Last Minute Prayer

Today was like any typical Saturday workday when I am alone at the office until about 1:39 this afternoon.  And then, that's when everything changed.

My job requires me to supervise parents on evenings and weekends who no longer have custody of their children for one reason or another.  Maybe it's their drug usage, child neglect, sexual abuse, whatever because the list can go on and on and it's a long list.  These parents come to my work place so they can visit their children in a "homelike" environment, but with these visits being recorded digitally and by my listening and taking notes.

I had a new client coming in today.  It was a dad who'd not seen his children in eight weeks.  This case was very complicated and had come directly through the court system and not the State.  I had met this dad a week ago and we'd gone over all his paperwork with all the rules and regulations of visitations.  He seemed like a nice guy considering all the baggage he was carrying.  I went ahead and set up his first visitation for today.

Dad was supposed to show up at 1:20 p.m.  This would allow him to arrive early enough for me to collect his payment for the visitation and put him in a room before his children arrived.  1:28 p.m. his children arrived with their grandmother, but Dad had not.  At 1:39 p.m., I called Dad's cell phone and got his voicemail.  I left him a message asking if he was coming for his visit and that according to our rules and regulations, the visit would be cancelled if he was not here by 1:45 p.m.  All clients are given 15 minutes to arrive before cancellation takes place.  And, he was already technically late as he had not arrived at 1:20 p.m.  1:43 a.m. the phone rings.  Dad is calling to say he just received a call from this number.  I let him know it was me and what my message had said that he did not listen to.  He had three minutes to arrive before cancellation.  Dad was in a panic saying that he would be right there.  I told him he three minutes and said I'd see him shortly. 

When I hung up from him, I called our program director to get her advice about whether to cut him some slack or not if he arrived late.  I got no answer and decided to make the decision myself and the answer was "no".  "No" because he'd been told twice in one week about the time he needed to arrive.  "No" because he hadn't bothered to call me and say he was going to be late.  "No" because this was his first visit and I didn't want to set a precedent that being late was acceptable.

Finally at 1:50 p.m., I escorted Grandmother and children upstairs and out the door.  I had not realized that as we were all riding the elevator to the first floor, Dad had come in and was running downstairs and then returned just as the children were being placed in the car.  Dad became very agitated and furious when I would not call the children back and allow him to have his visit.  I tried to explain/reason with him why that was not going to happen today, but he had his scheduled visit for tomorrow.  He began to rant about his ex-wife trying to take his car, that I had no idea of the problems he'd had this morning and went on and on as he walked outside the door and around the parking lot.  I said I was sorry, but the visit was off.  He finally got in his car and I watched him leave.  Then my entire body began to shake as those I was freezing to death. 

I went back downstairs to our offices and was suddenly struck with an urgent thought in my head that I needed to hurry back upstairs and lock the doors immediately.  I picked up the gadget that you insert in the door bars and rode back on the elevator.  When I got to the door and was locking them, much to my shock I saw Dad's car parked next to my car and he wasn't in it.  In a split second, I then heard his footsteps coming up the stairs to where I was standing.  My heart froze!  I was terrified that he had returned and for what reason?  I felt sure that he was for nothing good.  I was in total fear and felt almost immediately that he was there to harm me.  I took the device used to lock the doors and slid it into by blouse sleeve.  My thought was that it could be used as a weapon - one which could be used on me if taken from my hand. 

I don't actually know why he came back other than to continue to rant and yell at me.  All I know is that I felt very unsafe and alone and vulnerable.  I just knew I needed to get him outside the doors since I had locked them and he would not be able to open them again.  And, I did manage to talk him out the doors and I watched him leave a second time.

I immediately went back downstairs and called my boss who came to the office. She called Dad telling him how he could not treat her employees like this, he was in the wrong with his actions, etc. He apologized saying how bad his morning had been, etc., etc., etc.   There will be resolution to all this and soon, I'm sure, but that's not the purpose of writing all this.  All this was not written to sound as though it's the plot for some low-rated B horror movie or to be melodramatic or that I'm trying to make something of a nothing.  This purpose is this...

I realized once again how much my Heavenly Father loves me and I am thankful for the gift of the Holy Ghost.  My Heavenly Father knew I needed help and He was there looking after me.  I have never in my life felt so scared as I was today.  I was in fear of my life!  I felt my life could end at any moment.  No good should/would come from his return to the office.

This morning with the hustle of getting to the office early, I neglected my morning prayer.  However, when I was sitting in my car ready to pull away from the curb, I stopped long enough to tell my Heavenly Father I was sorry for my prayer neglect, but would He please bless and protect me this day from any harm or danger.  I truly felt His presence today.  I know that He heard my prayer and that He did protect me from harm.  I heard the whisperings of the Holy Ghost to go lock the doors.  Yes, I may not have gotten to the doors before Dad came in, but at least I had not been confronted in the downstairs offices alone.  At least upstairs there was the possibility that I might have been able to get help.  I am overwhelmed and filled with gratitude for the love my Heavenly Father has for me! 

I went to a baptism of a friend tonight and arrived several minutes before it began.  My bishop and home teacher were there and I asked for a blessing.  I needed one as I had cried almost non-stop when I recalled the fear and the dread I had experienced.  I got my blessing and am beginning to feel a sense of peace.  During the baptism one of the talks was about the Holy Ghost and its purpose.  How grateful I am to have been reminded that one of the gifts of the Holy Ghost is to protect us from physical danger.

I am truly filled with gratitude for the love of my Heavenly Father.