What's in a name?

God's grace is always enough!

The imaging studies revealed the bad news.  Christopher had an abscess that needed to be drained.  It would require a simple surgical procedure, but it was still a surgery no matter how simple.  After the surgery he would continue to receive the IV antibiotics, and then his feeding tube would resume as his recovery progressed.

While Christopher was in surgery I decided to make a run down to the cafeteria for lunch and coffee.  After making my selections I took my lunch tray up to the cashier to pay.  She dutifully started to ring up my order and gave me the total for my purchase.  I started to give her the money, but then she stopped me.  The cashier told me that she could reduce the price of my lunch if she could just see my employee discount card.  I couldn't believe it.  She actually thought I worked at the hospital!  I joked with her that I was here so much that I should get some kind of discount, but that I definitely was not a hospital employee.  The cashier remarked that she saw me around here so often that she just assumed I was a nurse or something.  I laughed and told her that I probably had learned enough just being here so much that I could actually have earned my RN's certificate by now.  I guess when the hospital employees actually think that you are one them, then you know you've been there too long.  By the way, I didn't get that employee discount.

No, I don't work here!

The cafeteria cashier wasn't the only one to make the mistake of thinking that I worked at the hospital.  I had this happen to me a couple of other times up on the pediatric floor.  I must have looked like I could be a nurse or something because I had several parents stop me and ask me questions about their child.  Each time when I told them that I was just a parent too, they were surprised.  I heard over and over again that they just assumed I worked there because I was ALWAYS there.  It actually got me to thinking that maybe I could have a career in nursing, but if I was going to pursue anything like that, it would definitely have to wait.  My hands were already too full!


The surgeons were successful in draining the infectious abscesses inside Christopher's abdomen.  Now the long process of physical recovery would begin.  As the IV antibiotics dripped in, Mike and I both reassured Christopher and ourselves that everything was going to be okay.  He was going to get better, and we would be back home in no time at all. 

With Christopher safely back in his hospital crib and sleeping soundly, Mike wanted to talk to me about something.  It sounded serious, but I was curious.  I asked him..."so what's up?"  He told me that he had been doing a lot of thinking about our financial situation.  Even though we had medical insurance, the medical bills were still piling up.  He had a good paying, secure job at the company he was working at, but he had come up with a way that he thought he could make even more money.  That's when he laid out his plan for me.  He was going to...wait for it...QUIT his job.  I gulped hard and asked him how he thought that was going to make us more money.  Then he explained his plan.  Yes, he was going to quit his job, but he was going to start his own business.  It may mean a little less money at first, but he was confident that in the long run he could make more money.  Besides, it would give him a lot more flexibility.  He could arrange his business schedule around Christopher's needs. 

To say that I was surprised would be an understatement.  It sounded risky and too unpredictable, kind of like Christopher's situation.  I started asking him questions in rapid fire fashion, but he was ready with rapid fire answers.  Then he told me the best part.  He told me he was going to call the business MaRC Technologies.  "M" was for Michael, "R" for Ryan, and "C" for Christopher.  The "a" would be small and didn't stand for anything, but every name needs a vowel.  MaRC Technologies just sounded good.  That was all it took.  With a name like that how could it possibly go wrong?  I was sold.  The only thing I asked was that when we were released from the hospital that I have a car to drive home in and a house to go home to. 

The business entrepreneur.

When we told our family and friends about MaRC Technologies, we were met with looks of apprehension and surprise.  Are you sure this is the right time to be starting a new business (probably not)?   Doesn't Mike already have a good job (yes)?  What if it doesn't work out?  Do you have a backup plan (not really)?  All good questions, and the answers were probably all good reasons NOT to go into business for ourselves.

Nonetheless, Mike quit his job and started the new business.  People probably thought we were crazy, and they were probably right.  What they didn't know was that God was at work.  He was encouraging Mike to open the business, and He softened my heart into not standing in the way with objections. 

When the inevitable questions came...you're going to do what?  Really?  Are you sure about that?  I would just tell them the name of our new company and explain what it stood for.  Then I would follow with....and with a name like that how could it go wrong?! 

SPECIAL NOTE:  Apparently with a name like that it couldn't go wrong.  16 years later we are still in business and going strong.  God has blessed our business and guided our steps!

If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you can pray like this:

More tomorrow...