Earning a Living

I'm sitting here at work lulled into a sort of semi-conscious state by the rhythmic sound of my patients ventilator feeling slightly burned out streaming Spanish worship music on youtube to combat the post Mexicali blues. I can't help but think about how much it stinks sometimes trying to "earn a living." It's funny what we put ourselves through all in the name of earning a living, the time we lose, the gray hairs we get, the elevated blood pressures, the ulcers, and the list goes on... Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that we shouldn't have jobs and pay our bills but to think that we can somehow "earn a living?" No, I'm not really talking about the whole salvation by works thing; I'm talking about the innate tendency to we have to feel like we need to constantly be doing things to legitimize our very existence.
I often think about this in regards to my patients. I wonder how they must feel about thier own lives when thier minds and bodies couldn't possibly be capable of "earning a living." The truth is that we can't earn the right to live or the right to exist and we cerntainly can't earn LIFE. All these things are a gift; if we could only live them as such.
While "youtubing" some Spanish worship music I came across this song "Razones Pa'Vivir" (Reasons to Live) which I have heard many times before but never truly listened hard enough to figure out the words. Translated it says something like this (I think):

You have given me so much
I cannot express my gratitude
I cannot tell of all you have done for me
You give me love, you give me peace
You took from your plentitude
In order to fill me with your light
My heart is blessed to live this way
Your blessing has touched my existance

I have reasons to live
I have songs to write
I have a voice and I have a heart
I have a Way to follow
I have love to share
I have a voice and a heart

You have inundated me with your love
With understanding and compassion
With your care and with your warmth
Every morning I can see
When I breathe I can see the sun
You are always faithful
My heart is blessed to live this way
Your blessing has touched my existance