Skip to main content

Two Questions

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. (Psalm 32:8)


          I originally had a different idea in mind for today’s post, but part way through the day, this idea came to mind, picking up where yesterday’s left off. It’s not new, but it’s not a habit, so repeating it is good for me. Since my thoughts happened to follow a political direction, I’ll use that as an example. 
Question 1: What are the opportunities?
          I looked up when the City Council is going to meet next, wondering if I should attend. They happen to meet on July 3 in the morning and two weeks later in the evening. That gives me two opportunities.
Question 2: What do you really need to do regarding this role?
         Attending one of those meetings, or both might be good ideas. I’m not discarding them as ideas yet, but, I’m not sure they’re what I really need to do. At least, they may not be what I need to do – yet. When I thought about what I really should do – what I need to do as a citizen, I had a “duh” moment. What I should do is become a more informed citizen. There are all sorts of opportunities to do that: attend council meetings or other civic meetings, read the newspaper, read books or documents (history or politics), attend lectures….
          Another example: Regarding my physical health
Question 1: What are the opportunities? 
          They’re endless, overwhelming, and some aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.
Question 2: What do I really need to do regarding this role?
         I need to focus on it. I need to take time to do what I know how to do instead of being lazy. 
          Third example: Regarding being a writer
Question 1: What are the opportunities? 
          Legacies of the Dragon and my Random books
Question 2: What do I really need to do regarding this role?
          Do not stop until or unless someone I respect who knows the field reads what I’ve written and tells me to give it up.
          There are other ways to put these questions. What’s the obvious answer? What’s in your face? What firm decisions have you made? Do those, deal with those – and if you don’t have any opportunities or senses of what you really need to do … hand if over to God and relax about it until He shows you the road to take.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Higher Thoughts

  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the  Lord . “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)           The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments,   for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord      so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (I Corinthians 2:15-16) If you read about the ancient gods of the various peoples, you’ll find that they think just like people. In fact, they think just like the sort of people we really wouldn’t want to be around. They think like the most corrupt Hollywood producer or, like hormone overloaded teens with no upbringing.   It’s embarrassing to read. I have a friend who argues that because God is not just like us, He is so vastly dif...

Think About These Things

                 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8) This passage is a major challenge for me. Like everyone else, I struggle to keep my thoughts from wandering off into the weeds, then wondering what possible benefits those weeds might have… Sigh. But as a writer, I have to delve at least a little into the ignoble, wrong, impure, unlovely, and debased. After all, there’s no story if everything’s just as it should be and everyone’s happy. As Christians, there are times when we need to deal with all the negatives, but that makes it even more important that we practice turning our minds by force of attention to what is noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. It’s just too easy to get stuck in a swamp. With my...

A Virgin?

           Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)           This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:18)           But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”            “How will this be,” Mary asked the...