Saturday, June 9, 2012

Pursuit, Pageantry, or Parsimony?

How bad do you want it? Would you do whatever it takes to get it?

You're probably wondering what I'm talking about, aren't you?

Well, depending on what your “it” is, only you can answer the above questions. You might go through many attempts of self-examination before you choose the right career for your life. If so, that’s okay. Really. I mean, look at the lady below—moving rung by rung on the ladder. And she’s wearing wedges as she climbs the blasted thing.

At least I think they’re wedges. My eyes aren’t what they used to be.
Maybe she's wearing pumps.
Sorry, I’m getting off track.

Anyway, I’ve often heard others say they knew what their calling was right out of their mother's womb. I find this annoying. Probably because I’m not one of those people who had the same experience. Trust me, if I would have, my life would have been much easier.
As a child, I wanted to be a nun. (Okay, y’all can stop laughing now.) And I wasn’t even a Catholic, but the nuns were good, honest, and kind. Who wouldn’t admire such a calling?
Then I fell in love with animals and decided to become a veterinarian. But after getting in trouble for repeatedly bringing strays home (still do), I figured doctoring pets wouldn’t be the best path for my life. I would’ve ended up broke.
Along my journey, I've pondered many avenues to explore—I won’t bore you with the details from the rest of my adventures—and it took me a while to figure out the right game plan for my life.
And as I said before, the same might happen to you. But there’s nothing wrong with pursuing your passions to discover your true purpose.
In fact, I believe God is the driving force behind many of our dreams and visions. When He gives us talents, whether it’s to be a writer, doctor, nun, veterinarian, or being a good parent, there’s usually a burning desire to do what He’s called us to do. What gets us into trouble, though, is when we choose a particular profession for all the wrong reasons.

If we pursue something just to be seen (pageantry), we'll never really fulfill our purpose. We might reach our destination but we won’t be satisfied once we get there. Not only that, people will see right through a false mask.
And I don’t know about you, but I’ve come across a few phony princesses in my lifetime. You know the type—every hair in place, a sweet (but forced) smile, and a squeaky-but-way-too-cheery voice. I'm sorry, but nobody is ever that happy.

Please.
I've even met a few fake princes.
Talk about kissing a toad.
Sorry, I’m getting off track again.
Where was I?
Oh yes, we should also never use others (parsimony) as a means to obtain our goals. In doing so, we’ve not only defrauded them, but we’ve sold our souls to get what we want.
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36 KJV)
Scary thought, isn’t it?
Then there are some (raising my hand) who have changed their course to try to please others. This doesn’t work, either, let me tell you.
Oh the tangled webs we weave, when always trying to please, please, please.
Wow, don’t ask me where that just came from. Freudian slip, I guess.
The bottom line is this. Once you’ve figured out the calling God’s placed on your life, pursue it with all your might. As long as your motivations are pure, you won’t lose yourself, or your soul, in the process. 

Note: Today's post is part of the CW blog chain. The topic is "Pursuit". Please check out my sidebar, further down on the right, to see some great posts by other writers.

30 comments:

  1. I'm still bouncing around a lot in pursuing my calling.

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    1. You might be, brother, but from what I've read of your posts, your heart is in the right place.

      Thanks for stopping, Mike.

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  2. Fun post. Your comment about a nun reminds of a line from one of my books. The football hero tells his girlfriend he's gunning for big time scholarships. He might even go to Notre Dame. She looks at him and says, "Notre Dame? You're not even Catholic." By the way, you also used my all time favorite quote. Sorta puts everything in perspective, doesn't it? Peace and Blessings

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    1. Thanks, E.G. Glad you enjoyed it. And it sounds like your book is a great read. Care to share the title in case others want to check it out?

      Oh, that quote is also one of my all time favorites. It does keep things in perspective.

      Peace and blessings back at you!

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  3. Thanks Deborah - enjoyable! Glad the Lord did lead you to the right game plan

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    1. Thanks, Bill! I'm glad He did as well.

      As always, thanks for taking the time to stop by.

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  4. liked your pursuit contribution but had to google Parsimony
    eeee lass thars used a Yorkshire word in thar blog
    biiiiig hug

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  5. I like the way you nailed it with pursuing our calling with all our might. :) Never ever give up. If God has called you to write, then write! Leave the results to Him.

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    1. Thanks, Ane. I'm in hot pursuit, sister. :-)

      So glad to see you. Thanks a million for stopping by.

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  6. Deborah - What a fun post and believe it or not, I was right there with you sister :) I had so many plans for my life that it became confusing - at one point I just quit, because nothing fulfilled the dream in my heart. Then God stepped in. It was almost like He was waiting for me to come to the end of myself before He could connect the dots with the dream in my heart. Peace and and Blessings!

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    1. Glad you liked it, Terrie.

      You know, I'm beginning to think we're related or something. Have you ever noticed how much we have in common? ;-)

      Glad you didn't quit. The world would have missed your talent if you had.

      Peace and blessings to you!

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  7. I enjoyed the fun tone of this post. You point out some serious pitfalls to avoid as we pursue our dreams and callings.

    I decided that I wanted to be a computer programmer in grade 6 (about 12 years old), and that's exactly what I became. There were no doubts along the way. I also had a passion for writing fiction at that age, but it never occurred to me that writing could be a career. After all, writing was what people did for fun, it wasn't work.

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    1. Glad you enjoyed it, Adam.

      It amazes me how you knew at such a young age. The best part, though, is that you followed through with it. And since you're now writing, you're doubly blessed.

      Thanks for stopping.

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  8. Yes! I love one of your final statements - "once you've figured out the calling ... fulfill it with all your might." it reminds me of something Solomon said in Ecclesiastes. Great post. Lots of fun but some nuggets of 'wisdom' too. :)

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    1. What a compliment, to remind you of something Solomon said. I love Solomon. Talk about wisdom!

      I'm glad you had fun with this, girl, and I appreciate you stopping by.

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  9. This was delightful, Deborah--all the more so because it was filled with so much truth.

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    1. Thanks so much, Carol, and thanks for taking the time to stop in!

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  10. I enjoyed reading this! When I was younger I was determined to be an actress. It's amazing how God steered me away from it. Thank you for sharing!

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    1. I'm happy you liked it, Suzette. (Isn't it funny how things change?)

      Appreciate you stopping by.

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  11. Good Post Deborah! What a creative way to point out that it's all about Him, His will, and His pleasure. I love the verse in Ephesians 2:10, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."

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    1. Thank you, Sandi! It is all about Him, isn't it?

      Love the verse you quoted. That's a good one to keep us in check, isn't it?

      Thanks for visiting.

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  12. So true Deborah, I'm glad I read this after I posted my contribution this morning! We have to always keep in check our motivations, for sure :-)

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  13. And what a good contribution you posted!

    Thanks for taking the time to visit.

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  14. Excellent post, Deborah! I took the people-pleasing route for too many years, not so much in my career pursuits as in other areas of life, and I can tell you first-hand how damaging that can be to the spirit. God taught me through all of it that while it's good (and even commanded in the Bible) to pursue peace with others, it's bad and wrong to become a doormat to achieve that pursuit.

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    1. Amen, sister! God doesn't ever want us to become doormats for others.

      Thanks so much for stopping.

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  15. Hello Again:
    The scene where I talked about a football hero going to Notre Dame occurs in my novel, PROMISES. It's part coming of age and part romantic suspense. And, since you asked, I'll give you a synopsis-
    Smooth as a sip of Kentucky Bourbon, PROMISES eases you into the Appalachian hill country. That wonderfully wild place of mountains and hollows, creeks and rivers, with its hardscrabble life and whiteboard churches where roots go deep, family matters, and Granny Wright is never wrong. A place where King Coal still rules, and beneath its veneer of respectability lays a hidden web of treachery.
    Mary Jane Combs may have gotten her Momma's good looks, but her strong-willed determination came straight from Daddy. Growing up, she dreamed of a simple life with a loving husband, a home of her own, and healthy kids. Instead she's become an international Supermodel, swapping the Appalachian coal country for New York City's Upper West Side and traveling the world in her private jet. Now she'll need all the determination she can muster when her ex-husband sets out to destroy everything she's accomplished. But can she do it and still remain true to the promises she made at her mother's deathbed?
    It's contemporary fiction and has a few (tasteful) sex scenes.
    Thanks for the interest...Peace and Blessings

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    1. Thanks for honoring my request and coming back to post this, E.G. It sounded like an interesting read, so I wanted others to be able to see what you were talking about.

      Peace and blessings back at you.

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  16. What a great read, Deborah! Thank you! I'm sorry I'm so late but life has been full of surprises lately.

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    1. Thank you, Lynn! It's so good to see you here.

      And no apologies needed. I totally understand.

      Thanks again.

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