all in the plan SOLC20 #26

Dear Friend,

I hope this finds you and yours doing well and staying well!  As always, and maybe especially now, I miss seeing you!

You are always SO sweet to think of our son Mark and his family, which we all deeply appreciate. So I wanted to give you an update.

As you know, we were all thrilled when Mark changed jobs and started working here in Franklin, rather than having the busy commute into Nashville every day. He settled into his new position, doing basically the same kind of work, and was able to bring some additional knowledge and contacts with him. And he loved having more time at home with his family, without having to make those daily long drives.

Around Christmas time, the owner of the small company that Mark went to work for here in town had a meeting with his 4-5 employees about his plans for the future. This included him saying he didn’t know what he would be doing in 5 years but he didn’t want it to be this business.

Mark knew that larger companies had offered to buy the owner’s company (and he would probably keep his job there), and he also knew that the owner might just close this business (which meant job hunting for Mark). Needless to say it caused Mark to think long term about his own career path. So he pondered this into the new year.

Then in late February, very unexpectedly, his former boss from the company in Nashville that he left contacted him and asked what it would take for Mark to come back. Mark had been keeping up with the office through another friend he worked with, and that friend told him that not only had this former boss and others realized how much Mark had been contributing there, but also that Mark was sorely missed.

Long story short his former company made Mark an offer he couldn’t refuse, and so he is back at work there, as of this week. He is working from home now of course, but when normalcy returns he will be working some in Nashville, some at the Murfreesboro office, and even some from home. He received a HUGE raise, too.

And he is very happy. He had missed the challenge of some of the bigger projects he had been working on before, and he did feel more appreciated there. It may have taken this time away from that firm for both sides to realize the value of this working relationship for them all.

When Mark gave his notice at the firm here in Franklin, it went very well. The owner said he hated to see him go but he thought it was the right thing for Mark to do. Mark thinks the owner is concerned about how long he can keep his small business afloat under current conditions, and if he had let someone go, it would have been the last one hired – Mark. But the owner did offer to take Mark back if he ever chose to do so.

Landon’s work stopped today and she will have a few emergency pay days and then after that at least get to keep her benefits. So this increased salary will be welcomed for the income shortfall created by her not working.

As you and I have both prayed for Mark, little did we know (or at least I didn’t) that God had other plans and would answer them in a different way. But we are all so very thankful. And I wanted to share this good news with you!

When you have time please let me know how you and yours are doing. And I look forward to a good visit when we are able to do so.  Hopefully soon!

Love you!