And I Ask...

It's a cool, rain-soaked, thunderstormy kind of day here in our corner of the globe. Soothing. Relaxing. Comforting. Serene. :) My body has been planted in the same chair, in the same location, doing the same thing for the past few days & since I hadn't blogged in a bit, I decided to take a short "respite" and share some thoughts that are ever close at heart.

MaKayla (and Mal) has busily been caring for bullies quite frequently & Kyle loves anytime he can "frequent" the premise & spend time interacting with the puppies & momma's alike. Upon our return home from a "visit" last Thursday, our 2014-2015 school year curriculum was awaiting us. To say Mal was excited would be a vast understatement. :) Having it her way, we would have started classes the next day HOWEVER this mom needed time to plan & prepare. School has been at the forefront of my mind for several weeks now...praying...seeking...listening...evaluating... We are re-purposing a few things MaKayla previously used as well as stepping into a few new adventures suited specifically for Mal as well. :) No free time over the weekend so my focus this week has been praying, planning & preparing... As I read ideas & suggestions offered in the particular plan book I ordered, one mom commented that prior to a new year beginning, she spends an entire day ALONE at their local library. Quietness, concentration & focus. I told Kyle I couldn't even begin to imagine such a day... He & I agreed that it was necessary for me to take the time, invest the moments & deliberately hone in on the mapping out of our new year of nurturing, learning & study. In turn, I have been some what "absent" from life & this is what our dining room/school table has looked like...

Time consuming? Yes.
Mind boggling? At times.
Fulfilling? Absolutely.

I'm so thankful for Kyle's encouragement & insistence on me taking this time...
For my sake (and sanity)...
For Mal's sake (and success)...
For the sake of our family (and peace/harmony)...

I would humbly admit that God has used the past several days to put some things in clear perspective for me... (Back to school planning in a bit.)

You know, life can get mundane.
Boring.
Unfulfilling.

And in the mundanity, boredom & unfulfillment we quickly find ourselves discontent, ungrateful & lacking respect & value...for others & for ourselves. We don't see what we or others do as purposeful. We take for granted time spent & knowledge invested. We view what we invest multiple hours into as merely a "job" or a task. We expect rather than gratefully receive. We overlook rather than appreciate. We waste moments rather than see them as "opportunity".

Working through life together, and the ups and downs therein, Kyle & I have discussed this on multiple occasions. College simply wasn't his thing (he was too enthralled with a 16 year-old something of a girl ♥) and after a few months of attempting the classes & the every weekend commute (to see the 16 year-old something of a girl ♥), he forever laid college to rest. He put in applications & it wasn't long before he was offered a position at a local company/factory that was just being established in our area. Nearly 25 years later, he remains employed at this same business.

Minutes...
Hours...
Days...
Weeks...
Months...
Years...
Invested.

A faithful employee...
A committed laborer...
A deliberate workman...

A team member...

And then a team leader...
Now a supervisor...

One who invests...
Not only in the company who signs his paychecks...
But in the lives he interacts with on a daily basis.

Aiding...
Assisting...
Encouraging...

Teaching...
Training...
Supporting...

Giving ones a chance who others simply wanted to give up on.

Seeing life...

Rather than just machines...
Or parts...
Or quotas...

But yet through the years because no college education was achieved or no elite title was deemed, sadly he has viewed his position at this place of employment simply as a "job".

And I ask, "What deems one job a 'career' but another job a 'job'?"

Isn't anything we invest minutes and hours and days and weeks and months and years in, a career?

Or is a "career" just allotted to those with a degree...
Or a title...
Or a six-figure salary?

Isn't a career anything we pour passion & intent into?
Life & meaning?
Purpose & resolve?

Or does that label of "career" only pertain to those who have designated attire that signifies "importance"?
Or an occupation that society looks at as substantial?
Or a line of work that comes with "perks"?

Last week marked the 25th Anniversary of Kyle's place of employment & Kawasaki went to great extremes to honor their employees & to showcase how far the company has come & grown since it's opening in 1989. Catered meals, generous gifts, special presentations & then an Open House... Policies are strict & due to the fact that Kawasaki is a Foreign Trade Zone, this would probably be only the second or third time that I have had the privilege of touring the plant & actually seeing what Kyle does on a day-to-day basis. (Also the reason for no "tour pictures".) He talks about this part & that part, this process & that process, this machine & that machine but hey, I have the mind of a woman so the terms crankshaft or spindle or camshaft simply don't register in my mind that only understands the specifics of toilet cleaning, stain-killing, meal planning & exquisite laundry folding. :) I was blessed to be able to do the walk through tour twice... The first time I was so busy people gawking/watching (and asking, "Who is that?") that I didn't fully grasp what I was there to absorb. Oops. And just as the girls & I were finishing up the first round with Mark, Marci & Jordan, Tom text & said he, Beth & Zoe were on their way & where could we meet. :) Kyle was thrilled.

Thankfully Kyle didn't give me a quiz over the initial go-through :) & I vowed I would pay better attention & keep my inquisitiveness at bay the second time around. With each step I took around the plant...department to department...assembly line to assembly line...machine to machine, my appreciation heightened. With each process that Kyle explained & every tid-bit of knowledge he extended (he's worked in multiple areas over the 25 years), my respect for what he does grew. Step by step, moment by moment, nugget by nugget, my heart was filled with admiration. ♥

Perspective.

Seeing...
Hearing...
Experiencing...

Perspective.

Being there...

Perspective.

And on his part, having the opportunity to share with us what he does each and every day, brought his heart, mind, soul & spirit satisfaction. It was a great reminder that his investment in a solid company & in real lives, isn't "just a job", it's a career. Something he pours time, energy, passion, intent, diligence & dedication in to. ♥

And on my part, I have found myself more grateful, more respectful & more prayerful over the work of his hands (as he fixes machines, measures parts & keeps lines running smoothly), the efficiency of his mind (as he formulates charts, documents necessary information & troubleshoots), the movement of his feet (as he walks from building to building & office to office & line to line) & the compassion of his heart (as he ministers mercy, understanding & encouragement to real lives). ♥

Perspective.

Sitting at that dining room/school table the past few days, as encouraged by the one who holds my heart, I see where I am just like him... I haven't viewed what I do as a "career". I haven't invested the minutes, hours, days, weeks, months & years as wisely as I should have.

Perspective.

As I told MaKayla, there's only a few things in my life that if I could have a complete do-over, I would so choose that option. Many decisions & choices over the years I regret but there are some that are heart-wrenching to me... How I invested in the early years of the girls' lives & the time I didn't take & the intent I didn't put forth, & the purpose I didn't sew deep, I would so check the "do-over box" if the option was available. All-too-often, I didn't put first things first.

Quizzing.
Ministry.
Social extensions.

And then the first thing suffered.

Perspective.

Individual life (Kyle, MaKayla, Mal).
Family (as a whole).
Time.

Perspective.

Nurturing.
Education.
Never-to-be-redeemed moments.

Perspective.

Mal begins her freshman year of school in a few days. I've spent a great amount of time praying, planning, preparing. For her. For me. Spiritually. Scholastically. Emotionally. I wasn't intentional as such with MaKayla & were it not for the grace & mercy of Christ, the reality of failure & remorse would rivet me to the core. Yes, she achieved & succeeded & excelled, yet where was I? I am indebted that God filled in the gaps where my absence was present. I am beyond thankful that MaKayla stepped up to the plate & was deliberate in learning & studying & accomplishing where my lack was the reality.

Perspective.

It's a new season filled with a freshness of purpose...

Mal's excited.
So am I.

Whatever God has called us to do, He calls us to do with purpose, passion, intent & diligence.

After all, it's not just a "job", it's a career.

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 

knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.

You are serving the Lord Christ. 

~Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV)

Servants, do what you’re told by your earthly masters. 

And don’t just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. 

Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, 

confident that you’ll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you’re serving is Christ. 

The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. 

Being a follower of Jesus doesn’t cover up bad work. 

~Colossians 3:23-24 (The Message)