When opportunity knocks

Four years ago, I was given an opportunity to come work at my current job.  I had thought I had left this particular line of work behind because I can't say that validation has ever been a passion of mine.

At the time, I thought I would go back to school and get my masters in counseling.  I accepted the job thinking it would only be temporary.  Over the next months, I attended a few college information sessions.  No school was quite right, and I didn't feel peaceful about it.

Four years later, here I still am at this "temporary" job. 

Yesterday, I was complaining about my job to my best friend.  She asked me why I don't find another.  I started sharing the main reasons, and I was immediately struck with how ungrateful I was behaving.

Later in the evening, I started thinking about how many things have happened that could have gone so badly if I was at another company.

When I accepted this job, I didn't know that in just a few months, I would need a company that would unquestioningly give me several weeks off for a miscarriage.

I didn't know that I would want a very flexible schedule someday when I became a mom and that this job would offer that.

I couldn't have known that this job would give me a boss who understands when I have to stay home with sick children, call into meetings because I just can't make it into work that early, or leave early to get home for dinner.

I didn't realize how helpful it would be to work with my husband when our daughter only wanted me at night but I had so much work to do.  He would just open up my laptop and start doing it for me.

I never knew that I would need a boss who would respond so positively to an email sent from the hospital telling her we were adopting a baby, and I wouldn't be in to work... for a while.

Despite the fact that I had never asked for nor wanted this opportunity, God knew exactly what my family would need in the years to come.  Looking back, I see how this opportunity has shaped my life and provided for us in times of difficulties.

Sometimes, the best opportunities in life are those we never even thought we wanted.