A Work in Progress.......

I am a work in progress, thank God.....and I truly mean that for it is His precious Holy Spirit that nudges me and prods me to evaluate, discard, take on--grow.  And in this work in progress, as I have molded, He has provided opportunities for me to help others grow similarly.  For me, that pushes me to want to grow even more.......to understand something about oneself--though perhaps not fully--but enough to share it with another struggling person is fulfillment.  

With retirement, comes time....and with time comes the opportunity to reflect, evaluate, discard, take on---grow.  Not that I wasn't able to grow while working....I was.  But now, it seems that the Light is shining more brightly into my soul, time seems more readily available, and yet at the same time it seems as if I haven't got much left so don't waste it----it's like I want to get it right this time around and not waste any more time dancing around what the spotlight is shining on.....

As I am writing this, Holy Spirit is revealing to me that all of my life I wanted to be really good at something----I just couldn't figure out what that was.....so many seemed to have a true gifting or calling and yet, though I always felt I was able to do many things adequately, there was not one thing that I could do spectacularly.........and as the years passed, that unfulfilled need as I saw it hung onto my soul man.  

That is, until I started looking in the most unusual places.....when I did that, I began to see an uncanny ability to organize things, rooms.....the ability to help others do the same.....

And as surprised as I was at uncovering this, when I looked back and reflected, I saw this ability threaded throughout my life, as a mom, wife, educator.....in fact, now I see that it was what made me the effective teacher that I was......I just hadn't seen it as a quality or anything special....but I was able to help students organize....to complete homework, to write a paper, to become successful in the classroom....what I took for granted as an easy task, was difficult for many; I was able to help them.  

Holy Spirit began providing avenues for me to use this gifting.....with family.  Some mistake it for a love to work, or the need for clean....but I now know it is this little gift that God has placed within me.  Everyone has one.....some are big in man's eyes; others quite small.  But to God they are all essential in the Body of Christ.....if the ribbons and bows are removed, and the paper torn off, the box opened up, and the gift taken out to be used---not displayed, not adored---just used, then God's plan for us as a work in progress works and we are better people....and His cycle continues in love.