Who I Am is Enough

I listened to her say with some frustration and maybe a tinge of guilt how her quiet nature lessened her impact on a friend of hers.  She wants to share hope with this friend, share her faith but this friend is rather outspoken and a little intimidating.  I tried to encourage her – the way she is is enough and God uses her, quietness and all.  Her friend has seen her interact with others, have a great relationship with her husband and kids, and more.  She’s seen my friend show integrity, gentleness, faith, kindness, and more.   There are many ways to share Jesus besides talking.  Like St. Francis of Assisi once said, we should preach the Gospel and if necessary use words.

I can relate to that self-doubt or frustration and I’m sure you can, too.  From the time we’re old enough to think we hear and sometimes believe lies about how we’re not good enough, not smart enough, not outgoing enough, not funny enough – the list goes on and on and on…

Someone in my extended family has been dealing with some labels and judgmental attitudes from some other people in his life and as I heard about it, I got angry.  No person, no matter how “good” or “experienced” or “wise” has the right to judge another person.  How does that help anyway?  Continue reading

Day 9 – Comfortable in my own skin

I started reading a book called “The Me I Want to Be” by John Ortberg and it’s really good.  Of course, it takes me a long time to read books because I start them and then don’t often sit still long enough to read them again or finish them.  I have a lot of books by my bed that have been started and not finished yet, with little paper bookmarks sticking up between pages about 1/3 of the way from the beginning.  That’s just one of my weird quirks I guess.   There have been some stories that were so good I’d take the book with me everywhere and read every spare moment I could get.  That hasn’t happened too often, though.

You know what else is weird about me?  When walking on square tile or linoleum floors I often step in every other square in a pattern.  When sitting, I almost always twitch my toes in a rhythm.  I pop my thumbs all the time.  My girls think that is hilarious and strange.  It’s almost subconscious.  I have a round, red nose caused by a condition called “rhinophyma” which is what W. C. Fields had.  It’s typically found in males who are alcoholics, which I am neither so go figure.  I love people and get energized by spending time with friends but also feel like an introvert sometimes and want to be alone.  I’m perfectionistic, impulsive, too silly sometimes, sensitive and emotional, love easily, pretty patient most of the time, too quick to act sometimes, selfish, can be obsessive…the list goes on.  I’m learning to be comfortable in my own skin, though.  Continue reading