Miah and I had another “Miah and Friends” concert last Sunday, October 23. It has been five years since 2012, and we have had lots of fun with many musician friends through these annual events. After this exciting concert, I thought I was going to get some rest for at least a few days.

On Monday morning, though, I realized that I couldn’t do so. Just look at all the fallen leaves in front and back yard! To make things worse, the weather forecast said we were going to have some rain from tomorrow night until the next morning. I know that wet leaves will make it much harder to rake and put into the yard waste bags. So, I started working with Solomon around 4:00 p.m., hoping to finish before dinner time.

While working, I was thinking of the meaning of labor in our lives. First of all, I thanked God that I am still young enough to enjoy working for what I need to do these days. All my work for the church, housekeeping, giving rides to my children, and yes, cooking, are all for the people I love and myself! There may be a time when I can feel like I can have a good retirement, but not for now at least.

When someone experiences not having work, even with a strong desire and need, that person will know how precious that labor is! I myself have had some periods of time when I didn’t have enough work to keep myself engaged, like the time when I was about to come to the USA for my studies in 1997, or until I started serving our church after leaving my previous church in 2011.

So, I know the importance of work and I always appreciate God’s guidance toward various kinds of work for me. We are gong to have Thanksgiving Day soon. Thanksgiving is the time when we recognize God’s blessings through this year and that it’s possible for us to enjoy because we have worked hard for ourselves, our families, and the people around us. Hope we can keep working with God’s help until we really enjoy our utmost retirement in His arms eternally. Thanks be to God!