My Mormon Third Eye: I See... Serving Two Masters

Sunday, February 15, 2015

I See... Serving Two Masters

“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (Matt 6:24).”

The Mormon Third Eye, for the first time in over 390 weekly posts, for the first time in the history of the world, is NOT dispensing wisdom; it is seeking.... HELP! I'm hoping that MTE fans who have benefited from my tactical and strategic insight and advice over the past seven years can find it in their heart to return the favor and bless me with some desperately needed direction.

Here is my dilemma. I have two masters, two loves, yet I can only serve one. Which one?

Even superficial MTE readers know that my third love, close behind the Gospel of Jesus Christ and my wife, is God's university- Brigham Young University- BYU. My allegiance to this institution of higher learning is legion. My blood runs blue, and if something can have a Y logo on it, I have it. Over 50 of MTE posts deal with some aspect of BYU in some way, more than any other topic. In summary, it may be slightly melodramatic but completely accurate to say that “I am BYU; BYU is me.”

Image result for BYU

Hence, I wholly expected that when my dream of working on a college campus came true, it would come true in Provo. However, now I find that life has gifted me the privilege of being vocationally engaged on Centennial Campus at North Carolina State University (NCSU) in Raleigh. While it's no BYU, it truly is a privilege to work here. Like BYU, they play basketball and football to win, and the Hunt Library, across the street from my office, has been certified as one of the eight wonders of the modern world. I felt the spirit just as strong in the NCSU Institute building last week as I did in my religion classes in the Kimball Tower 30 years ago. I am proud to be associated with NCSU- and therein lies my problem. My heart is torn and the resulting emotional dissonance is nearly unbearable. Can I share my BYU pride with NCSU? Should I? Can I run with Cougars AND the Wolfpack?
Image result for north carolina state university

Image result for north carolina state university

I seek your advice and counsel on this deeply troubling topic. What makes it even more challenging is that my work day is surrounded by the bright red banners of NCSU, the same colors borne by BYU's eternal nemesis to the north, the university occupying real estate in greater Salt Lake City, the “university that shall not be named.”

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

The Mormon Third Eye Quote of the Week

"As men of the priesthood, we have an essential role to play in society, at home, and in the Church. But we must be men that women can trust, that children can trust, and that God can trust. In the Church and kingdom of God in these latter days, we cannot afford to have boys and men who are drifting. We cannot afford young men who lack self-discipline and live only to be entertained. We cannot afford young adult men who are going nowhere in life, who are not serious about forming families and making a real contribution in this world. We cannot afford husbands and fathers who fail to provide spiritual leadership in the home."

Elder D. Todd Christofferson
Priesthood Session Conference, October 2012

Why My Mormon Third Eye?

When I politely excused myself in the middle of dinner to make a bathroom stop, how did Mom know that I had uneaten peas in my pocket to flush down the toilet? When I came home late from a youth dance and slid quietly into bed to avoid waking parental units, how did Dad know, without looking at the car, that I smashed in the front bumper? When I watch my daughter play a video game, how do I know that she's not ready for her Geometry final?

Its the Third Eye. The notorious eye in the back of the head, the extra view of life that God blesses parents striving to do the right thing so they can see more of life than the children they chase after.

Our third eye also permits us to see things and feel emotions that are too refined, too far on the edge of our standard two-eyed peripheral vision to enjoy in its fullness. I've learned that I have a Mormon Third Eye; that is, as a life-long, fully-dedicated member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have unique perspective on how the doctrines of the gospel and the demands of my faith in them intersect every other part of my mortal existence to create the entertaining, self-deprecating kaleidoscope of my life.

So... for those of you bold and bored enough to read this far, every so often I'll be sharing here what my Mormon third eye sees. Third eyes are relatively huge; they see the humorous, the entertaining, the embarrassing, the beautiful, the inspirational, and even the moral and political; however, they tend to ignore the evil, depressing and destructive: there is enough of that in world already!

The Four Secrets to Successful Living

Always Go Where There is Free Food - This includes ward and work parties, wedding receptions and missionary open houses; the money you spend to buy the ingredients for the world-famous triple chocolate cake you bring doesn’t count.
Never Pay Full Price for Anything – See my posts on Black Friday escapades for more information on this.
Never, Ever Press the Red Button - Usually, if you are faced with a red button somewhere, don’t press it – it usually means trouble. For example, the red button launches the missiles. Do yourself a favor and don’t press it.
Any Problem You Face Can Be Solved With Bungee Cords and Duct Tape - Bungee cord and duct tape technology has saved many marriages and ward parties. I’m not just talking about problems with plumbing or keeping groceries from bouncing around the trunk; I know of relationship and family issues that have been solved with creative applications of these two substances.