Plumb Crazy

I ran to a problem that couldn’t be fixed with duct tape or Wd40. I had to break down and call a plumber. He got out the “snake” and reamed out the system. I stood and watched as the most disgusting things came out of the overflow valve thing in the backyard. When the clog finally came out it was a bath towel. I am still pondering how on earth that got into the line. The plumber said to me” maam you really shouldn’t flush towels. “ There is no way I would have flushed a towel. For one thing how would it even fit down the toilet? My best guess is that Shelby the husky, mad about me making her stay outside since the bitter cold is gone, found a towel and stuffed it down the overflow valve to punish me. She had chewed off the plastic caps that cover the holes so that isn’t that big of a stretch.

As he was working, I was thinking how much I would hate having to deal with sewers and nasty drains and toilets and how thankful I am I don’t have to. Years ago, we had moved to Muskogee and into a rent house. Mike was working as a Tower Inspector which entailed climbing to the top of microwave towers etc and checking for rusty bolts, etc. I am deathly afraid of heights so that is a job I would never want either. Anyway, the rent house had a septic problem, evident from the sewer smell coming from under the house. So we called a plumber. This guy comes out, crawls under the house in his coveralls and emerges about 15 minutes later saying “Yep the line is broke and you have raw sewage under the house. He is covered in such. All of the sudden he recognizes Mike and says Hey Man, I went to school with you. Mike Byers right? And stuck out his hand. Mike took it tentatively not knowing what else to do. What have you been up to man? So Mike tells him about his job inspecting towers. The guy then says “man I wouldn’t want that job. Sounds pretty scary climbing towers like that. Mike just said, “yea I wouldn’t want your job either.” I had to laugh. Here’s this guy standing in the yard dripping raw sewage and saying I wouldn’t want your job?” This man was plumb crazy as my mama would say!

I guess that there is someone for every job. I love my job as a business manager because I get to do a variety of things and I’m good at numbers…Not math, numbers. I get a lot of satisfaction when my payroll numbers add up correctly for instance. Would I rather be a full time comedian or public speaker or writer? Absolutely. But I have to make a living for myself and so I have to have a steady income. So I get my fulfillment from doing those things as a hobby. That’s how I think most people are. I think there are probably very few people who actually make a living doing what they love and are most passionate about. My friend Matt, who is a comedian and magician is one of those rare people as is my brother Jimmy who has never been anything but a musician since he was 13. More than likely though most are like my son Chris who works as a phlebotomist to make a living but would really rather be recording music and making videos. Or the countless men who wish they were professional golfers.

Within each of us is a unique set of gifts and talents and desires. Finding a job or activities that allow us to express these is a big key to our overall well being.

I work for a Hospice which is probably the most rewarding jobs I have ever had. I like to say as the business manager I take care of the people who take care of the people. Our nurses and aides and social worker and chaplain deal with death and dying every day. They are a special group of people, called to do the work they do. If you ask them they will tell you how special it is to be a part of that final chapter of someone’s life. To ease their pain and to allow them to leave this earth with dignity is an awesome calling. Would I want to be in their shoes? No way. I would not be able to handle losing people I had connected with on a daily basis. I’m glad there are people who are called for this.

I was watching the “Bachelor” the other night and one of the women is a funeral director. She took the bachelor to her home town and showed him up close what she does for a living. He looked positively terrified when she got him up on the embalming table and started telling him how it is done. She was talking about her job with great pride and satisfaction. Because for her unique set of talents and desires it was the right fit. She didn’t get a rose by the way. Good thing really. Because from the look on his face he would never be able to share her passion. Can you imagine the dinner conversation? Yikes!

And it’s not just in paying jobs that the right fit is so important. Once I was asked to teach Sunday School at Church because no one else was available (or brave enough) to take on the 6th graders. Since my son Andy was in the class, I agreed, half heartedly though because I know I am not good with kids. I gave it my best shot. I prepared a lesson, made an outline of how the class would go, etc. I learned pretty quickly that my way was not going to work. I was miserable. At some point I gave up and we spent the rest of the semester playing hangman. Biblical words hangman but hangman. And eating donuts which I brought each week to bribe them to at least show up.

My Church is in the process of changing the way we do things so that I am never asked to teach Sunday School again. Instead of a committee filling slots with available bodies, we are going to have the available bodies choose what slot they want to fill. This ministry team approach should give everyone an opportunity to not only serve, but to serve where they feel able and fulfilled. I think there will be a big difference once we get this in place. I was on committees I didn’t even know I was on until I got a reminder card in the mail about meetings. And usually it was not a committee I would ever have chosen to serve on. Now I am Sunday School secretary which is a good fit. I sit at a desk and greet people. That I can do. In fact, I have my own little flock of people who don’t go to Sunday School and come by and sit and chat every week. It’s like having my own little mini Sunday School class.
The key is finding what drives us, what makes us happy, what we are passionate about. And finding a way to fit that passion into our life, whether it is as an occupation, or a hobby, or an opportunity to serve.
To do otherwise will drive you….plumb crazy!