Okay, so I should start of saying that I'm well aware that I'm setting myself up to get hammered here because, for those of you who recognize the name, George Banks, you realize it comes from the movie, Mary Poppins, and, after giving mfer all kinds of grief for bringing up Pollyanna on a recent episode of the Super Average Podcast, well, enough said.
Anyway, Mary Poppins is on my radar because Robbie has decided that it's his favorite movie. At first, we thought he always picked it because it was in the standard issue, monstrously huge, Disney VHS box that really jacks up any storage system. However, when we moved other Disney movies to the forefront, he started picking through all of them until he found Mary Poppins. So, in our home lately, it's been Mary Poppins on a daily basis.
This morning, Robbie was all stuffed up and couldn't sleep so we came out to the living room, I gave him some medicine to help with his stuffy nose, and we popped Mary into the VCR. Luckily he fell asleep in my lap about 15 minutes later and I was able to dose off as well, that is, until I heard chimney sweeps dancing on the roofs of London and singing, "Step in Line". My eyes opened, my head cleared, and I realized that this scene comes right after the whole bank incident that results in the stuffy and emotionally disconnected George Banks to lose his job.
The sweeps dancing scene is followed by a conversation between Burt and George Banks that serves as the impetus for Banks to reconsider his priorities and, by the end of the movie, has him lovin' up on his kids like a daddy should.
So, right after watching this, I do a quick scan through the RSS feeds and run across an "occasional update" by jWinters on being a workaholic. Now, I don't have workaholic issues according to the quote on j's blog, but I do have issues with being a passionate worker (my work is like a hobby that pays so I, all to often, happily put in long hours, be it at home or on the road).
The problem is, being passionate about one area of vocation (work), can often result in the neglect of other vocations (being a husband, dad, etc.). This means that for those of us who love our work, we need to be extra careful to make sure we maintain an even greater passion in our more important vocations. This seems to be what we get from George Banks at the end of Mary Poppins, after all, he ultimately remained a partner at the bank, but he also had his family as a priority.
As I woke up this morning with Robbie sleeping safe and sound in my arms, I felt like I was doing a reasonable job ... but there have been other times where I know I've failed. Moreover, with the launch of the Writings in the Wilderness LHM Lent devotions site (next week), the Fishbowl in a couple months, and the eLife getting ready to go live, I know that the coming months will present many opportunities to be overly passionate at work and negligent at home.
So, how do I try and counter this and remain passionate at home? I try to not do work on Wednesday and just spend the day with Robbie while Anita is at work. Then, when my mom has Robbie on Thursday while Anita works, I try and do some of the housework so Anita isn't stressed when she gets home. I'm also trying, although often failing, to head to bed when Anita does so we can have a few minutes to talk in the evening. Making a point of flirting with Anita throughout the day also seems to keep things balanced. However, I'm curious what others out there are doing so that you look more like the second George Banks than the first? It would be great to hear from workaholics and passionate workers.
I love Mary Poppins... still today. Those old movies rock. I want that flying umbrella. I used to want to be a Chimney Sweep!
Personally, I am really bad and splitting up my vocational stuff. But, there are some things I try to do. Like, a weekly date night with the wife. I think this one is really important and it's something we both look forward to.
Hey there Joe,
Thanks for the plug. Your post here brings some levity that Nate (commenter on that post) and I couldn't bring because we're currently single. We can get by without being vocationally immersed at home because ...well mostly because we're not relationally immersed at home. If I spend extra hours at the office, it'll mean that my toilet doesn't get scrubbed not that my 3 year old goes hungry and neglected.
I think that probably means that Nate and I should focus a little more on our "non-work" vocations. Well, I can't speak for Nate. I'll say this - I should focus a little more on my non-work vocation. Otherwise it's to the burnout pile I go.
In the "spiritual direction" kind of stuff that I read, there's this sense of wanting the Christian to be fully present in the moment. If you're not, you're worrying about past sins or you're worrying about what you're going to do tomorrow or wear. And Jesus comes up and says, sort of like your best ADHD friend..."look! a sparrow!"
Robbie and Anita are your sparrows it sounds like. They are what Jesus uses to get your head out of workaholism. He changes your vision like George Banks had his vision changed. I think that's a reason for a prayer of thanksgiving. And it's something that I look forward to.
in Christ,
jW
....woah...what's with the SAT question at the end? Hah!
Well, for all the good it did, if I had a project I was working on I would figure out when I wanted it done, set dates for each portion, the figure out how much work needed to get done each to to reach those goal. Once I finished the work for that day, I would stop. It kept me from getting to focused on it and kept the stress level low. Other people didn't agree with that method but I still think it is a good idea.
I seem to remember YOU likeing Pollyanna. And I will admit it that I like Pollyanna, Mary Poppins, Where the Red Fern Grows, and all those other sappy movies...
Okay, so while I gave mfer grief, I'll admit that I loved Pollyanna back in the day and, odds are, would enjoy watching it today. To go even further, while I don't want to watch it every day, I'm not complaining about watching Mary Poppins with Robbie.
Wow did that hit home! I have been known in the past to be passionate about work - I think I am more of a workaholic! When I found out I was pregnant, it just pounded home the fact that my family is more important, as is my relationship with God.
When we were faced with the tragedy of losing our little one last week, it drove home even further the fact that God, Jon and our family and friends cannot take a back seat to work. Although I love what I do (somedays I wonder why, but hey...), without God and those that I love, my job is pointless.. There has to be a balance - everything should compliment each other. So I have made it a point to re-evaluate my priorities and make sure they are all where they are supposed to be! We never know when those that we hold so dear are going to be taken from us to take their place in Heaven.
My angel is now with God - looking over all of us - and she is glad that you are in our lives! God bless you! I hope you find your balance as well!
~Jenn
"There is no limit to God's love. It is without measure and its depth cannot be sounded" ~Mother Teresa