Something's Missing

I spent five years in the military flying on C-130s as a Loadmaster. It was the best part-time job I ever had. Well, let me rephrase that. I thought it was the best part-time job at the time. It was definitely fun and full of temptations. My weakness was having too much fun...partying and drinking too much. I often said and did things that hurt other people, things that I regret. I cussed like a sailor, just like my Grandmother! It was all good natured, but not lady-like, and definitely not honorable. When I wasn't drinking, I was actually a nice person. But, you know what, nice isn't good enough for God.

He wanted me, all of me, and I wasn't willing to sacrifice my "fun times" for Him.

I remember thinking that something was missing in my life. And I tried to fill it with things that I thought mattered. I watched hours of TV, read tons of Sci-Fi, tried different hobbies. But none of it was satisfying. The "missingness" eluded me. I woke up each day with a hunger that couldn't be quenched.

What's really funny is many of the other airmen would come to me. like a counselor. and confide that they felt something missing in their lives too! How could I help them when I couldn't even help myself? I never let on that I was having the same problem they were. I tried to help them find purpose in their lives. Ever heard of that saying, "That's like copper calling the kettle black."? Yep! That was me! I was probably a shade darker than them! Tarnished beyond recognition.

It took another decade of lessons for me to learn my purpose and fill the emptiness inside of me. I came back to Christ in 2001 when my first child was baptized. Christ took me in like the prodigal son. I felt at home for the first time in fifteen years. But my hunger wasn't quenched. I then went looking for my purpose. I immediately read Rick Warren's, The Purpose Driven Life, and loved it. But it still did not put me any closer to my purpose. I felt sure that I had a purpose, but could not detect what it was. I knew that I was supposed to help people. But how!!!

Many years of volunteering for different charities still left me void. I enjoyed the volunteering but felt no passion. The hunger was still there! And then divine intervention occurred. I knew it immediately. I felt I needed to start my own business and was looking on-line for a franchise that would suit mine and my family's needs. I had narrowed it down to 3. They were all under $20K to get started. That would have wiped out our savings. But, I was so desparate to have a purpose, I was willing to pay any price. As I was weighing my options, the phone rang. It was a friend of mine who said that he had a business opportunity he wanted to show me. My head started to spin and my ears rang. I said, "Can you come over right now?"

And the rest is history. That was three years ago. Thanks to Orrin Woodward, the author of Resolved: 13 Resolutions for Life, I have zeroed in on my purpose and have a vehicle to drive the dream!!  The hunger has turned into a passion that would light up the entire Eastern seaboard. My purpose to help others has taken a road I never could have imagined in my wildest dreams.  I will save that for another post. :D  Glory to God for all our good things!

Blessings.

windy