What Is Your Passion?

[MissBrattified]

Based on this definition:

"A passion is an intense drive that one has for a particular thing or activity. It consumes your thoughts during your down time if it's not your occupation. When people ask you what you're passionate about, you don't have to think about it."

I would still answer that my passions are:

God (and His Word), family, Music, home and garden and community outreach.

I have an intense drive for these particular things or activities and these are things that consume my thoughts and most of my time, the latter by design.

Are you sure you can't say with equal fervor that you are passionate about God, His Word and/or ministry? Your posts convey that.... It seems like on this thread that you're looking for a certain "feeling" and you've decided that you don't have that feeling about anything in your life, but I don't know if that's a good place to start with the analysis. Also, referencing your parents: if they've been married for 48 years and were good parents, I would say they are passionate about each other and passionate about you.

Passion isn't necessarily exhibited in flamboyant ways. A person who consistently and persistently pursues the same goals over the course of a lifetime is demonstrating that they are passionate about those goals. A person who stays loyal and true to the same people over the course of a lifetime is illustrating that they are passionate about those people.

If I were answering your acquaintance FOR you, based just on your posts on this forum and nothing else, I would say: "Yes, Bro. Robbins is passionate about God, God's Word, pursuing godliness...and a baby named Andrew and his family." You might say that you're not passionate about these things, but your "speech betrays you."

[Hoovie]

Does anyone else hate that Ms Bratty is right 97.8% of the time?

See her last post for spot on evidence!

[MissBrattified]

Originally Posted by Hoovie

Does anyone else hate that Ms Bratty is right 97.8% of the time?

See her last post for spot on evidence!

97.8%? 97.8%? I feel like I've been demoted!!!!

[Hoovie]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

97.8%? 97.8%? I feel like I've been demoted!!!!

That's to keep your ego in check. Not to mention you are wrong at times (a la Zimmerman)...

[MissBrattified]

[Titus2woman]

Originally Posted by Bro. Robbins

What say you? Do you have a Passion (keeping with the above definition)? If so, what is it? How do you view people without a passion?

YOU asked how others view people who do not have a passion. When I answered your queston you faulted me for an honest answer.

Originally Posted by Bro. Robbins

This is how it was framed as the definition of having a Passion in life. So this is the working hypothesis I was hoping the thread would go from so that we're all on the same page in how we're defining, having a passion.?

There is already a definition for the word. You can refine but not redefine it. I answered based on the common defination of the term passion.

Originally Posted by Bro. Robbins

Someone also asked about "obligations". Life is full of them! Life isn't about being happy and enjoying yourself, sometimes you get to do those things, and sometimes you don't. We are here for His Glory and His purpose, our agenda, wants, desires and even happiness are far down on the list most of the time. We're here to do right and be kingdom minded, not have a good time.

MY WHOLE POINT OF THE THREAD... is... working within the confines of the definition that my acquaintance provided, I answered them that I don't have a passion. And from that, this person seemed to infer that everyone MUST have a passion in life, or somehow they are less fullfilled in life. And I just don't buy that.

Maybe just living is enough in itself for some of us, and we don't need the luxury of having a "passion" in life. Possibly???????

You will find that no matter YOUR WHOLE POINT, when you post in a public forum you will get many points of view. You have to learn to stop seeing any that are not in agreement with yours as a personal affront. Or post as some others have that you only want opinions that agree with yours and list your rules in advance so we do not get confused. To come back later to say how we did not meet your expectations is not fair.

My point was and is that if something is seen as obligatory it often loses it's joy. I raised five children. Having myself been raised in foster care I was well aware that it was not something I HAD to do. I did it because I loved being a mother and I loved them. I never felt 'obligated' I felt blessed. I would consider that I was very passionate about being a good mother.

About the grass growing, which you seem to have a hard time believing I am passionate about... I read Stockman magizine, and books like All Flesh is Grass. I buy special seed, I spend hours and days deciding which clovers, grasses, legumes, etc. will make my pastures good enough to raise cattle who do not require supplementation of commercial grain. It is a passion and seeing it come to fruition with lush greenery that sucuessfully does what I planned for it to do is satisfying beyond measure. If that is not a passion, you will need to again redefine what the rules are for that term in your world.

[Titus2woman]

In my inbox this morning from other passionate grass farmers

I wanted to let everyone know that we will be having our 19th annual Clover/Forage Field Day on Wednesday, April 25th. Registration is $20 at the Iola Community Center in Iola. Iola is about 75 miles NW of Houston. Lunch is included. Gene Sollock will be speaking on surviving the drought, forage production, clover planting and other topics. I will be speaking on getting started...electric fences, rotational grazing and cattle selection. Our guest speaker this year will be Jason Kramer of Yonder Way Farms. Yonder Way Farms does multispecies grazing and is a "Farmer's Market Extraodinaire"! The afternoon session will be out at Sollock Farm. You can get more information by contacting our Bedias Creek Soil and Water District clerk - Kenda Mahaffey at XXXXXXXXX Other information and website links can be found on our website: www.texasgrassfed.com

[Bro. Robbins]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

Based on this definition:

"A passion is an intense drive that one has for a particular thing or activity. It consumes your thoughts during your down time if it's not your occupation. When people ask you what you're passionate about, you don't have to think about it."

I would still answer that my passions are:

God (and His Word), family, Music, home and garden and community outreach.

I have an intense drive for these particular things or activities and these are things that consume my thoughts and most of my time, the latter by design.

Are you sure you can't say with equal fervor that you are passionate about God, His Word and/or ministry? Your posts convey that.... It seems like on this thread that you're looking for a certain "feeling" and you've decided that you don't have that feeling about anything in your life, but I don't know if that's a good place to start with the analysis. Also, referencing your parents: if they've been married for 48 years and were good parents, I would say they are passionate about each other and passionate about you.

Passion isn't necessarily exhibited in flamboyant ways. A person who consistently and persistently pursues the same goals over the course of a lifetime is demonstrating that they are passionate about those goals. A person who stays loyal and true to the same people over the course of a lifetime is illustrating that they are passionate about those people.

If I were answering your acquaintance FOR you, based just on your posts on this forum and nothing else, I would say: "Yes, Bro. Robbins is passionate about God, God's Word, pursuing godliness...and a baby named Andrew and his family." You might say that you're not passionate about these things, but your "speech betrays you."

We'll just have to agree to disagree. Because under the definition my acquaintance gave me for passion, there is nothing or no one that fills that order in my life... and honestly, that's fine.

Not looking for a feeling, but I'm a black and white guy. And the definition he gave was pretty black and white, and there's really nothing that fits that for me.

My overall point, was this guy's reaction to me saying that I didn't have a passion, and that I thought many people I knew didn't have one was like..."that's horrible. They're missing out on so much of life." And I found his response to be sort of condescending.

He made it sound as if unless there was something you are passionate about in life, that your missing out, and I know so many that are examples of the opposite.

There's nothing wrong with just living life day to day, doing what your supposed to do, fulfilling the responsibilities and obligations of the day and doing right by people, and then going to bed and doing it all over again the next day.

I know some people that are passionate about fitness... it consumes them. Some about their hobbies. Some about their family or cooking... and bully for them. More power to them if they feel that's good for them... but not everyone has that... and there's nothing wrong with that... I suppose that's what I'm trying to say.

[Titus2woman]

Originally Posted by Bro. Robbins

We'll just have to agree to disagree. Because under the definition my acquaintance gave me for passion, there is nothing or no one that fills that order in my life... and honestly, that's fine.

Not looking for a feeling, but I'm a black and white guy. And the definition he gave was pretty black and white, and there's really nothing that fits that for me.

My overall point, was this guy's reaction to me saying that I didn't have a passion, and that I thought many people I knew didn't have one was like..."that's horrible. They're missing out on so much of life." And I found his response to be sort of condescending.

He made it sound as if unless there was something you are passionate about in life, that your missing out, and I know so many that are examples of the opposite.

There's nothing wrong with just living life day to day, doing what your supposed to do, fulfilling the responsibilities and obligations of the day and doing right by people, and then going to bed and doing it all over again the next day.

I know some people that are passionate about fitness... it consumes them. Some about their hobbies. Some about their family or cooking... and bully for them. More power to them if they feel that's good for them... but not everyone has that... and there's nothing wrong with that... I suppose that's what I'm trying to say.

Your aquaintence was probably not condecending he was probably incredulous.

Passion:
Synonyms
1. Strong feeling, fervor, zeal, ardor.

Antonyms
1. apathy.

Perhaps you are a little depressed. Therapy maybe? You are quite a young man to just plod along doing what is right with little joy in it. No judgement here Bro. Robbins just a sincere desire to not see you at the end of life having not really experienced it to the fullest. Christ came so that we might have life and have it more abundantly.

Peace to you.

[MissBrattified]

Originally Posted by Bro. Robbins

We'll just have to agree to disagree. Because under the definition my acquaintance gave me for passion, there is nothing or no one that fills that order in my life... and honestly, that's fine.

Not looking for a feeling, but I'm a black and white guy. And the definition he gave was pretty black and white, and there's really nothing that fits that for me.

My overall point, was this guy's reaction to me saying that I didn't have a passion, and that I thought many people I knew didn't have one was like..."that's horrible. They're missing out on so much of life." And I found his response to be sort of condescending.

He made it sound as if unless there was something you are passionate about in life, that your missing out, and I know so many that are examples of the opposite.

There's nothing wrong with just living life day to day, doing what your supposed to do, fulfilling the responsibilities and obligations of the day and doing right by people, and then going to bed and doing it all over again the next day.

I know some people that are passionate about fitness... it consumes them. Some about their hobbies. Some about their family or cooking... and bully for them. More power to them if they feel that's good for them... but not everyone has that... and there's nothing wrong with that... I suppose that's what I'm trying to say.

I guess we're just defining it differently--even using the spinoff definition that you gave. It seems to me like you're saying that it's fine to be content with regular old life (and I agree), and you're saying that that contentment with a plain, simple, unembellished life means there's no passion. (That's where I disagree.)

I DO agree that a person doesn't need to have spectacular hobbies or some recreational activity to be passionate about. I do think that we all have passions and that our lives reveal what those are--over time. That's where you and I will have to agree to disagree, I suppose. Some people are passionate about being lazy; some are passionate about being wasteful; some are passionate about drugs, alcohol or immorality. Not all passions are beneficial or wonderful; some are downright destructive. Still, if a person deliberately devotes time and effort to something, I believe it can be called "their passion."

I think I get what you're saying to your friend, though. That it's fine to be content with life as it is, and not have a lot of motivation to find some exceptional hobby or interest on the side? Maybe...