Your Ideal Occupation Part One

Occupation / noun / ˌäkyəˈpāSH(ə)n / Middle English: via Old French from Latin occupatio(n-), from the verb occupare. Sense 2 dates from the mid 16th century.

1. a job or profession.  a way of spending time.

2. the action, state, or period of occupying or being occupied by military force.

3. the action or fact of living in or using a building or other place.

What’s in a word?

A word sometimes has a variety of meanings when defined on its own.  Usually we can tell which meaning is being used by the context of a statement.  I'd like to focus on the second part of the 1st definition.  I can talk about the moral implications, the benefits and detriments of the second and third definitions at another time.

Think and consider:

Ask yourself this question right now:  If I didn't have to meet a monthly financial demand, like the rent, mortgage, car note, electric bill, food costs, etc., what would I occupy my time doing?  Go ahead and take some time thinking of the answer before reading more of my words.  Maybe even close your eyes and imagine what things you would do outside of what you have to do now ( if anything ) to 'earn' a living or 'work' to pay the bills.  Really, take some time and think about it... it may take a bit of creativity and venturing thoughts.  Think also of the ‘why’ of what you would do.  Don’t think of it as being a selfish pursuit or a noble pursuit, but more so of what you would do if you were to break out of the ‘normal’ rhythms of your daily routine.  Take some time to think, this post will still be here when you open your eyes again.

My personal ambitions:

For me, I would like to take six months or maybe a year to travel some parts of the world via sailboat.  I would go along the coastline and stop at every little port or city I would see on the map or from the water.  This is simply a personal interest of mine, but it’s not like I’ll die or regret never having done this.  The point would be to see peoples and cultures as I would travel along, not so much be out at sea at extended periods of time other than necessary.  This is one thing I have thought about doing to break the city-life rat-race trap I grew up in.  This sailing trip would be a personal challenge to me.  I could also turn this sailing trip into a book somewhere down the road or simply add it to my perception of the bigger world outside of my always limited view of it.

Another thing would be to move out of the city, find some land to grow my own food, set up trading systems where I can trade / barter with others outside of using Caesar’s paper system and issue credit to everyone I come across ( my eggs and chicken wings for your goat milk and goat cheese ).  I would like to teach others the idea of being independent, being an anchor in their community, a producer in their marketplace and a creditor in a world of debtors.  I would like to teach them to make their own money / contracts / agreements and hope they see what I see in terms of not being limited by only using Caesar’s money to get things done. 

In both of these pursuits, one being more for ‘me’ and the other being both for me and for others, I would still share the gospel that permeates my heart and mind and would still aim to be a physical representation of the living Christ ( His Spirit living in me ) at every port I would visit on my sailing journey or every person I would trade / barter with out in the countryside. 

Excuses or actions?

The notion of helping others or spreading a message of faith may or may not also be your heart’s ambition, or you may have another ambition, and that’s okay.  Maybe you want see justice done in the world because you realize that crooks have their way every so often and mess things up for everyone else.  Maybe you just want to be rich and get out of working for others.  I know what that is like and I’ve had my share of that experience.  The point being made here is: are you really going after what is on your heart or are you allowing excuses to prevent you from making steps towards your heart's desire? 

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