Today is National Fun At Work Day. Though not a federal holiday or even a Hallmark holiday, it’s a celebration that we could get behind. Admittedly, when I first read this, I thought, “Wow! It’s hard enough to get people to work the way it is without complicating the day and ruining productivity. This is something they never used to do!”
Then, I thought, “DOUBLE Wow! You’re starting to sound like a grumpy old guy!” That’s not the look I’m going for these days!
First, maybe you wonder what the point of this is. In years gone by, there may have been company picnics, Christmas parties, and a host of other events throughout the year to bring the workers together. For the most part, that ship has sailed into the oblivion of history.
We’ve become a very reclusive culture, avoiding social events that are thrust upon us and desiring to separate our work life from our life. When the day is done, we want to walk away from our place of employment and all the people therein. We don’t want to take our work home with us, meaning, we don’t want ANYTHING to do with our work environment once we are off the clock.
This attitude has severely hampered the workplace. When those we work with become a second family, we will fight for our family. We will try to do things that benefit the family as a whole. We build a sense of unity and team spirit. A Fun At Work Day helps to foster this idea.
Second, the National Day Calendar offers up some suggestions for what this day could include. Naturally, there should be food. Potlucks are okay but pizza and wings are even better. Games are a good idea with cornhole being the go-to event in most places. You could become creative, though, depending on your staff. Other suggestions are hosting a boss look-alike contest (be careful with this one!) A chili or ribs cookoff is usually a welcome idea. Some might even get into lunch time karaoke. Whatever is done, it should be things that would include the most people.
Now, maybe my grumpy old man-itis stems partially from the fact that I already think work is fun and a lot of the things done “for fun” are just distractions to me. I definitely would not participate in karaoke. Cornhole is on the bottom of my list of favorite games. I just enjoy working. Always have. I can’t imagine not working.
Through the years, I’ve been blessed to do what I’ve believed God has called me to do. I’ve enjoyed the “job,” whether it was preaching, bus driving, fire department, mowing, writing, or anything else. Sure, there are aspects of every job that aren’t especially fun – at least not all the time. But, for the most part, those “aspects” are very rare in my life. Work is already fun to me.
We must remember the truth of 2 Corinthians 9:8. “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.” Not just get by. ABOUND!
God’s desire for our Christian life is found in Colossians 1:10. “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.”
Think about the words of Solomon found in Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 as you go to work today. “Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion. (19) Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God. (20) For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.”
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