Excel in your Life's Assignment

More and more, I am starting to believe that we have all been given different assignments in life. All of us have been placed in various areas of life and we truly cannot explain why we are in these places.

For instance, I have had the privilege of being born and raised in New York City. I've had the privilege of living there rent-free. I've traveled around the city, seen many of the tourist sites such as Times Square, Statue of Liberty, Ground Zero, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I road on the trains and in the taxi cabs, seen celebrities, got flashed by a woman, and had about 10 police officers ready to pounce on me because they thought I was somebody else. Yep, I've lived up New York City!

However, you have other people who cannot even get into the city to live because they are just in no place to do it. They are probably stuck in a small, rural town and they can't leave it. They may dream and dream about living in the big city, but for now, they just don't have any opportunity to do so.

Why is it that some people could get something so easily while other people have to work so hard for it and still not get it? Why is it that some people seem "lucky" while other people seem to have it bad? Why is it that some people seem to live the dream life while other people are just struggling to survive? Some people say that you just have to work hard for what you want.

I say that other people are given different assignments in life. You have your assignment, and somebody else has their assignment. Our problem is trying to get somebody else's assignment instead of focusing on the assignment we've been given.

For the longest time, I wanted to go back to Texas. I absolutely loved that state -- as dry and dusty as it is. I loved the culture, the people, and the experience that I had when I was living in Abilene, Texas. After going back to New York, one of my goals was to go back to Texas. However, there have never been any opportunities for me to go. So, I was stuck in New York City.

I've constantly tried to leave New York City, trying to find jobs in Florida, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, etc. But the one opportunity that I was given to leave New York was in North Carolina, and my wife and I were easily able to do that without any problems.

After coming to North Carolina, our first few years were a bit rocky -- financially. We started dreading this state and tried looking elsewhere to live: Florida, South Carolina....Texas. But nope, all those doors were closed for us. Going back to New York wasn't an option. We were stuck in North Carolina. However, the longer we lived here, the better things have gotten for us to the point where we had no desire to move anywhere else.

Judging from all the good things that have happened to us here and the impact we are making on those around us, I believe that our assignment is here in Raleigh, North Carolina. Until we are re-assigned somewhere else, we aren't focusing on leaving.

In the same way, you have been given an assignment in life. That assignment might seem dreadful at first, but if you focus on this assignment instead of someone else's assignment, you'd start seeing more opportunities that assignment is giving you.

For instance, nobody wants to be poor. I didn't wake up in the morning thinking, "Man, I can't wait to be poor!" But that was what my wife and I were in those first few years in North Carolina. Poor! We didn't act like it, and we didn't look like it.

During our poverty, we learned how to be resourceful -- very, very resourceful. Our children were homeschooled, so there was no need to burn gas to take them to school. My wife learned how to save a ton of money on groceries to the point where she would bring home bags and bags of food for a FRACTION of the cost. I learned how to work on my own cars and saved thousands of dollars in car repairs. We are growing a successful garden where we have not only eaten our own food, but have given food away. We had to ask for financial help several times, but we were never on welfare. In fact, we were a part of the WIC program for a short time -- but because my wife was so good at saving money on groceries, we just gave up the WIC program.

Now, think about how many people we could bless by teaching them how to do the same thing that we did to survive? Had we had the assignment where we were living the "good life," we would be of no use to those who are poor. How could you teach poor people to be resourceful if you never had to be resourceful in your life?

If at any point I need to get a job, I don't need to look for the highest paying job. I could get a job that is just above the minimum wage and know how to make it work. That gives me more options than somebody who needs to make $20 an hour.

At my old school, two high school students were commenting about how resourceful I was as a physical education teacher. We had a SEVERE lack of gym equipment, but we used tires, cinder blocks, a tree to do pull-ups on, heavy picnic tables for the kids to lift, and lots of space for them to run. I had students push cars, push dumpsters, and I have even created a very popular game using a basketball and used tires -- and it was a HIT at the school. I started to not want any gym equipment because I was doing so well with the stuff I already had.

You see, while your assignment doesn't seem attractive, it still offers you opportunities to excel in life in ways that other people cannot excel in.

Can a millionaire who never had to struggle in life learn to live on less than $2,000 a month? Heck, for some of you, that's your mortgage and you'd spend that money without batting an eye! He cannot excel in this because he never had to do it.

Can a healthy person teach a sick person how to be healthy? For the most part, NO. I can't teach you how to be healthy, because I always had great health. My health allowed me to excel in fitness. I never had high blood pressure, diabetes, gastrointestinal issues, etc. This is not the case for some of you. Some of you had to learn ON YOUR OWN how to make yourself healthy -- and you would be able to help other sick folks who are in your position to get healthy. I didn't have the assignment to be sick all my life. Maybe you have that assignment -- so look for the opportunities that assignment is giving you and excel!

You need to stop waking up in the morning wishing you had somebody else's assignment. Listen, no matter how good that other person has it, he WILL go through problems. "Lucky" people have problems, too, you know. They would probably have problems that you wouldn't have to deal with -- nor would you want to deal with those problems!

Every assignment in life comes with blessings and cursings. There is NO assignment in life that you could have that would guarantee a problem-free life. The main purpose of your assignment is to contribute to the needs of those that you can help.

Have you ever watched the show "Chopped" on the Food Network? Each contestant is given particular ingredients to make a meal. Some of the ingredient combinations they are given is just odd! One time, I saw a show where contestants were given pig snouts! They can't complain about it. They have to excel in whatever ingredients they are given, and those who make the absolute BEST out of what they are given are rewarded.

For you, make the absolute BEST of what you've been given. It would be nice to have somebody else's assignment, but you don't have their assignment. You have yours. Excel in it until you are re-assigned somewhere in life.