My Year Listening to God

photo by dawnsy58

I awoke to the sounds of a cardinal chirpin' in the trees outside my window. His piercing calls poked at me, to get out of bed. I arose and went to read the portion set out for my in my plan.

In my readings today, I reviewed the curse on Adam after his disobedience. Painful toil--that was his lot until his death. That is my lot until my death. That is your lot until your death. Pretty challenging, but realistic (from a biblical worldview).

I find it challenging to engage work everyday. I know people complain about work. As I go from place to place, I've asked tellers, cashiers, and laborers how work is going. I've heard great laments to a resignation that work gets me a paycheck that I get to blow.

I was at the checkout at Walmart today and the cashier greeted me (I checked that she did on the survey as I scanned my credit card). She is looking forward to working third shift. I worked third shift at a driveshaft plant for Dana Corp. I worked hard, but I did not want third shift. My goal and everyone else's was to land on first shift. Yet here is a woman wanting, begging, looking forward to third shift. I guess the painful toil of labor has even deluded the Walmart worker. She warmly exit greeted me and Melissa, my wife. Then we went home.

I am struck by the strenuous nature of work. I have on my shelf a book to read by Larry Winget, It's called work for a reason! I hope to get more insight into what he means and possibly learn how people deal with the toilsome labors of everyday life and strive to be successful. The working man or woman needs only to blame ol' Adam for falling from a painless workfree existence, all because of his sinful actions.

Since then, work has always been hard. Work has shaped me, chiseled me, wrung me out, flogged me, burnt me, scewerd me, deflated me, beat me, and left me for dead. When I've put my back into work, I've truly labored hard. I have Adam to blame for work being hard. So as I take a few days off this week. I don't look forward to getting back to work. I know that it's going to be hard. Why did you do this to me, Adam?