Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Return Artist

A little bug appears in our house everyday.
We've named him Picasso.
Everyday he arrives and we fuss at him. 
Someone cups her hands around his sneaky, shiny body and sets him outside.
Apparently dismissal does not offend our little artist.

Monday, March 25, 2013

War (and) Peace

I think I've been acutely fascinated with WWII since I was 7 or 8. As I researched how to find surviving veterans today, I realized it's not going to end. 

(and)

Adult Sunday school was amazing this morning. I don't think I really taught anything. I think God taught me. He's so good and He is writing the BEST story. I love studying His authorship in the Old Testament. I was so thankful that others shared my enthusiasm.


Thursday, March 21, 2013

Swallowed A Frog

I've got a set of frogs nesting behind the safety of my ribcage.
They're snug and comfy at the bottom of my lungs.
I wonder how much tea I'll have to drink
in order to boil them to death.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Giving Freely

The Jews were fearful because they thought their God was a privilege to be lost.
The Disciples were zealous because they knew their God was a privilege to be shared. 

I prayed for years that God would "Lead Me to the Cross." I got in my car today, completely spent, and  realized He had answered my prayers: "...rid me of myself; I belong to You" rang from my speakers. I have Something to share. 

It's hard to share something without losing yourself in the process. 

How confounding.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Strengths logging

I'm a big fan of personal assessments and strengths studies. Not because they can put a person in a box, but because they add another aspect to each unique person. I took the Strengths Finder 2.0 my freshman year, and it was definitely influential. I've now re-taken the Leadership version. Here are my current five and their short descriptors.
  • Strategic: People strong in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues.
  • Communication: People strong in the Communication theme generally find it easy to put their thoughts into words. They are good conversationalists and presenters.
  • Maximizer: People strong in the Maximizer theme focus on strengths as a way to stimulate personal and group excellence. They seek to transform something strong into something superb.
  • Ideation: People strong in the Ideation theme are fascinated by ideas. They are able to find connections between seemingly disparate phenomena.
  • Context: People strong in the Context theme enjoy thinking about the past. They understand the present by researching its history.
These are the two that changed since last time, though I'm sure they're still in my Top 10:
  • Individualization: People strong in the Individualization theme are intrigued with the unique qualities of each person. They have a gift for figuring out how people who are different can work together productively.
  • Empathy: People strong in the Empathy theme can sense the feelings of other people by imagining themselves in others’ lives or others’ situations.