DH). However earlier in the week, DH had mentioned that one day he'd like to go hunting alone so I suggested that now was his chance. Plans continued to be made.
I arrived home just after 4.00 yesterday afternoon expecting DH to be all packed up and just waiting to give me a kiss before he left.
He wasn't home.
Instead, Son#5 informed me that while I was out "Dad" had rung and that he would ring me back later. I just assumed that he'd been held up at work but that the hunt was still on.
A short time later I learnt that "something had come up at work" and that he wouldn't be going. After months (years?) of not having any problems with a particular project suddenly something was detected that wasn't meant to be there and it would mean conducting tests within 12 hours of the "something" being found and carrying them out for three consecutive days. That is: Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
One colleague was already away sick, another didn't want to work on his weekend even though it would only involve an hour or so out of each day, so DH cancelled his plans and decided to do it. He could've just said "forget it" but it would have cost the project money and put them right back at the start. And DH couldn't do that.
While I'm proud that he has such a work ethic, I'm disappointed that he's missing out on this trip that he's planned for weeks (and it has nothing to do with the fact that I'd planned to spend this weekend sewing). And I'm a little angry too that he always seems to be the one that makes the sacrifices. This is not the first time he has changed his plans to accommodate work. Sometimes it affects just him; sometimes all the family. I'm not angry that he felt that he had to change his plans, I'm angry that no one in his company will know what he gave up to do this job. DH won't tell them and apart from the colleague he asked to work, no one else knows. And yes, I'm even annoyed that others never put their hands up for such jobs.
Is it possible to be too conscientious?
But as he said when he got home: perhaps there's a reason they weren't meant to go this weekend. If so, I wonder if we'll ever know what it was?
Comments
"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
"Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ." Col. 3:23-24
These verses continually helped me when my hubby was "forced" (called in) to work on his days off, at the end of a shift or on weekends. We were rarely able to schedule. I learned much later:
"In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." I Thess. 5:18
May God bless you as you walk in love and forgiveness! :)
Perhaps there should be another one: "and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you" (Matthew 6: 18b). I feel frustrated at times that DH's sacrifices and always adjusting his plans are not recognised by those in his company. Most of the time they don't even know that he's given up his time off to go into work and fix up some problem. Even when he was in India we still got phone calls here to sort out problems! I was so glad that I couldn't pass those ones on. Everyone knew he was away and yet still some rang up. Same with holidays. I just feel that he never gets a break and he deserves it. But I also know that even if no one else on earth knows how often he goes over and above the call of duty, our Heavenly Father knows.
As to this weekend, he seems to be accepting it far better than I am. He's always doing things for other people and I so wanted him to be able to do something just for himself for a change.