“Let your life be free from love of money, but be content with what you have, for he has said “I will never forsake you or abandon you.” Thus we may say with confidence:
“The Lord is my helper,
(and) I will not be afraid.
What can anyone do to me?”
Hebrews 13:5-6
CNN featured a story about a top advertising executive of a company who had lost his job and is now working as a 
barista in Starbucks, quite a leap from the prestigious career he once had. Aside from his age which is not the usual that we see in the coffee shop, his aura of joy and contentment when he sometimes mops the floor and clean the counters was really remarkable, considering he was not used to manual labor. During the interview, I couldn’t help but admire his wisdom especially on how to get through these tough times.
He said something like: no one is really in control of what’s to happen, but we can all control our reaction to whatever situation we are in. And when asked if he would accept a “half a million dollar a year” job offer again, he said no for the reason that he now found a full-time life with his part-time job.
for his complete inspiring story, go to:
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/worklife/02/05/starbucks.saved.my.life/
This is in contrast with the tragic story a week before that, about a father who killed his wife and all of his five children, before killing himself. This happened after he and his wife lost their jobs one after the other. Desperation and frustration might have driven him to end it all. Whether it was to spare his family from a difficult life ahead, or to simply spare himself from stretching his comfortable limits, we would never know. But if only he had an encounter with the Starbuck’s guy and heard about how he coped, he and his family might still be alive.
for twenty years now, i have already been in and out of work, employed or otherwise, and by choice. i have seen how different office environment works. i have endured managers and co-workers with diverse personalities. i have met people from all walks of life during a short stint with our small business venture. i have bridged generation gaps when i had the privilege to teach in our small town’s community college. really i have a very colorful resume. sadly, colors don’t have anything to do with success in terms of career. numbers do.
now that the world is in chaos, the global economy in shambles and millions are losing their jobs, i am now beginning to see employment in a different perspective. way back when there were choices to make, (although i give my more than hundred percent in whatever i do) i see it as just a temporary occupation. something else to do when my motherhood needs some diversion. 
but now that job offers are scarce and life can be harsh without one, i am learning to value mine like a treasure. aside from having a great boss, such nice guys to work with, and tasks that are custom-designed to my capabilities; my job now is such a blessing from heaven which the angels delivered when i am ready to harvest its fruits. in short, i am falling in love with work and overwhelmed by its importance. not just in terms of money, but by the intricate design of destiny in which the Lord had painted me onto. if only all of us shall see jobs as a privilege where we may serve God and be instruments of His peace and hope….and yes, love.
during this month of love, and now in this world of recession, i guess the best statement is “love means never having to say i resign”.
Everyday with JESUS 