Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Pursuit, Pageantry, or Persimony

Hello all!

It's been a long time. Have you been wondering where I've been?

Well, I've had a lot going on, so I decided to cheat and share a previous post with you, one that had the most views. Enjoy.

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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 and 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. 


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