WORK?!

I had two different lessons today in church on essentially the same subject: WORK. I am glad it is a four letter word they still use in church. It really ought to be used in more places, more often, by more people.



My mom would teasingly say that word with a slight shriek in her voice and with some surprise, as though it was a naughty four letter word. She would say it in reference to an early TV show called "Dobie Gillis"--which my sister and I have never seen, as it was way before our time.


Thanks to our friends at Wikipedia, here is a more common explanation: Maynard G. Krebs (the G. stood for Walter) was the "beatnik" sidekick of the title character in the U.S. television sitcom The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis (1959-1963). The Krebs character, portrayed by actor Bob Denver, began as a stereotypical beatnik, with a goatee "hip" slang usage, and a generally unkempt, bohemian appearance, studiously avoiding anything resembling work, which he seemed to regard as the ultimate four-letter word. Whenever the word was mentioned, even in a line like "That would work," he would jump with fear, yelping, "Work?!" He served as a foil to the well-groomed, well-dressed, straitlaced Dobie, and the contrast between the two friends provided much of the humor of the series.



Sadly, it is a concept that people understand and apply far less often in real life.



Since when is it a bad thing to be responsible and take care of yourself and your family? Why is it society think everyone ought to be entitled to things, a lifestyle, wealth? Have you noticed this lately, as the markets are manifesting the economic troubles we have collectively gotten ourselves into?


I am proud of the work Genius Golfer does to take care of us. He makes it possible for me to do the work I do--at home, and at school, and at church; with my kids and other people's kids. I worked for a paycheck until the kids were born, but then GG really insisted on me being able to stay home and raise our children, our way, with our values. I'm grateful for that.



I am also grateful that I had parents who taught me how to work and showed me how that was done. They still work, albeit in different circumstances than they did when I was growing up, but I never anticipated their "retirement years" would be spent in a rocking chair playing dominoes or checkers.



I hope that someday my kids will understand that I didn't bring them into this world to be my servants--as they sometimes say in protest. I hope that they realize, sometime down the road, that they have skills they can use to work, and that they know how to work and their work will bring them a sense of accomplishment and make them happy.



If I have done that my WORK will have been successful.