Vanity, Vanity, It's All Vanity.....

Or in the NIV version, "The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem: “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun? ..."

What in the world do we do that we think is so important? Hmmm. Actually, when I wrote the title I was thinking of 'looking good' vanity. What brought that to mind? I caught myself looking at myself in the glass window reflection of one of the offices when I went to get my boss coffee. Was my top even with my jacket, was the jacket hanging right, etc. I rarely look at my hair - even when I go to the restroom. The hair and the face I can do nothing about. Once I leave the house, I'm done with all I can do. sigh.

However, with my clothes, I can at least try something different. Remove my jacket, use a sweater, go without the jacket or sweater (not in the building - dress codes - no spaghetti straps), wear my flats (that I wear in to the office cause I don't want to walk a block in heels through sidewalk cracks. I found (when I did) catching my heel in the cracks of the sidewalk), or wear my heels. I have my heels on now, along with my jacket. But anyway - my thoughts are wandering away.

Anyway - I wrote the title because I caught myself checking my reflection. How often do you do that through the day? Do you 'check yourself out' whenever you see a reflection of yourself? That is what most of us do - don't deny it!

But, if we take what Solomon says (instead of vanity) that it's all meaningless - then wow, what a thought.

Does that mean everything I do all day is meaningless? I guess it would be if it wasn't of value. With my job, although it is administrative and not hands on, I provide support to several other people so that they can do their jobs well. I do not consider THAT meaningless - it is a lot of work. But, overall, when the job is done, all the papers that I printed, 3-hole punched, and put in nice binders behind 20 different tabs - well, they are all thrown away. It makes me feel like it is 'meaningless'. More like wasteful. If they would let me, we could just put the reports up on the projected screen and save mucho trees.

I think about yesterday and wonder if what I did was meaningless. Could be. Depends on who is looking at it, I guess. Did I happen to touch someone's life throughout the day? If I did, then my day isn't meaningless.

Come to think about it, after I sent out my reports yesterday, I DID get a comment back from one person (I get a average about 3-4 comments a week when I send out reports) how what I wrote really helped her during a specific time. Those are good things, therefore, not meaningless.

I prefer to think that all I do has meaning. It may not to others, but it does to me.

and what you do also has meaning. Whether it is helping someone sell a house, buy a house; deliver parts, pick up parts; help things get done for specific group of people, process paperwork; - all of this is touching someone. It affects someone if you don't do it.

Think of a teacher - the lives they touch. Unfortunately we do have some horrible teachers who demean students and ruin their lives after school - but we have many teachers who build up their students and they become successful.

We have parents the same way. We have friends the same way. We have relatives the same way. Snide remarks aren't always funny. They can hurt. Especially when repeated time and again. Now this is meaningless.

So what are you doing to make a difference? To make your day meaningful? To affirm someone today?

For me, I think I will challenge myself to encourage three people today. Not just say 'you look nice'. Anyone can say that, whether they mean it or not. I want to look for something that means something to them - and comment on that. Postively, of course. Even if it is just an email. But I must also be truthful.

Challenge on! Find three people that you can truthfully compliment today, truthfully encourage and affirm. Do it verbally, phone, or by email. It can be anyone who needs it today. Be the giver of encouragement. Go for it!

Blessings!