Asking Permission



Courtesy free clip art

There was a step that Robert was not anxious to go forward with, but it needed to be done. 

He had to ask my father’s permission to marry me. 

Prior to coming to this point there was someone else that he needed to ask permission.  He needed to ask my Heavenly Father if he could marry me.

It seemed like he was gone a long time as he went into the church to pray.  I waited in his car for him to come back.

Soon he returned with a look of joy on his face.  He said to me, “I told God I was willing to give you up, if it was not His will, but God said, I can have you.” 

I don’t know why I hadn’t prayed about this.  Probably because I just took it for granted that God had brought me Robert and that was it.

Now it was time for Robert to face my earthly father.  My dad had already told me that he could probably get Bobby a job on the railroad, which would be a steady income instead of the sporadic roofing work he was doing.  In those days we called him Bobby.

I told Bobby, please be kind but refuse to accept the railroad job, because it would mean working evenings and on Sundays and missing church.

All went well, and my Dad was happy to have Bob take me off his hands.   He agreed to walk me down the aisle and to help with the finances for the wedding.

The first few years for Bob and me was a financial struggle. 

I remember once borrowing a dollar from my mother so I could purchase some hamburger.  I was so embarrassed when I paid her back that I vowed never to ask my parents for money again.

Bob went through the roofing apprentice program, and took what work was available. 

Some of the older roofers knew Bob would hold his own and carry them too, by taking the most of the work; so they would request that he also be hired. 

One of the contractors noticed how fast and experienced Bob was and offered him a permanent job.  When it rained, they did repairs or worked on the boss’s cabin.

Later his boss helped us go into business for ourselves and times were not always easy but God was our partner and supplier.

As you approach new directions in life, it is a good thing to ask your Heavenly Father’s permission and to follow the steps he desires you to take.

This post was shared with Paula at Wednesday Welcoming Spirit
Also shared at: Tell Me a Story
And with Jennifer Dukes Lee at: Tell His Story