(Grab a seat, this is going to be a long one.)

I think it has been said that if you want to know where God is calling you to be, then you need to look at what things you are passionate about. I have developed over the years a certain passion that I just don’t hear people talk about much. I hear from people who are called to be missionaries or mothers or teachers or whatever, but never this: I feel called to be in the workplace. My husband even said to me the other day, “You talk about work with this excitement that I just don’t get. I couldn’t spend 2 minutes in your job without going crazy.” The thing is that it’s not about the job really. It’s kind of bigger than that. I feel that by being in the workplace and by working hard and having a positive attitude that I am somehow affecting other people in a good way. Perhaps changing their lives in a small, but good way.

My background is in accounting, but I have had a growing interest in human resources. Having worked for numerous small companies, I am used to wearing many hats, including the H.R. hat. And whereas before I used to just view it as “something that needs to be done”, I am now looking at it as an area I can really excel in. I see issues all around me and instead of sitting around complaining about it, I now have this overwhelming desire to tackle each issue head on and change things for the better. I have worked in office after office and they all had one thing in common: unhappy people. This really saddens me. People spend 40+ hours at these jobs each week, 2,080+ each year, and they should not have to dread going to work and be chomping at the bit to leave. I believe it’s possible to love your job, no matter what you’re doing.

I want to change the culture in the workplace.

I know that if employees are happy and motivated to do good work, the business will profit. And yes, that means dollars, moolah, the buckaroos. It will profit in many other ways, of course. The bottom line is the bottom line. We all work to make money so we can feed our families and hopefully have some left over to have a little bit of fun too.

I want to help businesses succeed.

I’m reading a book (still) called unChristian. It’s a great book, and there are some points the author makes that I can really relate to. For example:

I want people to know not all Christians are flaky hypocrites.

I have a dream. A vision, really. It’s way out there, maybe decades away, maybe not. I see myself one day working as a workplace consultant. That sounds so… so blah. I would have to come up with a more creative title. But seriously, I want to help small businesses improve the culture and the vibe in their offices. For the employer I would be helping them get the most return on their biggest investment, their staff. For the staff, I would be helping to improve their quality of life. Everyone benefits when you have a work environment that people are happy to enter into each day. Creating that kind of environment is a lot easier said than done, so I want to learn how so I can teach others. I’ve learned much in the last 9 years as I’ve dabbled in these issues, but there is so much more I need to learn. I went to a human resources seminar today. I learned a lot, but mostly I learned that this is a definite passion of mine. Most passions are founded on the desire to make things better. This is where I want to make things better - the workplace.

EDITED TO ADD: Okay, that was really long. I am notorious for making a short story long, so here is my attempt at the opposite. In summary:

Here are the things I see in the workplace that get me fired up for change…

• Lack of communication
• Lack of integrity
• Gossip
• Lack of direction
• Inconsistency
• Laziness
• Poor attendance
• Inflexibility
• Disorganization
• Poor time management

What I want to do is teach people how to overcome these obstacles. All of these are problems I have had to personally tackle and it is rewarding to look back and see the personal growth I have made. Of course I haven’t conquered all of them entirely, but I have made progress and I understand that one must always have room to grow.

The problem I have with wanting to teach things is that I fear I need to be perfect in all the areas I’m teaching, or else no one will think I have any credibility. That’s not true, is it? I teach money management and my students know I make mistakes with money, yet they seem to still listen to what I say and even thank me after successfully applying the principles to their lives. I guess fear is the obstacle I need to overcome.

The continuation of my public introspection as I read “48 Days to the Work You Love” by Dan Miller (my answers to the questions at the end of each chapter): 

1. Do you understand your areas of competence?
Yes, I think so. I work well with details. I am very comfortable with forms, numbers, spreadsheets. I like solving logic puzzles. I work well on my own but I like being surrounded by people. I rarely want to be in charge and would rather be a support to those in charge, to enable them to focus on what they do best.

2. Do you feel trapped because of your current or past work experience?
A little. Looking back it seems as if I’ve been on a hamster wheel. I don’t feel like I’ve learned anything new or grown in my skills much.

3. Do you recognize how easily your abilities may transfer to a new industry or profession?
Yes. My strengths are of an administrative nature so they fit well into any industry.

4. Can you see value in those things you may have done as a volunteer through your church or community?
Absolutely. I’ve done a lot of volunteering - some in leadership roles but mostly in supportive roles. All of it required some stretch outside of my comfort zone and helped to build my character and confidence.

5. Are there skills or training you need to make you a candidate for the work you love?
Oh, tons. Just need to nail down a plan and figure out from there what training I need. If it’s budget counseling I am looking into training through Crown Ministries or Dave Ramsey’s office.

6. Has God given you abilities that do not match your desires? If so, how can you reconcile those?
Not that I can think of, though I am getting a little bored with accounting.

Previous Chapters:
My “48 Days” Journey - Chapter 1
My “48 Days” Journey - Chapter 2
My “48 Days” Journey - Chapter 3
My “48 Days” Journey - Chapter 4
My “48 Days” Journey - Chapter 5

The continuation of my public introspection as I read “48 Days to the Work You Love” by Dan Miller (my answers to the questions at the end of each chapter):  

1. In what kinds of settings are you most comfortable?
Small group settings

2. How do you respond to management?
I’m very submissive, but will speak up when I feel strongly about something.

3. How would you manage people?
I have a hard time with this, though I’m less timid than I used to be. 

4. Are you better working with people, things, or ideas?
Ideas, definitely.

5. Are you more analytical, detailed, and logical, or are you one to see the big picture and respond with emotion and enthusiasm?
See the big picture and respond with emotion and enthusiasm? Ha! That is so not me. I am detailed and logical.

6. Are you steady and predictable, or do you seek variety and new challenges?
Fairly steady and predicatable. I get bored if I don’t have variety every now and then.

7. Are you verbal and persuasive, or are you the caring, empathetic listener?
Well, I’m not verbal and persuasive, but I’m not the most empathetic listener either. Maybe I’m somewhere in the middle?

8. What strengths have others noticed in you?
Good question, and one I think the readers should answer (those who know me IRL, of course… others could only speculate)!

9. What are 5 words or phrases that describe you?
I hate these kinds of questions. Do I have to answer?

10. In writing your epitaph, what would you want people to remember about you?
That I made time for others. That I made people laugh. That I cherished every day. That I reflected Christ in the little, every day things. 

Previous Chapters:
My “48 Days” Journey - Chapter 1
My “48 Days” Journey - Chapter 2
My “48 Days” Journey - Chapter 3
My “48 Days” Journey - Chapter 4

The continuation of my public introspection as I read “48 Days to the Work You Love” by Dan Miller (my answers to the questions at the end of each chapter): 

1.  Are you a goal setter? Do you typically set goals at the first of the year? If not, why not?
I always thought I was, but I’m really not. I don’t set true goals, I set vague ideas of things I would like to work towards. True goals are ones you can quantify and are accompanied by a plan of action, and that is something I am just now learning.

2. How would you describe your current focus on work?
It is extremely task-focused. I have a hard time envisioning the end result or the big picture, so I focus on checking off the items on my to-do list.

3. What hobbies do you have? What other skills and interests do you have?
Reading, crocheting, blogging (obviously). I like to bake. I like playing with spreadsheets and solving logic puzzles.

4. How are you involved in your community?
I run the FPU class at my church. I’m still technically on the finance committee there but haven’t attended a meeting in ages. I volunteer at a children’s grief camp every year and LOVE it. I started the volunteer training at Ele’s Place but then I got pregnant and couldn’t complete it due to severe morning sickness.

5. What was your father’s or mother’s attitude toward work and how has that affected you?
My mom works. A lot. I have called her a workaholic many times. When I was a kid her work life and personal life were completely separate, and I never got the impression that she hated her job, but that she was simply there because she had to and that was okay. Now, I don’t know. I think the work she is doing now is in an area she enjoys, but I don’t think she enjoys having to do so much of it. I think she wishes she had more time to play. Am I right, Mom? Correct me if I’m wrong. 

My dad is a pastor. He has been a pastor for 3 decades. His work life and personal life are nearly impossible to separate. I’m not sure how he came to the decision to be a pastor all those years ago but I would be interested to hear about it. I know he feels called to be a pastor but I wonder if he ever feels a pull to go in a new direction. Dad, any chance you could chime in on this? (Yes, my parents read my blog. Scary, isn’t it?)

I think the affect all that had on me was that on Career Day I really didn’t give any thought to my passions or my calling. For some reason I didn’t find them relevant or realistic. I didn’t really believe that you could make a living at your calling unless you became a pastor or a missionary or something. I’m starting to wonder if it’s possible.  

Previous Chapters:
My “48 Days” Journey - Chapter 1
My “48 Days” Journey - Chapter 2
My “48 Days” Journey - Chapter 3

The continuation of my public introspection as I read “48 Days to the Work You Love” by Dan Miller (my answers to the questions at the end of each chapter):  

1. In today’s rapidly changing work environment, is it realistic to expect a job to provide more than just a paycheck?
We have so many options today that our parents’ parents didn’t have. While it may not be reasonable to “expect” more than just a paycheck, there must be jobs out there that do offer more than that. Intangible benefits such as telecommuting and flexible hours are becoming just as important as benefits like health insurance and 401(k).

2. Have you ever had a sense of calling in your life? How did you hear that calling?
I definitely feel called to help people with personal finances. I know this because anytime I see an opportunity to do that, I get a jolt of excitement and my spirit lifts.

3. Does God call only a few people?
I imagine God calls many but most of the time we’re not listening. 

4. Is it reasonable to expect our work to be part of the fulfillment of our calling?
I hope so. For all the hours we spend working we should be able to fulfill a calling at the same time.

5. Do you currently have a job, a career, or a vocation?
A job. Sort of a career, only because I’m in working in a field I enjoy. Not a vocation, because I don’t feel called to the job I’m currently in.

6. What does success mean for you this year?
Success this year would mean finding a clear focus, setting a long-term goal for my life, and begin working toward it. That’s a broad answer. There is one thing in particular I want to accomplish this year; I would like to find a way that Mike and I could have more time with Luke. With our current situation he is with a sitter five days a week and we miss him terribly.

7. Are you where you thought you’d be at this stage in life?
I never had a clear vision of where I was going. I know I didn’t expect to be a mother. We struggled with fertility for so long that I was beginning to lose hope. Professionally I had hoped to be a controller, an office manager, or perhaps a self-employed bookkeeper. But because I lacked clear vision I never settled on any one thing. 

8. Do you go home at night with a sense of meaning, purpose, and accomplishment?
Not from my job, but when I’m running an FPU class I ride home every week on Cloud Nine.

9. If you want different results next year, what will you change in what you are doing now?
For starters, decide where I want to be in three or five years. Until I make that decision I won’t know what changes to make.

Previous Chapters:
My “48 Days” Journey - Chapter 1
My “48 Days” Journey - Chapter 2

Oh my, this 48 Days book is so good. Here is a great excerpt from Chapter 3 - Creating a Life Plan:

“There is a Hebrew word, Avodah, from which come the words ‘work’ and ‘worship.’ To the Hebrew man, his Thursday morning activities were just as much an expression of worship as being in the synagogue on the Sabbath. Nothing in Scripture depicts the Christian life as divided into sacred and secular parts. Rather, it shows a unified life, one of wholeness, in which  everything we do is service to God, including our daily work, whatever that may be.

Jobs will come and go, but they should never derail you from the fulfillment of your calling.

Good career decisions have to be based on more than a casual look at the job opportunities or at personal aptitudes. What we invest our time in daily and weekly must incorporate the three critical areas mentioned in the introduction: (1) skills and abilities, (2) personality tendencies, and (3) values, dreams and passions. The most common mistake people make in choosing a career is doing something simply because they are good at it. . . . Remembering the happiest times in your life and the times when you felt most fulfilled are better indicators of your calling than just knowing what you can do.”

Here’s more:

“The Bible gives dignity to any work. All occupations are sacred. “Called to ministry” or “full-time service” are simply cultureal misrepresentations of God’s view of meaningful work. We need to eliminate the artificial ranking of the godliness of work. There are no second-class citizens in the workplace. I thank God for the talents of our lawn maintenance man and greatly appreciate and admire the beauty he creates in the grass, flowers, and trees around our home.”

AMEN.

The continuation of my public introspection as I read “48 Days to the Work You Love” by Dan Miller (my answers to the questions at the end of each chapter):  

1. Respond to the statement, “All progress requires change, but not all change is progress.”
I think this is true. We can change this up but unless we are making progress and working toward a goal, we’ll grow tired after a time.

2. What statement describes your career path so far?
So far it has been lateral and lacking in a clear focus.

3. How has a company change affected you? How did it make you feel?
An employer decided they were going to cut our insurance benefits, and the proposed cost was a huge blow to our family budget. I felt betrayed because I had only recently started working there and had agreed to a lower wage than I wanted simply because our insurance benefits were to be paid for.

4. Have you experienced any “failure” in your career? If so, what did it lead to?
I think the fact that I’m earning less than I was eight years ago is a huge failure.

5. What were your childhood goals and ambitions for life? Which ones have you been able to fulfill?
I only remember in high school having aspirations of teaching Special Education. In fact, that was my college major until I dropped out (I since went back to college and earned my Accounting degree). Can any of you family members out there help me answer this question?

6. Who are 2 or 3 people you know who seem to have accomplished their dreams? What do you remember about their accomplishments?
This is a tough one. I’ll have to give it more thought and come back to it. I’m curious if any of you can answer this though! If you know anyone like this leave a comment and tell us about them, especially if it’s you!

7. What do you imagine your retirement will be like?
Lots of free time to be available to people - time for family, friends, church, and volunteering.

Previous Chapters:
My “48 Days” Journey - Chapter 1

I just started reading 48 Days to the Work You Love, by Dan Miller. I’ve heard a lot about the book from Dave Ramsey and have wanted to read it, so I finally broke down and purchased a copy. Dan Miller offers up great questions for reflection at the end of each chapter and since I don’t do much pen and paper journaling anymore, I’m going to use the blog to keep track of my answers. Lucky readers, you get to follow along. If this book is the lifechanger Dave says it is, you should be able to catch at least a smidgen of inspiration from these Q & A’s. Let’s hope.

1. Who gave you your first job? What kind of job was it? How much money did you make?
My first job was at the local State Farm Insurance Agency. There was a high school student who worked a 3-5 pm shift so the agent’s assistant didn’t have to work so late. She was graduating and the agent who owned the place knew me (it was a small town) and hired me to replace her. I basically ran the office for those two hours every weekday. I think it paid around $6 per hour. I was 15.

2. From looking at your work life so far, what has been of the greatest value or worth?
I learned the most professionally while working for a struggling software company. A CEO basically ran it near to the ground, racking up all kinds of debt. He was ousted, then the Vice President took over and worked hard at making it profitable again. By that time the size of the company had dwindled to 6 or so employees. That job came with extreme challenges but it was the only job I truly loved. I especially learned a lot from the new head honcho. He was an intelligent, laid-back, well-spoken man with a good head for business. He knew how to spin criticism in such a positive way that it made you want to be better. I learned a lot through that experience about problem solving, communication, and working as a team.

3. If your job changes, does your purpose change?
No. I can’t say my job is helping me fulfill my purpose.

4. Do you think your current job will exist 5 years from now?
I’m not counting on it.

5. What would be the key characteristics of an ideal job or career?
In my ideal job I would be helping people in some way, making a difference in people’s lives.

6. When you daydream, what do you see yourself doing?
Recently I had the opportunity to help a few individuals with their personal budgets. It was exhilarating. I really felt like I was able to help, and they were all very appreciative. It was as if I had helped lift the weight off their shoulders. I think I would enjoy doing stuff like that more often. Oh, and a flexible schedule would be awesome.

7. What have been the happiest, most fulfilling moments in your life?
This is a tough one. Let me think about it… Okay, some fulfilling moments I can think of: volunteering at the children’s grief camp, working in the mail room at Chrysalis, and coordinating Financial Peace University. All of these are experiences that, although they are hard work, they always leave me rejuvenated and energized.

8. If nothing changed in your life in the next 5 years, would that be OK?
No way! I want to be growing and changing, and in the professional arena I would hope to be making a little more money and be doing something that I love, which is the whole point of reading this book!

Boy, I am just exhausted. I’ve been running myself ragged trying to stay caught up on everything now that I’m back to work. I’m deciding it’s just not worth it. I am stressed to the max and I’m no picnic to be around. These are the steps I need to be taking to lower my stress:

1. Ask for help, especially from Mike. He doesn’t know unless I tell him, and he’s more than willing.
2. Get my routines down on paper. That way I don’t have to remember everything and my brain won’t get overloaded.
3. Forget about the small stuff. Just do what’s necessary and the rest can wait until the weekend. 
4. Pump breastmilk twice a day at work instead of three. I need that lunch hour to relax - it’s the only guaranteed chance for down time that I have and I had better take it. It means Luke will have to get formula once or twice I day but it’s a small price to pay to have a sane Momma.

I think if I do those four things I’ll be feeling a lot better. I knew this was going to be a tough adjustment but we will get through it.

I am still loving my job! I’m learning quickly and it’s work that I really enjoy doing. The people are great so far. They are mostly accountants so with my personality I fit right in. I think this could be a great long term gig for me. Let’s hope.

I was able to fit into yet another piece of pre-pregnancy clothing today. Yay! The amazing shrinking woman!

Last Friday I was stressing and venting to my boss about our cash flow and some of the receivables I was trying to collect on. He interrupted me mid-sentence by grabbing my hand and started right in with a prayer that God would bless us with checks and that customers would pay and pay early even. I was taken aback, to be honest. I know my boss is a praying man, but he’s never really done anything like that before. Even though it was a tad awkward, it left me with a familiar sense of peace and I was able to get back to my work without that stress resting on my shoulders.

This afternoon I had to let my boss know that our little prayer request worked, because we received 9 checks in the mail today, and several of them were checks I didn’t expect to receive for at least another couple of weeks! So we are going to have to remember to say that prayer more often.

Why doesn’t it ever occur to me to petition God about work stuff? It’s strange really, because I pray to him about everything else in my life. I ask him for blessings in my personal life, why not in my professional life too? After all, my job directly affects my personal life. Wouldn’t I want to ask that the company I am working for be successful? I think I will more often now.