Career Choices

"I want to work to live and not live to work."

I said it many times growing up.

Today, I left for work around 6:40 AM and then got home around 6:45 PM. My philosophy has changed somewhat.

A job is not who someone is to a point. If you spend the majority of your waking hours doing something it will have an effect on who you are. Somewhere along the way, I decided that if I'm going to spend my life on something I want it to be something meaningful. Then, if I'm going to do it, I should do it well. I don't want to cross the line and make the job my life itself, but there is no refund on time. If I want what I spend to mean something, I can't do it half-fast. "Whatever you do, do it wholeheartedly, as for the Lord rather than men" (Col 3:23).

Plus, my career supports my wife and child. They're the most motivational thing that ever happened to me.

Carrie's in the crux where she's looking around for another job again. She loved her old job, but felt compelled to look when the hours were cut. The new job was fine the first month. Then it was not what was advertised by the second month. And now in the third month it's unpleasant. Carrie feels trapped, though. Her new job let Shane go into pre-school/day-care again and he's done really well. His writing has improved; He's working on reading. The social opportunities are wonderful, and Shane's made new friends, too. On Monday, wrestling practice made me late to pick up Shane. He was playing with Sevan and building blocks when I arrived..and he still didn't want to go.

Thus Carrie is on the hunt in the meantime. Ideally, a full time position would open back up at her old office. She's scheduled to do some part-time grant work for them in the new year, but she'd like more to do. Please say a prayer for her for guidance and that in the end she lands where God wants her to be.

Carrie's work schedule did work out well for wrestling this week, though. The practices are from 4-6 PM and normally I pick up Shane. Saturday is a workday, so Carrie's had to shave off some hours and she managed to work it so I'll be able to stay at practice most of the week. I don't feel like I'm contributing much of anything yet, but it is important to put in time so that kids see you as a fixture. That's pretty tough if no one recognizes you!