Saturday Scribblings- Vocation Time

WHERE YOUR TALENTS AND 

THE WORLD’S NEEDS CROSS, 

THERE LIES YOUR VOCATION.

-ARISTOTLE

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word vocation as:

1 a :  a summons or strong inclination to a particular state or course of action; especially :  a divine call to the religious life

   b :  an entry into the priesthood or a religious order

     2 

a :  the work in which a person is employed :  occupation

   b :  the persons engaged in a particular occupation

     3

  the special function of an individual or group

I've always thought of my vocation as a wife and mom especially since I think it falls under the "strong inclination to a particular state...". In the last 9 years, however, my vocation has grown to include the second part of the definition, "the work in which a person is employed". I hadn't thought a whole lot about my jobs as being vocational since many people work at jobs they don't necessarily feel they've been called to do. A few years ago, our executive director at SFC said something about my fencing instructor job being more than just that. She likened it to a vocation. After having thought about for a while, I realized she is absolutely correct.

What a joy it is for me to have a group of people (from age 7 to a lot older than that) who I get the privilege to teach the sport of fencing. As I start my tenth year of teaching this month, I can look back on some of the now-grown fencers who started in one of our musketeer classes when their weapons were almost taller than they were. We've celebrated achievements, both fencing and non-fencing with numerous folks who have passed through our club. We've seen graduations from high school and college, marriages and even a baby or two. I have been able to grow in friendship with so many people I probably wouldn't have gotten to ever know if it weren't for fencing. I can even quip, "some of my best friends are fencers" and actually mean it.

Now that I've been officially given the title of head instructor, I've made the commitment to staying at the club for another 10 years, God-willing (and the creek don't rise). It's made our lives here at home a little bit more crazy, but with Josh and David at school and my girls heading off in the next year, it is good timing. 

All this to say, I've also opened another chapter to my fencing vocation this week. I had gotten to attend a USFA referee seminar in September up in Vancouver, Washington at Northpointe Fencing Club with Justin Meehan. I had taken three of our teenage fencers with me, and we had a great time learning what it takes to be a USFA referee. 

Since then, we've all been studying the guides to be able to take the test in order to go on to the next step of being rated. I can happily say that between last night and this morning, I passed all the tests I could in order to take that step. They were online exams-a general knowledge plus weapon (foil, epee, sabre) specific. The funniest part for me was that my sabre test score was the highest out of all of them, and I don't really referee sabre! 

I guess I write this as encouragement to anyone out there who is wondering if what they are doing in their life could be considered a vocation. If you know you are doing what you have been called to do, then stick with it! If you are not where you think you should be, ask the Lord to direct you to what you should be doing for Him. Remember:

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.      

Colossians 3:17