In That Day

When I first moved to DC, I was told that everyone either already is an over-achiever or has become an over-achiever. Honestly, I didn't really know what they were talking about. But then I had to eventually start talking to people. And I eventually had to ask THAT question..."so, what do you do?" And I would get answers that threw me over the moon a few times: "Oh, ahem, yes, I work for NASA doing intelligent things with Solar Planet variations and speculative fractions on intercontinental and national blah blah de blah. (Ok, that wasn't a REAL job title...in case you didn't notice) ;) But I was meeting people who held superior titles at their jobs and most of them were MY age or just a little older, married with 5 kids, and working on their second PhD.

"And what do you do?" they would ask me.
"Umm...I'm...well...I'm an Administrative Coordinator." With their blank stares looking at me, I would begin to justify and pronounce my position to make it look like it's more than what it really is.
"Oh, but I work in a prestigeous law firm downtown...it's highly known throughout the law community. AND I'm also working towards becoming a full time professional photographer."
I would usually get the oo's and aa's I was looking for when I mention the photographer part.

Why do I do that? Why does my job title seem to matter? Why do I care about having many small letters after my name: Jennifer A. Bosak, PhD, MDD, esq., brb., lol., (ok the last two were...well, you know)

Honestly, it's a struggle for me not to compare my job title with others especially in a title obsessed city. I am an Administrative Coordinator. The very thing I told myself when I was younger I DID NOT want to be. I have too much energy to be sitting at a desk all day. Though I am thankful for this job, especially in a job market like this, I still dream of the day that I can finally say "Hi, I'm Jenny and I'm a full time photographer."

Don't get me wrong. Those of you who are working with solar planet math fractions as well as working toward your Master's in Alien Functions on Mars, and those of you who are doing WONDERFUL things for human kind...PRAISE GOD for giving you a job where you are able to use that talent and intellegence. (I just wish I HAD the intellegence to do something like that) God gives us each different gifts...and sadly, Math...and Science...and well, pretty much anything that has to do with numbers was not my cup o' tea. (insert me sitting back in my desk rewinding my life to yesteryear when I was at Liberty writing papers all day...seriously, I miss writing papers! There is something wrong with me. But doggon, I got good stinking grades on those papers!)

As a Christian, my job title should not be my identity. My identity is found in Christ. This is something I have to remind myself constantly. The job I do while I'm here is something that I do for the Lord. It is not my end goal or end achievement. My church does a good job at reminding us about this. Our identity is wrapped up in Christ! Praise God!



I was reading in Isaiah yesterday and came across this little nugget of truth and encouragement:

Isaiah 17:7-8

In that day man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will look

on the Holy One of Israel. He will not look to the alters, the work of his hands,

and he will not look on what his own fingers have made,

either the Asherim or the alters of incense.

I found this as a reminder that at the end, either when I die and meet Jesus or when Jesus comes to take his church, I won't be looking at the work of my hands. I won't be looking at what I have made; none of that will matter. The pictures I take will be gone, the houses we build won't matter, the service we give to people will stop. The only thing that will matter is worshipping Christ as Lord forever and falling on my knees and saying "Holy, Holy Holy, Who was and is and is to come!" God has given us wonderful gifts here on earth, whether that be a job you love and are talented in, a family, or even just your sparkling personality that others are instantly drawn to. If we use those for his glory and his purpose then we have done well in them. Though things we have done and our work will disappear, in the end we will still see him face to face worshipping at his table.