Vocations before Careers

Wedding bells came before I had a chance to figure out what I wanted to be “when I grow up”. This was definitely by default, because my parents raised me to finish school, find a job and figure out “who I am” before marriage. As a result, I’ve spent the first months of our marriage confused about where to work, what my “career goals” are, and what I should be spending my time doing before the baby stork arrives…

I am now learning that this “confusion”, has been an absolute blessing. Although trial and error has and will continually be involved, I feel that I am now able to explore employment opportunities that will allow me to put my marriage and family goals first. 1970’s feminists cringe at the idea of making your marriage part of your whole identity, but our vocation is God’s ultimate blessing on us, so who are we to not put it first?

Our society and education has boys and girls on identical tracks. Young men and women need to finish school and college, and then find a job and financial stability, and THEN, one can finally consider marriage and babies. I am an enormous supporter of women’s education and their place in the workforce, but should the fact that the majority of women will be called to motherhood, be ignored? Could the fact that so many women today are purposely delaying marriage and families until they have it “all figured out “be related to rising infertility rates?

Ironically, despite the fact that my mom was stay-at-home, marriage and motherhood was nothing but a vague idea for me while I was growing up, and I truly wish it would have been presented in a more respectable light. As a result, I always felt that God had given me far too many gifts and opportunities to stick me in a tiny home all-day with crying babies and dirty diapers. The past few months however, have taught me that all of my gifts ARE from God, and He is ultimately going to choose how they get used. This may mean that I will stay-at-home and devote my entire life to a large family, or it could mean that I will one day run for Vice President of the United States. Regardless of what path He will lead me on, my gifts will never go to waste as long as I put Him and my vocation first.