ALLS WELL THAT ENDS WELL.

The slam of a door awakened Kayla for the third time in a week.  She scowled as she waited for the guy next door to start his “Cockroach / Corolla” and back out of his driveway.  Headlights illuminated her window shade for a moment before the room darkened again.  She tossed, unable to cast off her feelings of resentment.  If all had gone as she had wanted, they would have been out of this apartment  by now, living in a quiet suburb where people went to work at a more civilized hour.  She sighed and rolled over again.

“Babe?”

“Mmmm.”

“You’re not still stewing over the house deal, are you?”

She didn’t need to answer.  He knew her so well.

He continued on his quiet, calm way “God will work it out, you know.  If it didn’t fit in with his plans, then it’s all for the best.”  He fumbled under the blanket to find her hand and gave it a little squeeze.  “What you say can preserve life or destroy it; so you must accept the consequences of your words. Speak from your heart and believe it,” He mumbled a small prayer.  Within a few seconds, she heard his soft snore.

Two years ago, when they had first moved here, she had learned to block out her neighbour’s early morning exit to work.  It was only recently that the noise began bothering her.  It was the slam that did it, the sound of it symbolizing all the doors that had slammed in their faces.

She and her husband … her sweet, talented, and annoyingly optimistic husband … were stuck here in a city where he was over - qualified and underpaid.  She hated the apartment complex where they lived.  There was no yard, too much traffic, the walls too thin, the neighbours too close.

When she complained, Stanley would say, “I’m gaining valuable experience with this job.  We have food on the table and a roof over our heads.  Shoes on our feet, blessings many others don’t have.  Let’s be thankful for today and leave our future to God.  All’s well that ends well.”

It was hard to argue with such confident hope.  Still, it nagged at her; she wanted more.  And she wanted it now.

She saw the chance when they found a once - in - a - lifetime deal: a three - bedroom house, well within their budget and in a perfect neighbourhood.  Things were progressing beautifully until there was a glitch in their credit report.  By the time the mistake was cleared up, the house they’d wanted to buy had already been sold.  “Bitterly” disappointed, she had felt as though another door had slammed in her face.  Stanley was sympathetic but held fast to his optimism and faith.  All of this replayed in her mind as she struggled to fall asleep.  Stanley was right; it was time to be thankful for today and stop worrying about tomorrow.  As she counted her blessings she drifted into a restful slumber.

Two weeks later, after supper, Stanley retreated to the tiny second bedroom they had dubbed their office, to do some work on his computer.  Within minutes he shouted for her to come quickly.  He pulled her into the room and plopped her onto his chair in front of his computer.  She hadn’t seen him this animated in a long, long time.

“What is going on?”  she asked with a grin.  “I’m the one who’s usually in a tizzy, not you.”

He pointed a shaking finger to the screen and whispered, “Just read.”

She tried to concentrate on the contract before her, but in the end, it took his jumbled, joyful explanation for the truth to sink in.  It was actually happening! Stanley, her intelligent, hard - working, and under - employed husband had a job offer from a solid, established company in their own home town.  The salary offered was more than adequate.  It was a chance to use his talents.  Best of all, this paved the way for them to be close to their extended family once again, something they had long hoped for.

“But when did you apply?  Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Awe, Kayla, I couldn’t watch you fret about it for weeks and then be disappointed if it didn’t happen.”

She gave him a ferocious hug.  She couldn’t stop smiling.  They were going home.  The chance to raise their future children in the old neighbourhood and attend their old church; it was a dream-come-true.

And what a mess they would be in now had that house deal not fallen through!

Kayla stared out the kitchen window watching the cars drive past their apartment and wondered about the peach tree she could plant in the yard of their new home.  In her hand she played with the bowl of Weetbix she was having for breakfast.  Stanley enjoyed his poached eggs and fruit salad.

Seek your happiness in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desire.  Ps 37:4