The Day I Didn't Go to Work

Today I am not sitting at this desk:

I'm not staring up at this beautiful board. And, for the record, I've always colored coordinated, but Miriam's friend took it to the next level with her colored pens and I couldn't be left behind.

I'm not answering this phone or carrying around that massive bulk of keys. My steering column is saying "Thank You."
I'm not trying organize files or manage the donor database.

In fact, I'm going to Starbucks and then going grocery shopping - in the middle of the day. What weirdness.

And, on Monday, I'll probably miss watching the sunrise over my right shoulder and having the sunshine stream through the blinds onto my desk as I sip coffee from my Shandon Baptist Church mug. I'll miss my little color-coordinated madness. And I'll miss watching the kids laugh and play on the playground every day at 4 o'clock.

But, on Monday I'll be going to work here:

That is the Crescent Hotel/Offices in downtown Dallas. And, I'll probably be shaken by culture shock. West Dallas to Rich Dallas. It couldn't get any more drastic.

Just when I thought we were getting settled in Dallas and the changes were over . . . for four years at least . . . up pops a big transition.

At our quarterly review in December, Danny and I spent a lot of time analyzing our priorities and making wise choices that would assure we'd get through seminary with our marriage in one piece. We decided that my job at Voice of Hope was not lining up with our priorities and so we prayed and I stressed out. If I've learned one thing over the last two and half years of marriage, it's that I don't handle change well . . . AT ALL!

In a matter of weeks the Lord provided several opportunities and of course I wanted to pick the one farthest away and Danny wanted the one that was closest.

"What would help Danny accomplish his goals, because I am suppose to be his helper?" (Gen. 2:18)

"Am I submitting to Danny in EVERYTHING if I take the far-away job?" (Eph. 5:24)

"Which job would be best for our marriage, because we've decided that our marriage needs to come before jobs/school?"

And so the questions flew and I cried and the Lord chiseled away at my heart, quietly whispering to me, "This is what the role of a wife looks like."

We decided that the administrative job in downtown Dallas at the Crescent would be the best thing.

I won't have to deal with I-30 traffic; I'll be close enough for lunches with Danny and friends; and the work hours will be stable and predictable.

On this day in between jobs I am a little sad, a little excited, a little weirded out by all the emotions going through me, but confident that this is just what the Lord had planned from the day we left South Carolina.

So, on Monday I'll dress up and go to work to assist client reps as they help people invest their millions and I'll probably wonder how I got there. But now you know.