What I value in life...

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Matthew 6:21 (NIV)

I'm not entirely sure what I value in life, but I'm pretty sure it's not my career.

My position at the University of Wyoming is the best job I'll ever have. Period. That's a rather bold statement, but I really can't imagine having it any better than I have it right now. My job description, pay scale, course load, and everything else that could go with such a position are at a level that I almost feel guilty discussing the subject with others in my discipline.

Four years ago I was teaching part-time at a small state school in Kansas. The department was pleased with my overall job performance and offered me a full-time position. I initially accepted, albeit somewhat reluctantly, but ultimately turned it down after my roommate at the time came to the same conclusion I had...God was calling me elsewhere.

It was a rather large step in faith for me at the time as it was the only offer I had received. However, shortly thereafter I reaped the benefits of that 'step in faith' at least from a materialistic vantage point. That summer I was offered a position in Laramie that included 25% less teaching for 25% more pay and was 30% closer to 'home' than the one I had turned down.

Since then my position has only gotten sweeter. In fact, just within the past six months I have been asked to serve as President of the Great Plains/Rocky Mountain Division of the AAG in 2014 (sounds more important than it is, trust me) and host the regional meeting that same year, awarded a book contract on Paul Bunyan (assuming I actually write it), given an iPad by my department (for reasons I consider trivial), and, last but not least, granted a reduction in my course load this coming year.

Yes, believe it or not, this past Thursday I was informed I will go from a 3-3 teaching load (3 courses per semester) to a 3-2 for the exact same pay starting next year. Over the past four years I have only met a handful of individuals who are on a teaching-track with the same load I carry now and know of no one who has a 3-2. This is crazy!

And yet...I could easily walk away from this position. The benefits do not entice me that much. Don't get me wrong, I like all of these things I've been given, really, I do!...but they are not a driving factor for what I do with my life.

So the question I am left with is this:

Am I unappreciative of the gifts God has bestowed on me? or is my heart simply elsewhere?