We all want "meaning" to our jobs, all the more so when they seem lacking in meaning. I mean, what in the grand scheme of life can a secretary, or receptionist, or sales clerk, or waitress, or whatever you want to fill in the black, can contribute to the grand and glorious tapestry of life?

I've been all of those, secretary, receptionist, sales clerk and waitress. I've been told I can't wear backless shoes because it might hurt me or worse yet, offend a client. I've had trays of food and too many half empty glasses of liquid tumble from my hands. I've answered calls and said, "I'm sorry, Jim...(or Don or whoever) isn't available, would you like his voicemail?" Again and again and again until your toes and brain and knees are numb from your conservative shoes, or stupid clients, or your countless times of traipsing up the stairs in the smoking section of the restaurant.

And I've cursed at the copier, made too many trips to the toilet cuz of too much coffee to try and unnumb the brain, and been so bored filing my nails sounds exciting.

But now, I don't struggle so much with the bordeom with the menial tasks, but I wonder, do my efforts of translation, grammar exercises, pronunciation drills mean anything? Can I get my class as a whole to say Spaghetti instead of ESpaghetti?

A beer commercial says, Experience the Extraordinary. We want to drive the Lambrghini instead of the Ford,go to the Bahamas instead of the beach closest to us, drink imported beer when we can't even afford Coca Cola, wear the Gucci Boots when Target is what is in our closet. We want to experience it to the fullest, and menial jobs don't seem like the highway to happiness.

And we sure as heck don't want to pay our credit cards, write the checks to the electricity company, and deal with a landlord. We want to be a rock on our own island and have a fluffy drink next to our hammock and have it all.

But, we know we can't.

So, when it all goes awry, when the systems don't work they way you were told they were, when you get stung by a bee on the way down the stairs, what do you do?

Last thing on my list today, was my overwhelming desire to praise. Praise God for what? I knew I was supposed to, even in the crap of it all, and so I did it cuz I knew it was right, even though it didn't feel like I should. Why should I praise God for a house with no electricity, for crossed communication, a bee sting on my hand, and no desire to do anything and desire to do everything that couldn't be done.

But I did. And in a good Christian article, my lights would come back on in my house ASAP. my bills would be paid by some anonymous donor, and everything would be good.

Didn't happen. But I remembered that even though life is hard, and evil things happen, God is still good, and God. A friend prayed for me, others were happy to see me, and small victories were won in relationships that have been difficult in the past. And somehow, I heard a voice singing, and it was mine, and it said, He is Exalted, and I'm not, and that's good.