Tough Work Assignment in Process

cursed is the ground because of you;
     in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;

 - Genesis 3:17b

When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, part of God's response was to add pain and futility to our work.  How much difficulty and futility do you experience in your work?
This week I've had an extra taste of that.  It has been "one of those weeks."
We have a high maintenance project we are trying to finish on time and within budget.  A team of four of us are on site at a client's.  We have the unenviable task of turning raw, unadjusted numbers into financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.  Later, tax returns.
What's the big deal?  Accounting is just addition and subtraction, anyway.
Whew!  Time constraints, finding answers to questions, meeting the client's expectations, and finishing the work profitably are not easy, as you may know.  Sometimes less easy than others.
However, in thinking this through, I've come up with some observations:

• Work can be hard.  That is not necessarily bad.  When God pronounced the curse on the ground after Adam and Eve fell, work was not the curse, futility was.  Work is part of life.
• Certain assignments may be harder than others, but let's put this in context:  this is office work. If you want really hard work, think about police officers, fire fighters, and Marines.  That stuff is kind of a big deal, folks.
• As far as overtime goes, more context:  I still get to go home every day when I'm done.  Think again about people like traveling professionals and Marines who aren't going home every day.
• It is a blessing to be gainfully employed in my field of expertise.  Not everyone can say that.  Serving a client sure beats the unemployment line!
• After this work week ends, my boys, I mean young men, and I have a special father and son activity planned that we've never done before.

So, I sense a pattern:  This past work week is a matter of perspective.  It hasn't been easy, but I have a lot to be thankful for.

Action Point:  What professional or personal challenge can you adjust with a change in perspective?  What can you do to effect that change?