reading and the boys were out and about, the phone rang. It was Vic Jackson, a member of my former parish of Emmanuel Baptist. Vic was brought up in a little village outside of Barrie and attended a one-room schoolhouse. Unfortunately, he—like the NHL (National Hockey League) coach Jacques Demers and many Canadians—had slipped through the school system and graduated illiterate. However, like Demers, who later became a Canadian senator, Vic didn’t allow this problem to control his life. When he graduated from grade 8 at age 15, he got a job working with a carpenter who took a keen interest in him and noticed that he was a natural when it came to handling tools and operating machines. After a number of years apprenticing, Vic decided it was time to launch out on his own, and he established the Vic Jackson Renovation Company. The business was very successful, and he learned how to work around his illiteracy problem, as so many people with the same challenge do.
On the phone, Vic expressed his regrets that I had been let go at Keswick and wondered if I would like to do some work for him. In my inimitable manner, I responded, “Sure; what do you have in mind?”
“Well,” he said, rather hesitatingly, “it’s digging postholes and installing a fence around the property of…” and he mentioned the man’s name. This man was a very successful and wealthy businessman. He and his wife lived in a multi-million dollar mansion on the shores of Kempenfelt Bay. They were not members of my parish but would often attend our Sunday evening services, along with many people from other churches that had only morning services. When I met Vic at the job site, of course the owners were rather shocked to see the Rev. Ernest Nullmeyer in work clothes. Vic showed me what to do, and I started in to dig the postholes and erect this mammoth fence. It took me four weeks, and at the end the owners thanked me for doing such a great job. Little did I (or the owners) know that sometime in the future, I would be back at their home decorating it, having established Nullmeyer Decorating. It’s a good lesson for my beloved grandchildren and all youth to remember: Always do your best, because you never know what it will lead to.
NOW WHAT?
The question of course on my mind—and on the minds of my beloved family—was “What will I do next to keep money coming into our home?” There was no need to worry, as Vic (and God) had it all planned out. Vic thanked me for the excellent job I had done erecting the fence and then said he would be in touch with me if something turned up. I didn’t have to wait long!
Vic had been awarded the contract to install all the door and window hardware in Barrie’s new Riverwood subdivision. One day the superintendent asked him if he knew someone who would do an excellent job on paint touch-ups in the homes that had recently had their one-year inspections. The person for the job had to be very trustworthy, as most of the owners would be out to work. Vic said, “I know the very man for the job; he is as honest a man as you could ever meet.” Vic contacted me to see if I was interested in this six-week contract.
My answer? “Yes, indeed!” I went to meet the superintendent, and he hired me within minutes. The following Monday I commenced this job, which was so right for me as it was relaxing and therapeutic, and it provided six weeks of income. And amazingly it was a harbinger of what would eventually become my new vocation—painting and decorating.
One of the homes was owned by a young medical doctor who had recently moved to Barrie to set up her family practice. When I had finished the job, she thanked me for my excellent work. Once again, little did I know that someday in the future that excellent work would lead to a large contract for redecorating her whole house from a contractor’s beige to a beautiful colour scheme that I would draw up for her. Yes, we never know when we are planting a seed that will take root and bloom in the future.
WHAT’S NEXT?
So with that job completed, what would be next? Another phone call from Vic, asking me if I would be interested in working with him on a big renovation job. He said, “Before you answer, let me describe the job.” It was going to start out as a very dirty job, as all the plaster and lath had to be removed from the ceilings and walls and then replaced with drywall.
He continued, “You will have to wear old clothes, and we will be wearing masks.” Well, the mask aspect wouldn’t be new to me, as I had donned masks many times when making pastoral calls on parishioners in hospital isolation wards. Oh, the ironies of life, going from one mask to another!
He paused then for my answer, and as always I said, “Sure, I’ll work with you on that job.” He would meet me at the house on Monday morning and introduce me to the owners, who would then be on their way to their offices of a company they owned and operated. I would eventually work for that company. Really? Yes, really! That’s an amazing and wonderful part of the story that will come to light shortly.
On Monday morning, I was up bright and early (as I am always am), ate breakfast with Marion and the boys, packed a lunch and went off to work, no doubt singing praises to God for opening up this new employment opportunity. And sing all day long I did, even right through the mask shielding my lungs from the fine plaster dust. Eventually we got all of the plaster and lath removed and installed the drywall, and the ceilings and walls were now ready for painting.
ALWAYS DOING OUR BEST
As Vic had warned me, it was indeed a dirty job, but one that paid off. Indeed, we never know how one job well done will lead to something even better. Let me insert here a wonderful proof of that statement. It comes from the Bible story of Abraham sending his chief servant out, along with ten of his camels and “all kinds of good things,” to find a wife among his own people for his son Isaac (Genesis 24). I have taken the liberty to give you the Ernie Nullmeyer translation of the story, just as I would tell it—extemporaneously—if I were relating it in the pulpit.
THE JOB THAT PAID OFF HANDSOMELY
The servant and his entourage of camels made their way to a little town where Abraham’s brother Nahor lived. On arrival in the town, the servant had the camels kneel down near the town well. He then prayed, “O Lord, God of my master, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. Today at sunset, when the town’s daughters come out to the well to draw water, direct me to the one whom I should take back to my master for his son Isaac. I will know that one because when I ask her for a drink, she will give me one and then will offer to give water to all the camels as well.”
Before he had finished praying (God often answers our prayers even before we complete them), Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was stunningly beautiful and a virgin. While she was filling her jar with water, the servant ran to meet her and said, “Could you please give me a drink of water from your jar?” She quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink.
When he was finished drinking, Rebekah made an astonishing offer: “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they’re all filled up.” (Watering camels is no small task, as a camel’s holding tank is about 114 litres, or 30 gallons, and it takes about 13 minutes to get the task done. That’s just one camel; Rebekah had ten to fill up. But her faithfulness in carrying out that task was wonderfully rewarded!) After spending the night in the home of Rebekah, the servant returned home with her and his entourage, praising God that he had been led to the right person to be Isaac’s wife.
Yes, a job well done will always reap rewards eventually. The dirty job I had accepted and worked at with all my might was to lead to an office job beyond my fondest imagination. One day, while we were having a snack break, the owner of the house returned from his office to see how we were getting along. After a few minutes, he drew me aside and asked me if we could have coffee together sometime. I had no idea why he was inviting me to have coffee with him, but I told him I would be happy to do that. He related the time and place we would meet. When he left, I asked Vic why this gentleman would want to have coffee with me. With a little grin on his face he said, “I think you’ll be glad you met with him, but that’s all I
