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02 September, 2010

Life's Calling; Will You Answer?

I believe that each of us are called to do something - be something - in this life. Doesn't matter what it is, all of us a drawn to something. Some of us are called to be writers, actors, accountants, teachers, graphic designers, soldiers, husbands, fathers, wives, mothers. Everyone has a different calling on their life. Personally, I believe God calls us to these things. I believe He places a desire in our hearts that only He can fill. I also believe that we are called to be a different something at different points in our lives. Teachers may not always be teachers and doctors may not always be doctors. I'm sure each of us knows someone who, at some point in their life, has decided to take on something new - a new job, a new hobby, etc.

There was a time in my life when I felt called to teach. In college, I struggled with what I wanted to do when I "grew up." I had a rough year during my sophomore year and I wasn't sure teaching was for me. I put it all in God's hands when it came time to do all those crazy tests to become a teacher. I knew that if I passed, teaching it was going to be. Well, I passed and I continued with the teaching degree. Fast forward a couple years.

I was living in NC with Joe, and we'd been married just a short time. He'd found a job working for a local company that did IT for restaurants. I was still working at Chili's as a hostess. Teaching jobs were scarce and I tried really hard to get my foot in the door by substituting. Even that didn't work. I didn't get enough calls to allow me to quit working at Chili's as badly as I wanted to. 4 months later, Joe was laid off. I kept working at Chili's, trying to pay the bills as best I could. Enter the Army. The Army took Joe for a while and I stuck with good 'ole Chili's. When I was finally able to move down to GA (where he had his AIT), I quit.

That's when I stopped working. For a while it was boring, but it's also been fulfilling. At least while my husband has been home. I still think that God called me to get that teaching degree, but did He really call me to actually be a teacher? As a wife, I'm called to serve my husband (Proverbs 31). Not serve in the sense that most people think, but serve in the sense that I am to be a blessing to him. I'm to support him in however he decides to provide for our family. I'm to help him succeed in his job. If that means having dinner on the table at 1800, then so be it. If that means washing those darned ACU's, so be it. If that means becoming an Army wife in every sense of the word, so be it.

Would I still like to be a teacher? Sure. Do I need to be a teacher or have a career to feel like I'm more important, more me? No. I don't think I realized it before, but I think that on the day I met Joe, I was called to be his wife. It's the one thing that I am really good at. I'm not saying I know everything there is to know about the man, but I know him better than anyone else. Even before we were a military couple, I was "translating" for him. Not everyone "gets" my husband. But, I do. I know the way his mind works, and that's not always a good thing. ;-) I know that he forgets just about everything he hears, and that I may need to remind him to do something a time or two. I know that when we're in the car - sans GPS - that I will be "the navigator." I know that he takes his phone, wallet and keys out of his jeans pockets every time he sits down because it just bugs him. I know his favorite foods and his favorite movies. I know that he's a darn good musician and lyricist. I know he's silly and incredibly corny.


I believe that one day {hopefully soon}, God will call me to be a mother and a wife. And when He blesses me with babies that are a combination of the two of us, I will gladly stay home to teach my children (which doesn't necessarily mean homeschool), watch them grow and I will continue to be a blessing to my husband. But, until God calls me to be something other than a wife and volunteer at the museum on post, I'll stay where I am.


I love every. single. minute. of being G.I. Joe's Wife.

4 comments:

Heather said...

I think we could totally be friends in real life :-) I often wish I would have stayed the course with the teaching degree - I did a semester then switched majors then about a year later came back to it but then realized it would be quicker to get a degree in business so that I would FINISH before I go married because I knew if I didn't I would never do it. Now I am a wife and SAHM to an almost 2 year old and soon to be newborn. We also plan to homeschool. But I am completely satisfied with what I am doing now. I feel this is where God wants me at this stage in life. During my first pregnancy I had a hard time with this mainly due to boredom and wanting to get out there and work. I was drawn to 2 Timothy 1:9:
Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

I have that verse ready to go up onto Grace's wall when we are in a permanent home (notice it has the word Grace in it!) And I just went to look at it to get the reference and when I saw Timothy that just confirms that if this next baby is a boy he will be Timothy!

Unknown said...

I so agree with this post! I believe God has "callings" for us as well, and that each of us is given a gift, or many gifts, to be used for a certain purpose!

Being a wife and a mama is truly what I was meant to do... and I'm excited to know that somewhere down the road there are many other plans God has in store! For us both! :)

Renee said...

I struggle with being "still" long enough to listen to God's direction for me. Part of me feels like I am where I should be and the other part tells me that I need to go in a different direction altogether (career-wise).

I really enjoy your blog!

Unknown said...

I completely agree!!