December 16 – “Trust”

My intention today was to take it easy for awhile, maybe take Mom to Luby's, then come back and get some sleep.  Part of that plan worked out.  Until I opened the mail.  We got a bill from good ol' Ma Bell (AKA nowadays AT&T).  Ordinarily that would not be so unusual.  But we have not had phone service or internet service since – oh, around September 13th.  And the bill covered the entire time and then some.  Over $400.  That warrants a phone call, don't you think?   The first layer of protection beyond an interminable time on hold listening to jazz music resulted in quite a generous offer on their part.  Said they would include a $75 credit on our next bill.  Said that was the best she could do.  I said that she must not be who I needed to talk to, then.  I asked to speak to someone "higher up on the totem pole."   Layer two didn't last long.  Well, not long after someone finally answered from the midst of the jazz.  Must have been a portal stop only.  She put me on hold right away and pushed me off to Level three.  The wait for this level was a long one, so I felt I had good cause for high expectations.  And it seemed that I was to be rewarded.  This lady jumped right in with her "I'm sorry, sir" and "I'll see what I can do."  Her second "Hold on, please," didn't even last but three or four minutes.  Her contribution – "I have removed all telephone charges from your bill from September 13th to today."  I jumped at the chance for clarification.  "Does that mean my next bill will say I owe nothing?"  A quick answer, "You will owe nothing for telephone charges."  Now I was getting very suspicious.  "What will I owe for, then?"  "Well."  OK, when someone starts with one of those long drawn-out "well's" you have to know something is coming.  Her particular "well" had something to do with the internet service not being included in what she was talking about.  I would have to talk to Level four to get that taken care of.   Same music.  Same long wait.  Finally I got to the internet specialist who checked out my "for security reasons" questions again.  Following what was obviously customer service protocol, she almost immediately put me on hold again.  To make what was for me a much longer story than this short … I know – too late – this layer finally said the internet charges were also removed.  But was I delirious with joy?  Did I thank her profusely?  Not so much.  I asked her if that meant my bill would read zero next month.  I explained that I wanted to get it all out in the open now.  I even asked if I still had to talk to somebody to remove long distance charges.  She gave me all kinds of assurances.  Our bill should be clear until such time as we sign back up.   Trust is a strange thing.  Especially when someone teaches you so well to not trust them.  Proverbs 3:5-6 says "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."    Father, thank you that I can trust you.  Especially when I can't even fully trust myself.