Duty

Disclaimer: The following is my thoughts and opinions.  I might lead you astray...but I might not.

Definition of duty

plural - duties

1. conduct due to parents and superiors :  respect <filial duty and obedience — John Locke>
2. a: obligatory tasks, conduct, service, or functions that arise from one's position (as in life or in a group) <was his duty to support his family> <Her primary duty at the meeting was to take attendance.> <performs a variety of administrative duties>b (1) :  assigned service or business <was put on kitchen duty> <jury duty> (2) :  active military service <returning from duty overseas> (3) :  a period of being on duty <report for duty at 7 a.m.>
3. a: a moral or legal obligation <felt it was their duty to help>b :  the force of moral obligation <will be ready when duty calls>
4. tax; especially :  a tax on imports <a 15 percent duty>
5. a: work 1ab (1) :  the service required (as of an electric machine) under specified conditions (2) :  functional application :  use <got double duty out of the trip> (3) :  use as a substitute <making the word do duty for the thing — Edward Sapir>

"He He, he said doody.'


No, not "doody".  This is not a middle school blog.








As boring and unexceptional as it is, duty rules my day.  Here is my little secret...I don't mind.


I have grown comfortable with my duties.  They are not a burden; they are a gift.




I have a duty to my family, which means I have a family.  I have a duty to my employer, which means I have a job.  There are duties to my church and church family but, in return, I get a church and a church family.  I am on the school board at my kid's school.  This involves multiple duties which can become tedious and time-consuming.  But, I get to be a part of making our school the best school it can be.




When I stop to think about it, I have many duties.  And, at times, it can be overwhelming.

"Why did I volunteer my self for this job?  What was I thinking?"

Here is the thing, I have a purpose.  I am of use.  My duties matter to others, sometimes in large ways and sometimes in small ways and sometimes in silent ways.  Each day I have an opportunity to make a difference to my kids, to my wife, to my coworkers, to the patients I treat, to the kids at school, to the staff at school, to  members of my church and even to random people I might run across.




Deep down in my soul, all I really want is to be a source of positivity for others.  It is not my job to 'fix' the world.  Here is my job - be the best version of Mike as often as I can.  God will sort out the details as He sees fit.

Faith

Disclaimer: The following is my thoughts and opinions.  I might lead you astray...but I might not.

Definition of faith


plural - faiths


play \ˈfāths, sometimes ˈfāthz\

1. a :  allegiance to duty or a person :  loyalty <lost faith in the company's president>b (1) :  fidelity to one's promises (2) :  sincerity of intentions <acted in good faith>
2. a (1) :  belief and trust in and loyalty to God (2) :  belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion b (1) :  firm belief in something for which there is no proof <clinging to the faith that her missing son would one day return> (2) :  complete trust

something that is believed especially with strong conviction; especially :  a system of religious beliefs

<the Protestant faith

This blog could not be written without discussing faith.  Faith is at the core of who I am and how I perceive the world.  It is the lens through which everything else is viewed.

Let me try to summarize "my belief in which there is no proof":

1. There is one God.
2. There are no other gods.
3. God created everything.
4. God can do anything.
5. God knows everything.
6. God is in control of everything.
7. God loves every human without exception.
8. God does not love one human more than another.
9. We cannot fully comprehend His love for us.
10. The Bible is God's inspired word.
11. The Bible was written by human hands but God is the author.
12. The Bible is not 'wrong'.
13. Humans can interpret the Bible inaccurately.
14. God is three beings in one - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
15. No, I cannot wrap my head around how that works.
16. God's Son is Jesus of Nazareth.
17. Jesus is and was simultaneously human and God.
18. No, I cannot wrap my head around how that works.
19. Jesus died on a cross.
20. Jesus was raised from the dead by His/Our Father.
21. Because Jesus lived a faultless life, His death bridged the insurmountable moral gap between humans and God.
22. I sorta, kinda think I know how that works...maybe.
23. If we choose to dedicate our lives to Jesus, Jesus 'infects us'.
24. This 'infection' is an unearned, undeserved gift that must be given to us.
25. In other words, we do not earn the gift in any way.
26. This 'infection' will slowly transform us into what He is.
27. This is an all or nothing proposition.  He wants every part of us, not just the parts we want to give up.
28. What he is completely better than what we are.
29. This transformation cannot and will not be completed in this life.
30. There is no path to God except through Jesus.
31. Jesus will one day return to Earth.
32. We do not know when.
33. When He returns, the Earth will be transformed into perfection.
34. No, I do not know what 'perfection' is.

There you go.  That is my faith in a nutshell.  I have no absolute proof that my beliefs are truth.  My beliefs cannot be objectively proven.  That is why it is called it 'faith'.

Special

Disclaimer: The following is my thoughts and opinions.  I might lead you astray...but I might not.

Definition of special

1. distinguished by some unusual quality; especially :  being in some way superior <our special blend>
2. held in particular esteem <a special friend>
3. a: readily distinguishable from others of the same category :  unique <they set it apart as a special day of thanksgiving>b :  of, relating to, or constituting a species :  specific
4. being other than the usual :  additional, extra
5. designed for a particular purpose or occasion

My doctor told me I should write this.  Not for my benefit but for...you?

She thinks I am special.  She sees me as being out of the ordinary, in a positive sense.  Flattering, but I do not feel special.  In fact, I do not want to be special.

Our planet has something along the lines of 6 billion people alive right now.  How is anyone special when there are 5,999,999,999 others?  If I am special, maybe I should get more stuff than other people do.  If I am special, maybe everyone else should treat me differently.  If I am special...maybe I am better than everyone else.

But I am not.

Let me back up a little and totally contradict myself.  Each and every one of us is special.  If even one other person cares for you, then you are special.  If no other person cares for you, there is probably a dog who adores you, making you special.  You were created by a God who endowed you with specific gifts and talents for a specific purpose.  That makes you special.

But He did not make you more special than me.  He did not make me more special than you.  Special is not even a consideration for Him.  To God, asking which human is most special is like asking which weighs more, a pound of feathers or a pound of iron?  Different but the same.

Step #1 = accept that you are not special.  Step #2 = accept that you are special.