Work

Well, if I wasn’t sure what it felt like to be an “adult” before, I think I’m a lot closer now. I’m working as a nanny/babysitter very close to full time (plus taking an online class), I commute to work almost every day, and I live with my husband in our own place. We have bills for goodness sake! Oh yes, I think that I can definitely say that I’m practically all grown up.

But maybe being a grownup isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be.

After all, now that I’ve reached this oh-so-elite position in life, I seem to find myself with a lot more responsibility on my plate and a lot less time to handle it all. Now working isn’t just about making money for gas and date nights, it’s about survival! If we don’t pay our bills, we will have serious consequences to face. And working enough to make ends meet here in Orange County, California is not exactly the easiest task, especially when your job only pays $10 an hour.

Not only has making money become more important, but now we also have more responsibility to take care of ourselves. We are the ones who decide what to buy at the grocery store, what to cook for dinner, and when to go to the gym. And even though we technically already did this when we lived with my parents, it seems to have so much more gravity now that we are officially on our own. Those little nagging reminders can’t motivate us anymore!

The sharing of housekeeping responsibilities has changed for us, too. In our apartment, there’s only so much space and the two of us. There is no excuse for leaving messes or not doing the chores—when there are only two people in a home, you can’t exactly shift the responsibility for cleaning to somebody else. You either do it, or the house is dirty. That can cause a lot of conflict, if you don’t communicate well!

And so, between the many things that fill our lives such as taking care of ourselves health-wise, keeping our apartment clean, attempting to maintain our social lives, doing church activities, and most of all working, it can certainly be difficult to maintain our bounce in life, let alone in our marriage. The bottom line is that life is draining, and sometimes it seems like we’re doing all of this stuff just to turn around and do more! When do we get to just stop and enjoy it?

The answer is… never. Well ok, that’s actually just the answer to the first part. We never get to stop, not really, at least not until the apocalypse. But even though that part’s kind of a drag, the good news is that we can still enjoy life (and marriage!) even through the work.

I think there are a few major necessities to achieve this. The first is to remain focused on God. Technically, I should say that the first requirement is to know God. Getting to know and focusing on God really puts life into perspective and fills you with a joy like no other; it also gives you a purpose, which is the next key ingredient.

Purpose is key to enjoying work in life. People want to know that what they are doing has meaning and is worthwhile. Having a purpose in life gives you motivation to get through the harder times and lets you feel fully fulfilled in the great times. And of course, you know that I’m going to tell you that the only way to find your true purpose in life is through God. He made you, after all, and He did that for a reason. Dare to find out what it is!

Passion is also a vitally important part of enjoying your work. If you love what you do, then you’re going to love doing it! Even though that probably should go without saying, I think many people need a reminder. It’s simple; if your job involves something you are passionate about, then working won’t be nearly as taxing. And God has the perfect job for you in mind, the job that you will love to do and that will make an eternal difference for Him in the world.

For me, the most vital ingredient for enjoying life besides Jesus is simply having fun! Everybody needs time to wind down and relax. Watching my favorite tv shows with my husband in the evening is one of the highlights of my day. I also enjoy cooking, playing with my pets, reading, writing (of course!) and listening to music. Using free moments to do things like this throughout my day makes working a lot easier, because it breaks up the monotony. Even if it’s just taking a 15 minute break to read my latest favorite book or listening to my ipod while I work out, those little things really do help.

All of these key ingredients also apply to enjoying marriage to its fullest! Focusing on God and your spiritual health as a couple puts your life in perspective and strengthens your relationship in amazing ways. Remembering the purpose of marriage motivates you to be the kind of spouse that God wants you to be—and doing that is incredibly fulfilling. Needless to say, passion in marriage is obviously important. Keeping the romance alive can go a very very long way to putting a skip in your step. So make the effort! Last, never forget to have fun together. Do something adventurous, be goofy, laugh and make jokes, and remember that you aren’t just husband and wife, you’re friends too!

Life is work, and that’s just the way it is. It’s part of the price that we humans had to pay when we decided to break God’s law, part of the consequences for failing to live up to His perfect standards. But just like Jesus provided a way for us to be redeemed for our imperfections, God also provides a way for us to enjoy our lives each day. The same goes for marriage. A good marriage is a lot of work, no doubt. But just like life, a good marriage is full of joy just waiting for you to find it.

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