Gifts...

Last night, I went to the year-end performance of our community's high school choir. The concert choir won superior ratings at the state level this year--the first time this has happened in ten years--so they are really an excellent group filled with talented teenagers. I went primarily to hear my niece, Lori, as well as McKenna's new boyfriend (and, after all, this is about the closest we come to Culture in our little town of Hueytown; lol). They both just have amazing voices and it was so nice to enjoy the gifts that these "kids" have at such a young age. To hear 16-year-olds sing like angels is really quite amazing!

At one point, I leaned over to my mother-in-law and said that I am just in awe of musical ability. And later on, I commented that if I had just enough of Lori's talent to fit in my pinky finger I'd be happy. I love music so much, but I don't have any musical ability whatsoever. I sing in the shower, I sing very loudly in the car, and I sing loudly in church (and to heck with worrying that I'm disrupting others with my singing voice; I just sing out loud anyway!). I just SO wish that I had musical gifts (singing, playing an instrument, something!); if I could request a new gift or talent it would probably be a musical one!

All this got me to thinking about the gifts that we have. I truly believe that every person on this earth has some sort of special girt. For some people, it's music. For others, it's the ability to truly listen to another person. For others, it's the gift of making a person feel welcome in their home. For others, it's a special knack for mathemetics (I absolutely didn't get that one either!). For others, it's a gift for humor.

I think it's such a shame that there are children raised with no concept of their own special gifts or uniqueness. It's our job as adults to make children feel valued and appreciated for what is special about them! And I know plenty of adults who don't really have the self-esteem or understanding to know that they have a special gift for something.

So, I know that I didn't get any sort of musical talent. And I know that there are other things I'm not gifted at (Two that immediately come to mind: I'm not organized and I'm not a nurterer). But... I know I have the gift of creativity, a gift for teaching, a gift of encouragement, and a gift of optimism. I may wish I had the gift of musical ability, but those other gifts are just as important.

What are you good at? What gifts do you have? (Do any of you sing??) If you don't think you are necessarily gifted at anything, think again! Everyone has a special gift... a special purpose... a special reason for being here.

Let's encourage one another and celebrate our gifts!