Are you ready for this?

So here I am, having ended another late night at the office.  Tonight it was so late that I missed chior rehearsal.  Stinks, right?  Not so fast.

I love my job for a variety of reasons.  I work with people I like, both inside and outside my department.  My company has an environment where living out my faith is encouraged.  I love being an actuary, because I'm a math geek and also I enjoy trying to come up with successful business strategy.  I have a great boss.   (Lest you think this to be brown-nosing, I should point out that I don't think he even knows this blog exists.)  And most of all, it's where God has placed me and he knew exactly what he was doing.

Don't get me wrong; I don't love it so much that I want to spend 60-70 hours a week working.  I am so not a workaholic.  I believe that balance in life is important.  Yes, do everything with 100% effort as to the Lord, but that doesn't 100% of your time. To me, it means give work, family, friends, and ministry your best whenever you're there.

But this is a time of year when I know those long days and Saturdays will happen. There is work to be for year-end financials that require the actuary's skills, and the time frame to get this work done is very short. So I know way ahead of time that, for about three weeks, it's gonna be like this.  And that's ok.  Because I know it and can prepare myself.  Because I take some time off around Christmas for bowl games and such. (Yes, I guess that can actually make it harder.)  And, mostly, because (GEEK ALERT!) this type  of work is fun.

The work is seasonal.  And so is life.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. (Eccesiastes 3:1)

Are you ready for the seasons?  We all will go through fun times, hard times, boring times, exciting times, love, laughter, tragedy, and so on. Most of them are unexpected: sometimes ebbing and flowing like the tides, and sometimes in sudden bursts like a tidal wave or hurricane.  But some you can be ready for.  If you can prepare, it's much easier to go with the flow and even savor the moments good and bad.

I was prepared for this season, so I can even enjoy the extra work.  And I do.  What about the other seasons of life - how can I prepare for the unexpected?  The only thing I know to do is to stay connected to the One who does know the plan.  So...time to pull out that Bible.  Later, dudes.