Working in the world has not shocked me. I knew what to expect. I didn't know how much it would bother me. Most of the people at the workplace have a cubicle, so they can see and communicate with at least one other person on the staff. I have an office to myself which at first bothered me a little because I am such a socialite. Well, it's not really an office. The sign on the door says "Janitor's Closet". But it has a desk, a chair, a waste paper basket, a file cabinet, a shredder and the office Christmas tree in it. So since it's a closet turned office, it has been dubbed "the Cloffice" by my office mates. Regular office hours are pretty much normal with phones ringing and polite customer service reps selling products and assisting customers. At 5pm, most everyone, including the managers go home and things go right down the toilet from there. For the first three days the conversation immediately turned to religion-mostly making fun of all that I hold dear. They have no idea that I'm a Pastor's wife or a "fundie" as they call those of us with fundamental type beliefs, at least I like to think that they don't know. To talk the way they do knowing that they are talking about me would just be callous and disrespectful and I like to think that they are better people than that. Their perception of what I believe has in fact been quite interesting, enlightening and even comical but I leave there feeling such a deep sense of pity for them all. They really just don't get it.
The thing that really bothers me is the constant bombardment of cuss words and improper conversation. Firstly, it's completely unprofessional but mostly it just makes me feel yukky. That's why I'm so thankful for my cloffice. You see, I don't have to answer the phones. I'm there solely to do data entry so when the language starts I just pull out my ipod and turn on something edifying. While they are busy with perverted, disgusting talk, I'm listening to scripture, sermons or edifying music. I do wonder though how Christians who don't have the cloffice option listen to that stuff all day without it affecting them. I guess God knew that I would need a little bit of solace in the workplace. I've had a myriad of emotions just in the short time I've been there, but mostly I pity them. Their shameless, arrogant, and irreverent behavior infuriates me momentarily but then pity just sets in like fog on a cold, rainy morning leaving me burdened for their souls. I guess maybe that's a little bit how God felt when preparing to send His Son to die. The cloffice also affords me the opportunity to take each one of them to the Lord in prayer. Perhaps that's why I'm there in the first place.