Amazing!!!

Prayer changes everything.  It changes us.  Often God's answers aren't immediate - but He does an amazing work when we bring our cares to Him...no matter the size.  I want to share something exciting - an answer.  And I will tell you beforehand - it might not seem like a BIG answer to you...but to me, it is.

A couple weeks ago - we had a new project come up for bid.  We have public openings and we read the bid submittals.  We declare an apparent low bidder and then we inform the biddees (I want that to be a new word!) that we will review the documents and bring the results before our Board for their final say.

We opened the bids.  During the opening proceedings, I sit in the room and mark off a checklist - it's official-like.  I like lists so this whole your-job-is-to-check-off-a-checklist kinda makes my organized heart go pitter-patter. 

Where was I?  Oh yes - we opened the bids and the lowest submitted bid was brought to us by a nice group of people who do not particularly enjoy submitting paperwork in a timely manner.  Hard workers in the field -- but not so hard working when it comes to submitting things.  Infact, I kind of have to hold their hand...and too quote my favorite co-worker, "I don't want to hold their hand.  I'm not the Beatles."  {A few of you will get that -- for the rest of you, apparently the Beatles have a hit song, "I want to hold your hand."}  Every project makes them act like it's their first project with us. Not even kidding.  All the same forms we've used for YEARS, they act like they've never seen and/or submitted them.  I wonder if they have short term memory loss. 

After the checklist was marked up, I went back to my cubicle and prayed, "Lord, I have a bad attitude about _____________.  I know that this is wrong.  Change my heart, please.  And if there's any other way - please work this out so that I don't have to work with them.  If this is your perfect will that they win this - help me to accept it and be kind and loving and pleasant to them.  Amen."

While everything was reviewed, the biddees asked to retract their bid.  We awarded it last night to the lowest responsive responsible bidder...#2. 

Since I am being transparent, I've had to work with the biddees office staff on some other issues and I must say - the Lord has poured out an abundance of grace and mercy.  I no longer dread dealing with them.  I find myself praying for our contractors off and on throughout the day.  They are doing dangerous work for us.

In my phone conversations, I pray for a soft answer that turns away wrath.  {Don't you just love Proverbs!!!}  In my email correspondence, encouragement!  When I fax something - ok, so you really can't be chatty Kathy when you fax...but a "Have a great day!" goes along way.

More than not having to deal with this particular biddee, more than that, I'm thankful the Lord changed my heart.