« Your top sites | Home | Read It, Watch It, Hear It »
Taking Care Of Business
By kirk noonan | June 16, 2008
Ed Pinson’s fishing boat capsized recently in Texas’ Galveston Bay. Fearing no help would come, Pinson swam for shore. It took him several hours to reach land and help. But his risk taking helped save the lives of the three people who were thrown from the boat with him.
Heroics aside, the thing that really interested me about Pinson’s story was a quote he gave to MyFOXHouston.com. “I’d rather have a bad day fishing any day, than a good day at work,” said Pinson, 63. “‘Cause there ain’t never been no good day at work.”
Pinson may be on to something. Here are sampling of books publicist’s have recently sent to my desk for review: Caught Between a Dream and a Job, No More Mondays, and What Should I do with My Life?
Those titles alone tell me there are writers who see a multitude of Pinsons trudging through the workweek with only the weekend on their minds. While thumbing through the books this morning I couldn’t help but remember what one tired looking teacher regularly used to tell my ninth-grade history class: “Find something you like doing and you’ll never work another day in your life!”
Not sure that’s entirely true. I really like my job, but there are days when I’d rather be fishing with the likes of Pinson rather than working.
Writing for a weekly magazine has its good and bad points. There are deadlines that keep you sharp. Readers to please. Conflicts to resolve. Issues to research and debate, and long hours at the desk. But there is also travel to new places, opportunities to meet new people and satisfaction from telling people’s stories. Each month when I cash my paycheck, I feel its deserved and compensation for a job well done.
Note the word job. Some people, in the circles I run in, refer to our jobs as ministry. Others say we have a duty rather than a job. I think its a combination of both those things and a few others. But our work is still a job. I realize job falls far short of the magnificence of ministry and that duty sounds way more noble than job. But there’s nothing wrong with having a job — whether you like yours or not.
The Bible says our jobs can support our families, bring pleasure to the Lord, give us opportunity to do our best, and share our faith. Having a job does not guarantee wealth, happiness, peace and contentment. But really, should we be looking for those things at our places of employment?
Topics: Culture |