On the Porch
Onisha Ellis
Monday, I sat on my porch savoring the morning flurry of bird’s wings as they enjoyed breakfast at our feeder. My tablet was open to a daily reading and I soaked up the peaceful combination of nature and scripture. One verse brought a chuckle to my heart.
“So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” HEBREWS 13:6
I recalled the first time I claimed and clung to this verse, especially the last part. What can man do to me?
It was 1978 and I was a stay at home mother of two small children. After years of a stagnant economy on the Florida Space Coast, my husband was blessed with a job offer working on the Shuttle program. The downside was that for a time, he would be making less money than he was earning as a gas station attendant.
By coincidence…? I was taking Medical terminology courses at our local hospital and was currently enrolled in a class teaching the duties of a Ward Clerk. ( I figured out the only way to be sure to get some me time was if I was taking a class.)
My husband was definitely taking the job at the space center and on a whim, I asked the instructor if the hospital hired part-time clerks. Part time work would keep us afloat financially.
Before I knew it, I had a part time job working 2 days per week on second shift. I even had a neighbor’s teen lined up to watch the children until my husband got off work.
There is a thorn in this story, though. Although most of the doctors were kind, there was one who was a terror. I think the man lived to yell and belittle people. Every time he made rounds on the unit, I was terrified.
That’s where the verse comes in. As the doctor created chaos I would silently repeat…The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can MAN do to me?
It worked and I have called on that verse many times. And the best part? Several months later the doctor went into semi-retirement and no longer admitted patients to the hospital where I worked.
Once my husband got his foot into the door at the space center, he soon transferred to another company that paid more. I continued working for the hospital for 32 years.
After my retirement, I decided to re-learn the canning and preserving skills I learned from my mother but hadn’t practiced for twenty years. I titled the blog Old Things R New to chronicle my experience. Since then I have been blessed to have six other bloggers join me, DiVoran Lites, Bill Lites, Judy Wills, Louise Gibson, Janet Perez Eckles and Melody Hendrix
In addition to blogging, I work as the publicist/marketer/ amateur editor and general “mom Friday” for my author daughter, Rebekah Lyn. I also manage her website, Rebekah Lyn Books where we frequently host the best in up and coming authors.
My 2019 goal is to use my love of photographs and words to be an encourager on social media. You can visit Real Life Books and Media You Tube Channel if you would like to view some of the mini-videos I have created for our church, Gateway Community in Titusville, Fl.
Old Things R New 
how lovely! god had his hand on you the whole way…still does, I can tell
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A part-time job that lasts 32-years can’t all be bad— 🙂
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Not bad at all.
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