Well said. Its funny. I can look back and see that seemingly small events or conversations I had (and some that never occurred but would have changed my life’s direction had they occurred) changed where I lived, what I chose for a living. One could say - seemingly my entire direction in life. I was one conversation away from pursuing music as a career. That would have taken me different places for sure.
Plans are critical. But if we think too much about our plan or follow it too closely, it can really prevent us from experiencing a lot of life and opportunities. That tends to freeze up a lot of young people today as they’re faced with so many more opportunities (and decisions) than we were. “Which is the correct” decision, they continually ask.
My advice to them is always - it’s the one you choose. In the end, if we believe our life has purpose and there is a higher calling and much more to it than what we see, then “what” we do for a living is secondary. How we do it, how we serve those around us - that’s the purpose of life. It’s often not up to me to decide my “place” in life. It’s to decide what to do with the one I have.
Thanks. I’m certainly not the one who came up with the concept. It’s just my words expressing it. Jesus talked about if often. But then I think it was Paul’s role to really hammer the message into us - it’s almost always beyond our ability to change our world to the degree that we think it needs changed in order for us to thrive. I think the worlds perspective on success on Gods are two entirely different things. Because what exactly is thriving if we’re comparing this moment to eternity.
If we pull those passages into today’s world, and especially where / when we live, I think we have to look at those passages a bit differently. To live in the U.S. today is really unlike any other time / place that’s existed. Because here virtually anyone can rise up from the very worst situation in childhood to the very “best”. That really causes us problems as when the passages were written and in most of the world - your place in life is your place. Plus, we have so many different directions we could go.
I think that ability to actually be able to reshape the world around us, presents us with the question more of not “can I” but “should I”. That really presents society, and ultimately the individual, with a different way to look at - what’s important, where should I be spending my time and energy? It also makes us question our decisions (and others) far more than any other society
LOL...no...you do not look like Anwar Sadat. When I was still a child, I dreamed of living a life of my television idol...Donna Reed. In that show, she wore dresses, heels, and pearls, topped by an apron. She was married to a successful pediatrician and lived in a two-story house. To me, that was the dream. Watching those episodes now makes me realize how rampant was the sexism with the "little woman" attitudes. With all the other ways my life went sideways within relationships, thank God none of them were like that one. My adult children and I have been talking this week about the seeming catastrophes that have led to new, better opportunities we never saw coming. For instance, if I wouldn't have desperately left an abusive ex husband and moved into a certain apartment building I would never have met my wonderful husband of 31 years in the parking lot. To this day I look at him and say in wonder, "You're the guy in the parking lot!"
Well said. Its funny. I can look back and see that seemingly small events or conversations I had (and some that never occurred but would have changed my life’s direction had they occurred) changed where I lived, what I chose for a living. One could say - seemingly my entire direction in life. I was one conversation away from pursuing music as a career. That would have taken me different places for sure.
Plans are critical. But if we think too much about our plan or follow it too closely, it can really prevent us from experiencing a lot of life and opportunities. That tends to freeze up a lot of young people today as they’re faced with so many more opportunities (and decisions) than we were. “Which is the correct” decision, they continually ask.
My advice to them is always - it’s the one you choose. In the end, if we believe our life has purpose and there is a higher calling and much more to it than what we see, then “what” we do for a living is secondary. How we do it, how we serve those around us - that’s the purpose of life. It’s often not up to me to decide my “place” in life. It’s to decide what to do with the one I have.
Your last paragraph is gold.
Thanks. I’m certainly not the one who came up with the concept. It’s just my words expressing it. Jesus talked about if often. But then I think it was Paul’s role to really hammer the message into us - it’s almost always beyond our ability to change our world to the degree that we think it needs changed in order for us to thrive. I think the worlds perspective on success on Gods are two entirely different things. Because what exactly is thriving if we’re comparing this moment to eternity.
If we pull those passages into today’s world, and especially where / when we live, I think we have to look at those passages a bit differently. To live in the U.S. today is really unlike any other time / place that’s existed. Because here virtually anyone can rise up from the very worst situation in childhood to the very “best”. That really causes us problems as when the passages were written and in most of the world - your place in life is your place. Plus, we have so many different directions we could go.
I think that ability to actually be able to reshape the world around us, presents us with the question more of not “can I” but “should I”. That really presents society, and ultimately the individual, with a different way to look at - what’s important, where should I be spending my time and energy? It also makes us question our decisions (and others) far more than any other society
LOL...no...you do not look like Anwar Sadat. When I was still a child, I dreamed of living a life of my television idol...Donna Reed. In that show, she wore dresses, heels, and pearls, topped by an apron. She was married to a successful pediatrician and lived in a two-story house. To me, that was the dream. Watching those episodes now makes me realize how rampant was the sexism with the "little woman" attitudes. With all the other ways my life went sideways within relationships, thank God none of them were like that one. My adult children and I have been talking this week about the seeming catastrophes that have led to new, better opportunities we never saw coming. For instance, if I wouldn't have desperately left an abusive ex husband and moved into a certain apartment building I would never have met my wonderful husband of 31 years in the parking lot. To this day I look at him and say in wonder, "You're the guy in the parking lot!"
Linda, you are a great example of why someone else’s idea of perfect is not a worthy goal. Thanks for sharing friend.