Alabama resident Sarah Fiacco is doing something she never dreamed of doing. She’s a cafeteria lunch lady!
Fiacco’s husband, Air Force Lt. Col. Bryce Fiacco, was transferred by the military from Virginia to Alabama. While in Virginia, Sarah was a stay-at-home mom to four children. She had started a home bakery business that had grown lucrative. Then, the military gave Bryce his transfer orders and they were off to Alabama.
Once arriving in Alabama, she tried to start up her bakery business. Surprisingly, the people in her new home area were not interested and the business faltered. What was she going to do to help supplement the family income? Her kids were of school age and a stay-at-home-mom’s job was done – except for summer months.
Sarah began substitute teaching at Prattville Christian Academy. She enjoyed the job well enough. However, when a permanent position became available, she didn’t feel that her and the job were the right fit. She kept on substitute teaching until another position came along – a full-time position in the school cafeteria.
Though the job seemed right, she still felt uncomfortable accepting the position. “Never did I imagine at 40 years old I’d be working in my kids’ school cafeteria full-time,” Fiacco wrote on a luxury buy and sell Facebook page. “Honestly, I struggled accepting (the position) because it’s not necessarily a ‘dream job.’ I was even embarrassed to share here. But, I’m here to say in less than two weeks, I already have a deeper sense of satisfaction than I’ve ever had.”1
All doubts were erased one day when a student named Olivia came to her window mid-shift and handed her a note. It read, “Thank you! For the lunch. From Olivia.”
“Sure, my feet are sore. My hands are dry and I’m dreaming about chicken nuggets but getting this note reminded me why I said, yes,” Fiacco wrote. “I hope this job can be so much more than just serving food. Maybe this post will encourage one of you to find joy in unexpected ways… Fiacco says. “It’s not a glamorous job, but I’m making a difference.””2
I know that feeling as a bus driver. Three of my kids give me a hug every day. While
loading students at the end of the day, five or six can hardly wait their turn to tell me about their day. Most will sit down, then come back up with something they forgot to say. One little girl hugs me when I drop her off and says with a big smile, “Adios, amigos!” When you see the kids in the store, they aren’t embarrassed to talk to you, even years later after they’ve been off the bus.
It’s not a glamorous job but I think I’m making a difference, too.
Think for a moment about the body of Christ and the local expression of that, the church. I think it’s important for us to remember that God didn’t assign glamorous and non-glamorous jobs. He just assigned jobs for us to do. As members of the body of Christ, each member is important, necessary, and if that member functions according to God’s plan, they ARE making a difference.
1 Corinthians 12:14-18 reminds us, “For the body is not one member, but many. (15) If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? (16) And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? (17) If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? (18) But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.”
The particular thing you are doing for the Lord may not be your “dream job.” You may have envisioned yourself doing something entirely different. However, doing what God has given us the opportunity to do with every ounce of our dedication and strength will make a difference – maybe not today or tomorrow, but eventually.
Find joy in the work in unexpected ways. And follow some sage wisdom from Solomon found in Ecclesiastes 9:10, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.”
1https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/lifestyle-buzz/mom-struggled-to-accept-cafeteria-job-at-her-kids-school-a-6-year-old-s-note-changed-everything/
2Ibid.
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