Confession of a Custodian Part 2

Fri, 2010-07-16 13:18 — Nathan Alberson

Some men like work. They like their brow to be damp with sweat. I prefer a dryer, more sweat-free approach to my brow. Thus, the first lesson God taught me through custodial work was to actually do custodial work.

First the moral, then the story. The moral is be diligent in whatever work God gives you. Maybe you're getting your Ph.D in anthropology and God blessed you such that you've been athropologizing since you were a toddler. That's no excuse not to work unto the Lord at Arby's, if the Lord places you at Arby's.

I entered the janitor business with a bad attitude. I hated my co-workers because they were white-trash, and I was one day going to write the great American novel. As a great-American-novelist-to-be, my God-given duty was to read and to write. The forty hours a week I was spending as a janitor was forty hours I couldn't read or write.

Or was it? Maybe God had blessed me with this insignificant job because it was just that - insignificant. In the cosmic view of things, it didn't matter if every mirror in every restroom was spotless. And a Christian man has to be able to look at things from the cosmic, eternal view. That's the godly thing to do.

I had eight hours of work, but if I rushed it, it could be four. Then I was alone in my area and I had four hours to read and write. Four hours to exercise my God-given talents and strive towards my God-given destiny.

Sure, I would have to cut corners. But everybody cut corners. If I was smart about which ones to cut, that was just me being efficient. After four or five hours, I could find a quiet corner to work in my notebook or read a novel. This went on for a year - during which I did half a year's work.

Remember the portrait of an arrogant, wicked man in Psalm 73? He gets away with it until one day he doesn't get away with it. That's how it was for me. One day I was sweeping out an office when my crew chief tapped me on the shoulder. He was standing there with his supervisor. The supervisor scared me. He didn't leave the office and come to our building unless there was trouble.

"Nathan," the supervisor said. "Let's sit down."

We did, and the supervisor pulled out a piece of paper.

"I'm going to read this," the supervisor said. "And then I'm going to give you a copy to sign and a copy to keep. Your signature does not indicate that you agree with the following statement. It only acknowledges that you have heard and understood it."

The crew chief sat next to the supervisor. He said nothing. He was like the bad guy in a movie whose job it is to stand behind the lead villain and look very sad as the lead villain details the diabolical fate he's prepared for the hero

The supervisor read his disciplinary form. He had inserted my name into all the blanks. "This Letter of Expectation is to inform Nathan Alberson that he is not fulfilling the duties of Custodian Level III at this university. Records indicate that Nathan has been properly trained in all university practices and procedures. Yet he has failed to perform these duties to the level that University standards require."

He went on to list the various duties that University standards required, and the various ways I had underperformed them. He had dates and details. He had evidence and observations.

He finished with, "It is my sincere believe that Nathan is capable of performing at required levels. But failure to do so will result in further disciplinary action up to and including termination."

That was it. I sighed the form and he gave me my copy. I staggered away and read through it again. Then I read through it a few more times. That was the extent of the discipline - a single-spaced, one-sided piece of paper with a university letterhead at the top.

That piece of paper changed my life. It sounds corny, I know, but don't make fun. I'm talking about God's discipline. I'm talking about his faithfulness.

I'll continue this story in Part 3 . . .

Note: As always, please use a variation of your real name when posting (e.g. John, JDoe, John Doe) and a working e-mail.

Comments

Fri, 2010-07-16 20:03 — Paul Belcher

Helpful post Nathan. One of a

Helpful post Nathan. One of a supervisor's toughest and yet most profitable duties is to give feedback to his direct reports. I remember three teachers who changed my life: Pepsy, a lady from India who always faithfully disciplined me and put me in the corner whenever I got out of line in daycare; Mr. Dubach, our gym teacher, who from kindergarten taught us young whippersnappers that "Pain is weakness leaving the body"; and most importantly my father, who is a sinner and who failed our family at many times, but who was nevertheless there to discipline my brother and I and taught us to fear him. If God had not placed these instructors in my life, I would be dead in a gutter right now. Praise our holy Father in Heaven who places people in authority over us (yes who are sinners), but who ultimately teach us to obey Him with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Fri, 2010-07-16 23:49 — Nathan Alberson

I heartily agree, Paul. I'm

I heartily agree, Paul.

I'm saving the rest of the story for next time, but that supervisor's report was some of God's toughest and best discipline in my life. It's funny how God can use unbelievers that way. This supervisor was a Mormon, as it turned out, and our relationship developed very interestingly.

But I can't really talk any more about it because I have to save all my material for the posts.

Sat, 2010-07-17 18:49 — Marie

Looking forward to part III.

Looking forward to part III. This is interesting and relevent stuff.

Sat, 2010-07-17 20:08 — Terry

Hi; I have really enjoyed,

Hi; I have really enjoyed, learned and felt what I should fell in these posts so far. This is relevant to me because I also was a janitor/custodian and my dad was my boss! I learned a lot but it took years to realise that I learned it cleaning toilets.
God bless, I look forward to Part III.

Terry

Tue, 2010-07-20 15:02 — Nathan Alberson

Terry, Actually, before

Terry,

Actually, before becoming a custodian at that nameless, anonymous university, I worked as a custodian for my dad at a church where he was the Building Manager. So what I'm saying is, I can appreciate your [insert whatever emotional state your custodial experience generated].

Really, there's not a thing you could insert in there that I couldn't appreciate.

-N

Wed, 2010-07-21 17:55 — Terry

Hey Nathan: Are you my long

Hey Nathan:

Are you my long lost brother?? My dad was a custodian of the First Baptist Church Downtown Vancouver! Certainly learned the work ethic from him, he was old school, when he retired from that church they replaced him with 3 people!

Keep up the good work at Clear-note and what ever else God has you doing for His glory!

Terry

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