Reading Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 3:10 "I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it."

The footnote says that travail can also be translated as business, work, occupation, task. 

The preacher says later in verse 12, "I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life."

I have the most fulfilling occupation of all in that I am a mother.  I know that there is "good in [it]."  It has been so wonderful to be so fully engaged in it for so long.  I am finding, however, that, as my children grow, the amount of time that mothering demands is lessening.  I am left to ponder on what to do with extra time.  As I ponder, I can't help but identify with the preacher in Ecclesiastes, "All is vanity!"  I can't find anything else to do that matters.  At least not anything that seems to compare to the good in mothering.

These are interesting verses, though, because they seem to say, "God knows that your work is no good (it is not permanent), but He has given it to you in order to be exercised, or to get experience, and has also made it so you can feel joy from it."  He seems to say that hard work, regardless of its outcome, brings satisfaction "under the sun."