Thankful For Enjoyable Jobs

Today I'd like to express my thanks to God for the provision of both of my jobs.

Prior to the birth of my first baby, I taught K-8 music in a rural school in northern Illinois. Once we started our family, we chose to have me stay home. I always did something to bring in a little extra income, usually something I could do from home, that did not require me to use child care, but I considered myself primarily a home maker.

When my youngest started first grade, I was starting to think I should find something steadier, but I could also see that it would be good to have someone at "mission control" after school, since we had four children, and they were getting pretty busy with friends and activities. Within a week of school starting that year, the principal approached me with a proposal. Would I like to work at the school as a crossing guard, and lunchroom and recess supervisor? She knew I enjoyed children. She also knew I didn't have a car available to me. Since the school was just a block away, transportation was not a problem, and the job obviously worked around the children's school schedule., allowing me to keep up with them after school and on days when school wasn't in session. Perfect! I eventually gave up the lunchroom and recess part of the job after five years, because my mom needed my help after a stroke, but I was able to keep the crossing guard job, and I still do it. Despite the occasional week of sub-zero weather, I truly like this job, because I get to enjoy the neighborhood children.

My other job, as the Music Coordinator at church, came my way in an equally Providential way.

As my last child started her senior year of high school, I began to pray that God would show me what the next phase of my life should be. I did not want to do the "empty nest syndrome" thing, and I knew He had a plan for me. I just need to know what the heck it was! Well, in February of that school year, the person who was music director at that time quit rather abruptly. It was six weeks before Easter, which is usually a big deal in music ministry. Pastor Randy, after consulting with the Music Board, called me and asked if I would step in temporarily to get us through the spring while the Board did a search. Of course I said yes; how could I not? You can't have Easter without wonderful music! I assumed the Board would find someone soon, and so I just focused on that last couple of months of the choir season. At that time the music director did not work in the summer, so I was still focusing on finding some sort of job for the fall. Then, in the middle of the summer, I got a call from the chairman of the Music Board. They were pretty happy with what I had done. Would I be interested in the job? Would I! I LOVED getting back into choral directing!

So, I have two jobs I truly like that just fell into my lap! That's definitely something to be thankful for.

The November 30 Day Thanksgiving Challenge