The Gift of Work
Do you sometimes find it hard to go to sleep at night because you are so excited about getting up and going to work in the morning? Do you ever jump out of bed before the alarm goes off in the morning and say, "Oh boy, I get to go to work today!" Unfortunately, we are more likely to groan and grimace, with comments like, "Is it morning already?" or with resignation, "Well, I guess I've got to go to work again this morning." Since we almost never open the furniture store on Thursdays, yesterday felt a little strange. It was the last Thursday before Christmas, and we serve the people. One man was able to get a new cheval mirror for his wife yesterday. A lady who has known my wife and I since before we were married (and still calls me, "Danny") was able to buy herself a new flat screen LCD high definition TV. One family even bought an entire bedroom suite, that we will deliver to them this afternoon. That along with lots of paper work made for a full day. As an added bonus, Jeffrey went to work with me yesterday morning so his mother could finish up shopping.

This morning I want to try to look at work from a different perspective. Lot's of people are off from work for the holidays, and we are grateful for some time off for relaxation and refreshing. There are some who are off who wish they could be working. Since we also finance our own accounts, we soon learn when folks are out of work because of lay-offs. It is certainly difficult to be out of work during the Christmas season. Therefore, those of us who have work need to be thankful.

I am remembering Harold Ghearing, a man who attended the Welston Church of God in Welston, Ohio. Harold was retired and no longer had to get up and go to work in the mornings, but he enjoyed working so much. He started a large garden and raised tomatoes and vegetables, giving most of them away. After suffering a heart attack, he couldn't do as much, but he began "tinkering" at the church. Anything that was broke or just loose, he woud fix it or tighten it. Sometimes, there were just things that needed some regular maintenance. What a blessing he was.

If you think about it, whatever we give involves work. When we give gifts we are really giving our work. Whenever we give the gift of service or buy a gift with money we have earned, it all involves work. What we are giving is a little of ourself, a little of our time and energy, just a little of your life. We are giving the gift of work.

Solomon had this to say about how we should regard work, in Ecclesiastes 9:10,

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

This morning while we are finishing our Christmas shopping, I want to express my gratitude for the gift of work. I am thankful to God for the strength and health to work, and I am thankful for our family business (pictured above) which has provided a place for me to work for more than 2o consequetive years! The privilege we have to work enables us to share that gift with others. I am thankful that it gives me the privilege to give at church and to provide for my family. We are so blessed! This is a gift that just keeps on giving. You've heard it said before, "Give a man a fish and you feed him a meal, but teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

As I apply the word for this morning, I hope that my attitude reflects gratefulness for the gift of work. I also hope that having Jeffrey along was good for him and that he will learn to appreciate this precious gift. Maybe I can approach work with a little more enthusiasm and little more grattitude. Thank you, Lord, for the gift of work.