Who's Calling?

Who's calling? Whose calling? Eiher way....I don't get it. What's my calling in life? Blogger extrordinare? Of course, but there must be something else.

I keep waiting for the call. It comes from God, I suppose. Does He call collect, because I'm not getting anything.

Jim's calling is to be a funeral director. I know that as sure as I am sitting here. I tell people that all the time. Especially when they ask - "how did he get into that?" He was called. I've never asked him how the conversation went, but the message was clear. How a man who shoots deer, yells at football referees on tv and will eat the last scoop of ice cream in a heart beat, can be one of the kindest, most compassionate people I've ever met is beyond me. But,  when you experience a death - you want Jim Dobbins in your corner. He's calm, collected, yet warm and caring in difficult situations. He's genuine, honest, trustworthy and a man I can be proud to call my husband. His number one thought when working with a family is always the family. We opened Simplicity Lowcountry Cremation & Burial Services to give families another option. Jim couldn't stand to sit across from a grieving family and ask them for a $10K check for a funeral. And -- that's on the low end.  Jim sees this as his way of helping people at one of the most difficult times of the lives. Honorable man, noble calling.

I - on the other hand - got nothing. I'm good at naps. A decent cook (haven't killed anyone yet). I aspire to be crafty, but Pinterest makes me feel so inadequate.  I have a good job, that I am pretty good at --- but it certainly isn't my calling. Maybe my call will come later in life -- maybe I'm a late bloomer of sorts. Some people have suggested I write a book. Seems like an awful lot of work to go through with no guarantee any one will publish OR buy it. For a time I thought my calling was to be the perfect wife. But -- I'm sure fellow wives can agree with me -- "perfect" ain't gonna happen. So.....

What does all this have to do with the death care business? Well, a lot. At the end of your life you are basically reduced to a name, some dates and an occupation. So, it begs the question -- do you want a flashy title that reads well in the paper -- or a calling that truly made a difference? Not that the two are mutually exclusive - but sometimes that's the case.

I've come to realize that I am wonderful "support staff". I aspire to be the help mate God created me to be. To my husband, to our business, to my community. Maybe that isn't flashy, but it's who I am. Maybe I will write a book. Maybe I will be a mom someday. But ultimately, I can rest easy knowing that I was a steady, dependable presence in the lives of those I love and care about. How will that read in the paper? I need to start working on a way to make it sound a little sexier than just "Helper".

Maybe you are lucky enough to be doing what you love and loving what you do. But -- if you aren't.... dig deeper. Look past the salary, the corner office, the fancy title. We're all here for a reason, what's yours?