Day in the life of…Mark McGill
Had to work all week-end (23hrs work) to help a colleague and meet a deadline – got Thursday off instead.
New car arrived at dealership several weeks late, but I couldn’t have it as the e-paperwork was lost. It takes several days and phone calls to put right, much to the merriment of my open plan office colleagues who listen in, finding it hard to believe how I remained so calm throughout. Able to share with a colleague how I have learned to cope with anger. Quite independently, a stressed out colleague and I have an impromptu chat for another 1/2hr, he wants to borrow a book given to me by a counsellor (who just happened to be a Christian) called ‘Calm Down’ by Dr Paul Hauck ISBN 0-85969-319-8. Those meetings and prayer permanently change my life in 1998. I don’t have to tell him that I am a Christian as everybody know and word sure gets around.
Picked up new car and started to fill it up. Silly me I thought, I must have overfilled it, rather a lot as it happens as I discover I am standing in a growing pool of diesel, rather than running water. Get home only to find diesel still pouring out nearly as fast as I had been pouring it in. Recovery man plugs the hole in the fuel tank under the seat with a metal bolt he just happened to have in his van, we both have a laugh about it.
Day off arrives and I start it with an 11km hill scramble at dawn in Great Comberton (South of Pershore). Intermittent rain cannot dampen my spirits and I appreciate God’s beautiful and scenic creation and praise His name. Return home to change and warm up as I am feeling ‘chilled out’ in both senses of the word. Return to the garage to get fuel tank fixed.
Parked car swings out in front of me without looking. I stop and hoot but to no avail. Instead I get a ring side seat as the driver swipes across the front offside wing of my new car. “Sorry… I didn’t see you” she says. Initially speechless but calm throughout, I replied that it must be disappointing for all three of us (she was just dropping her friend off.) In the dealership, I won the ‘celebrity of the day’ award for setting the record of having a hole in the fuel tank and a crash on their forecourt all within the first 36hrs. Staff at the dealership thought I was taking it rather well and philosophically… it is only a lump of metal after all.
Went to the bank to sort out the newly activated card only to find that neither of us could read the new pin code and the card got suspended. Patiently accepted the fact that I would have to wait another 7 days (18 in total) for yet another new pin number to be sent out to me.
After a 2.5km (100 length) swim at Tudor Grange I felt chilled out once again. Got a No.1-2 haircut, contacted the insurance co’s and bought Jackie some nice flowers as I thought at least one of us could have a nice and happy ending to the day.
Biggest laugh and surprise of the day:- Knowing how angry and violent I used to be as a young man before I knew the grace and peace of God, that I not only remained calm and at peace throughout, but I found myself laughing and smiling at the wonderful and unexpected turn of events. What a day it has been, one that I won’t forget in a hurry!
And finally…switched the computer on to find an email from Adrian asking me to do a blog for the first time ever – thank goodness that I had something good to write about. Better than a day in the life of an office-based accountant! Where does rescue come into it you may well ask? Well God clearly rescued me (I’m a changed man!) and I’m pretty sure that some of those around me might have noticed too. Being a Christian continually rubs off on those around us, paticulary in the most difficult of times.
Psalm 145:8
The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.
Luke 2:14
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
…Mark (Clarkson) McGill.
