Life With A Porpoise

When I was a little girl, I used to get words confused which made for some pretty interesting thoughts and ideas which would lead (eventually) to some profound 'a-ha' moments. I'll give you a few examples. There was a warehouse on Highway 83 in McAllen, Texas that had a sign bearing the name "Bull Parts." For many years, I grew quite disturbed when we passed it because it made me shudder, imagining all of the 'bull parts' hanging all over the place. As a child with a vivid imagination, I wondered why on earth anyone would take apart a bull and then store the parts in a warehouse. As I got a little older I reasoned that it was a meat packing operation. Finally one day, I mentioned it to my mom and she laughed so hard she almost wee-wee'ed on herself. After regaining her composure, she explained that it was actually an auto parts store and the guy who owned it must be nicknamed 'Bull' or something. A-HA!

There was also the time when I was very little when my mother recalls me getting underfoot constantly while she was trying to set up for a party she was throwing at our house. She got down on my level and said "Catherine Elizabeth, why do you have to be so ornery?" My reply? "Well Mommy, I guess I'm just ornery the eighth, I am!" (This was back in the 60's when there was a popular song by Herman and the Hermits singing about Hen-er-y the Eighth). Most of you won't get that because that was waaay before your time. It's before my time, too. Here, let me just show you the video. Don't bother watching the whole thing, the 2nd verse is the same as the first. Ha.
(By the way, this must be one of the most bizarre and ridiculous songs ever written but we must take into account that it was recorded back in the '60's and  people weren't known for always being, shall we say, in their right minds.) A-HA!

Okay, moving on...There was another thing that perplexed me, which was: how come so many people either had, were seeking out, or were simply contemplating a porpoise in life. People were even doing things on porpoise, for crying out loud, the poor things! I mean, why was everyone so interested in a fish, (this was before I learned it was a mammal) anyway? Yes, that's right folks, I was not the brightest bulb on the string back then and had confused the words purpose and porpoise.  A-HA! This also brought my mother much amusement and she never let me live it down.

Why am I sharing these little embarrassing childhood reminisces with you right now? Well don't worry there is a porpoise purpose for bringing this up. Lately I have been hearing a lot of people talk about purpose. What is it? What is our purpose in life? What is God's purpose for us, etc. and it got me thinking about the word and what it really means. Webster defines purpose as follows: a : something set up as an object or end to be attained : intention b : resolution, determination. 2. : a subject under discussion or an action in course of execution. 

Okay, so what does this mean to you and I? It means that unless we want to float around aimlessly in the wind like the white feather in the movie Forrest Gump, we need to attempt to establish the main reason for our presence on planet Earth. We have to figure out what we are here for. Where are you in this process?

When I was younger, I had a similar type of confusion trying to understand my purpose in life as I did understanding certain words. I had some major misconceptions. I thought I knew what I was doing but realized later that I was off base and needed to rethink some things. That's what being young is for, right? I used to think the world revolved around me and my happiness, and my fulfillment and my desires. And sure, that was fun for a while...BUT. Thanks to God moving the right people into my life (and some, out) and revealing Himself to me more and more, I've finally arrived at the realization that the reason I'm here is not really about me after all. (Gasp!) I've come to realize that it's ALL about the Creator (God) not the creature (me).

Bottom line? It's not all about ME. Whew...that really takes a lot of the pressure off, doesn't it? I know now with certainty that I am here simply to give God glory. To worship Him in spirit and in truth. To be a living reflection of Christ's love for us all. To be a kingdom builder. To raise my children to do the same. That is my purpose in a nutshell. How is that going for me, you may ask? To be honest, some days are better than others. It's a process and it takes keeping a keen eye focused directly on the task at hand. It takes studying God's word and walking in obedience. I gotta tell ya, obedience can make me uncomfortable now and then and I do get distracted and lose focus from time to time but God always restores my vision and aligns my gaze back to Him. He's faithful that way. He is my purpose just as surely as I am His.

What is your purpose in life? It's definitely worth taking a pause and reflecting upon. You may be surprised what your digging will unearth about who you are and where you are going in your life. Whatever it is I pray God is directing your steps and you are walking porpoisefully in His will. Oh, well...you know what I mean.

Blessings,
Cat