Well, we've come to the end of our story now, and even though it comes from the Bible, I'm sure they'll be a few critics out there... People who don't understand how God could use something like Lust Control...
Oh! Sorry, I got carried away in old lyrics (from "Dancing Naked"). What I meant to address was that McManus' book, Soul Cravings, is broken up into three major sections: Intimacy; Destiny; Meaning. I wonder if he'll discuss the difference between truth and meaning, like Donald Miller has done of late? Anyway, I was titling these things according to chapters, or entries, like: Soul Cravings.21" and such. Now that we're in the DESTINY section, the entries have started back at one again. I think I'll go with the entry headline for my titles here.
The author relives a childhood memory here, remembering a hero from Robert A. Heinlein's Glory Road. There was a job application posted that called for a courageous young man, proficient in all weapons, good in math and engineering, no attachments, permanent employment, etc.
I'm reminded of a classic spammed email that showed a job application/resume full of imaginary heroic traits, bragging about rock climbing, bench pressing, and all sorts of fibs. I couldn't find it on a quick google search.
The point, however, of this entry was to talk about how fulfilled we are as people when we are acting alongside our dreams, pursuing our destiny.
"When we are optimistic about the future, we find the energy to create it."
That is cool. I know that I feel pretty darn good when I'm working to make a dream come true. I've tried to give serious attention to the things I dream about and imagine. I remember spending a couple weeks' worth of lunch hours doing some open air preaching in the "free speech" zone in front of the UT Student Union building on Guadaloupe Street in Austin. Someone later asked me why I was doing this. I think he actually wrote for The Daily Texan newspaper. He asked me if I felt like I was connecting with anyone, implying that I wasn't and that I was delusional about it. I remember telling him in all honesty that it was no big deal and that I did this because I'd been dreaming about it for days and felt like I should go for it. I wasn't really concerned about seeing fruit or results from it. That'd be great to see (then and now), but I couldn't get this out of my mind, so I did it. Something inside was pushing me to do it. Whether or not it turned out to be a great thing that changed the world or a completely random and forgettable thing was not as much of an issue as the experience of going out and doing what I was dreaming about. I am so glad I did that.
Posted by Doug Van Pelt at September 13, 2007 09:53 AMI'm glad you did too!
Posted by: solomon at September 13, 2007 08:43 PM