The Joy of the Lord is My Strength

Loves getting her piggy back ride from Mom

I'm always elated to be around those who love what they do. "If you love your job, you'll never have to work a day in your life." How does this happen? As I thought about this this morning, I had to think about talents, fulfillment and contentment.

Talents are a "natural aptitude or skill" according to yahoo. God gives us skills to serve one another. He doesn't want us to bury them because we're embarrassed to use them, too lazy to put forth the effort or to wonder what people will think of us.

Last year's date 12/14/2017

Being fulfilled keeps us coming back for more. If we feel empty after collecting a paycheck, Monday's are not going to be a favorable day for us. Or even if we are retired or work for no pay, and our life work is not fulfilling to us, its going to be very hard to promote the spirit of Joy. When I think of times that I am less than joyful, I think of how I wasn't being thankful and I wasn't being fulfilled. So how do we get fulfilled? Have you asked God to show you His will for your life? Are you walking according to the Scriptures? Are you truly thankful for the loving Saviour that bled and died and rose again? Have you thought about how He took your place on the painful, terrible cross? Are you truly thankful? Being thankful always seems like a "reset" button for me and my attitude. It is then that I feel fulfilled to continue on in the mundane tasks of life.

Summer 2017

And finally contentment. In Philippians 4:11, "Not that I speak in respect to want, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. " I look back at my high school years. I loved high school. The activities, the friends, the teachers. Moving on to ICC, I loved my time there as well. Marrying Andy and starting a family, each stage seemed more exciting than the last. Somewhere between having 2-3 kids I could feel myself start to change and not feel as content. Motherhood was hard, thankless work. Andy did his best to encourage me. Someone always had needs. I didn't take care of myself. Some of those years are just a fog. I've always had a strong group of friends who get together regularly. Some were single, some were married. Some days I would envy the singles. They could just come and go. They didn't always have someone 'hanging' on them. They probably even managed to shower EVERY day. I never told anyone this, of course. Wouldn't want to sound like the ungrateful housewife who was able to stay home with her children. I felt myself start to become more like myself when Clayton was 2-3. Contentment doesn't always come easy. But with God's grace and walking in the Spirit, the clouds seem to clear and contentment comes more natural.

So this morning, being at the hospital and seeing the flurry of activity reignites my passion to feel needed in a professional capacity. Talking with the RN and asking him about his career and how he loves it and "hasn't worked a day in his life" makes me giddy. It would be my desire that someday I would work in a hospital. As a tech, a RN, a volunteer... Right now, I know I'm needed at home and if God wills, the Mission field. But the spark that is placed every time I visit a hospital gets a little larger.

Thanks Jonathan for brightening our day. You obviously love your job.