Hidden Talents

Tim and I were having a conversation yesterday that didn't require the use of the words "poopy", "bedtime", "diapers", or "chicken nuggets". This is very seldom in our house ~ and so, as you can imagine, I was very excited about it. I don't even remember what we were talking about (See? That's how excited I was!) but the topic turned to the talents that we possess. Not talents like being able to dislocate your shoulder blade, being able to touch your tounge to your nose, or - hey - even touch your toes with your fingertips! As cool as those are, we were talking about real talents. God-given talents.

First we started talking about my mom, and how she has a talent to accept all people. There is an enery flowing through her and emitting from her body that says to people, "I love everyone. I will not judge you." And because people can sense this, she has a tendency to make people feel good about themselves, as well as a tendency to attract some real weirdos. But, you know, she really does love everyone equally. Even the weirdos.

When we started thinking about it, we realized that we both have talents that others don't possess. I believe I have the talent of empathy. I think that, to a certain extent, I can sense what people are feeling. If someone is having a bad day, I can usually tell, even if they are putting on a happy face. If someone is lonely, I can sense that. If someone is irritated by something, I get that vibe from them. I don't always act on these senses - definately not as much as I should - because I think people like to keep their feelings private, because I prefer to keep MY feelings private. I share my true feelings with very few. But what a shame it is when I get the sense that someone just needs a hug that day, and because I'm not a very emotional, touchy-feely kind of person, I ignore that feeling and leave them still needing that much needed hug.

Tim - he doesn't possess much empathy, bless his heart. But he has the talent of wanting to help everyone. He wants to fix everything for everyone. Even when I think, "Why has this become our problem? Let them find someone else to fix it", he's right there - front and center - helping everyone! If he had scored tickets to a Broncos game, and was on his way and driving to the game, and he saw someone broken down on the side of the road, he would stop and help them. It wouldn't matter race, religion, gender ... He would stop, and he would fix their car for free. And he would be happy, and even dare I say excited, to be helping someone. It gives him pleasure. It gives him purpose.

Like today - we were driving home from chruch and a little old lady was trying to get her little old husband out of his wheelchair into their car, and the wheelchair slipped a little too far and the man started to fall. Tim slammed on the brakes and jumped out of the car to pick the man up and put him in the car. Now, most of us would probably do the same thing, but this little act of being able to help someone actually MADE HIS ENTIRE DAY! He was GIDDY! (Yes - I just used the word giddy to describe my stoic, manly-man of a husband.)

And as we got to thinking about it, we decided that everyone has some kind of talent that others don't possess, whether it's absolute acceptance, empathy, kindness, love of service, eternal optimisim ... My challenge to you all is to think about the talents that *you* possess. The real talents. Consider your God-given talents, and try to use them, improve upon them, and make them a central part of your character and who you are and want to become. They were given to you for a reason.