Jealousy

Jealousy is a strong motivator and sometimes leads us to do bad things like it did to Joseph's brothers in the book of Genesis who tried to kill him. It reminds me of when I was jealous about my wife and kids accomplishments: professional artist; professional musician/school teacher; college professor/French teacher; and professional landscape architect. Who says the grass is not greener on the other side?

The Scorecard

Baseball fans sat anxiously emjoying the thrill of the moment through nine innings of exciting play-by-play action. Then, the time of reckoning came to total the numbers to see who won.

If you have been following along with me through this series of 'Identity Crisis'  you will have learned how God whispered to me daily and thus continued to mold and shape my character.

So who am I? I am a person who among many things loves God, am fascinated by words, and loves people.

It has been my hope that you have also experienced God's whispers in your own life through sensing His presence in everything you do, and can identify how He continues to mold and shape your character. And on this path we can all do like the late Dr. Robert Cook said, "walk with the King and be a blessing." 

The Worth of Change

When we think of change the first thing that comes into our mind is pocket change or coins. But change also applies to life styles and it can be challenging.

When the former president, Barack Obama,  first ran for office he offered change in his campaign strategy and immediately everybody jumped on his bandwagon. Likewise, not too long ago, now president Donald Trump did the same thing.

Spiritual change occurred in my life when I became a Christ-follower at church camp and since than my life has changed through reading the Bible.

Attending a local Bible preaching church all my life I didn't always have a desire to read the Bible. It came on gradually when one day I suddenly realized that it was changing the behavior of my life. This new experience can also happen to you.

So through the power of the Holy Spirit edifying me through reading the Bible, God continues to bring me closer to being the person I am meant to be.   
 

God Loves People More Than Anything

I hear it in church all the time, listen to it on my car radio, and will never forget it, "God loves people more than anything."

People are important. Where would the world be without people?

For many years I worked in a hospital. Caring for and helping people was second nature to me. And so with my love for people God continued to mold and shape my character. 

People are important to God. In rank they are created in His own image slightly lower than the angels and given dominion over the animals. Even when sin entered the world He loves them and continues to provide an escape for them from punishment through Jesus Christ. Yes, God loves people more than anything.   

Piece of Cake

It was like eating a delicious piece of cake, and who could pass it up? Not me.

Memorizing things is part of my DNA, and while many people struggle with it, I'm proud to say for me it's a piece of cake.

Science and math are easy to memorize. 2+2 will always = 4, and water is always composed of hydrogen and oxygen. 

Growing up in a Bible preaching church I learned out to study the Bible, in fact I grew to love it. So following our youth group every Friday night after watching movies, playing games, and listening to some stories, we memorized Scripture verses, earned some prizes, and it was fun.

Along with increasing my reading retention, memorizing help me build my vocabulary. So on 3x5 index cards and using Barron's book titled How To Prepare for SAT as my source, I developed a habit of learning 10 new words daily with the end result being 3500 new words. 

The power of a whisper from God left a great impact in my life just like He does with you. And so, through my love for words, God continued to mold and shape my character. 

The S.A.T Freak Me Out

Some times there are things that come along in life that may freak us out, and what does that mean?

To be freak-out is to experience a wildly irrational reaction or spell of behavior...and that's what happened to me when I encountered the awesome task taking the S.A.T. test. Wow!

Introduced in 1926 the SAT, better known as the Schlastic Aptitude Test, is a widely accepted standardized test used for college admission in the United States.

Taking the SAT back in high school was devastating. In the big picture I just wasn't a good test taker. It wasn't in my DNA. Math and Science were OK, but vocabulary freak me out. 

Most troubling to me was the attempt to identify and match antonym and  synonym words. My mind froze just looking at them and nothing made any sense.

But there was light at the end of the tunnel. Using some index cards I develop a technique to memorize over 1800 words. Yes, surely it helped me taking tests, enhanced my reading comprehension, and improved with my communicating skills.

This experience continued to mold and shape my character. I'm known as a come from behind kid. And who says God doesn't provide during a time of need? I had to wake up and smell the roses.   

The Road Map

The road map is a plan or strategy intended to achieve a goal.

Walking with God is like living with a road map. It guides, molds and shapes our character. Yes, true identity is created by God. 

The subject of baseball planted a seed within me that helped make me to be the person that I am.

Now it is time to Move On to better things that helped develop my character even more, and that was building a stronger and better vocabulary. But how can that be??? You'll be surprised.

As I sit back and reflect I am amazed at just how God put all the pieces together in my life. Do you feel the same way? When you look back in your life do you sense God leading you just like looking at a road map?

The Wall is Paradse

At The Wall I was in paradise. It was a place of extreme delight and happiness. I was in my second heaven.

All the action took place at The Wall in my backyard where eventually all my character was molded and shaped. It was a respite where God whispered new and exciting things to me.

The backyard was rectangular in shape surrounded by a 4 story apartment building facing a two story coach house with a fence on one side and joined by a garage wall on the other. 

The Wall was the backside of a five car garage (20'x40'). It was there I repeatedly threw my tennis ball against that wall and dreamed to my heart's content that stirred my imagination to write baseball stories.

Later in life it was a rude awakening when I realized that God was whispering something important to me. If only I knew then and don't I wish. 

Perhaps God has been whispering something to you all along your journey, just like to me, and you didn't even know it. Wow! How life can change.

  

When You Wish Upon a Star

Magic stirred my heart whenever I heard Jiminy Crickett sing "When You Wish Upon a Star" in Pinocchio...and I could listen to it all day and dream.

Did you ever wish upon a star? What if you could be whomever you wanna be? Your discovery may surprise you.

I was in my second heaven in my backyard close to The Wall.

With my tattered baseball glove and tennis ball I was whomever I wanted to be. While throwing that ball against The Wall I was a pitcher, catcher, shortstop, first baseman, and more. It was fun to dream and I could do nothing wrong.

God was preparing me to be creative and I didn't even know it at that time. Reflecting back over my life I came to realize that God was always whispering something to me.

Is God whispering to you? Perhaps you should slow down and listen to what He has to say. 

Listening to the Radio

Listening to the radio helped me discover who I am. Learn from previous blog posts up to now how God reveals a character builder pattern in my life and can do the same for you. 

Listening to all the play-by-play action increased my interest in baseball.

Everyday at breakfast I was intrigued with the colorful cereal boxes. So when I saw the opportunity to get some plastic baseball players immediately I jumped to it. Five buck's stuffed into an envelop with a box top and they were all mine.

Anxiously I ripped open the box upon arrival. Inside gawking eyes looked at a variety of players—pitcher, catcher, shortstop, batter, and more. Naturally the thrill of a 12 year old boy escalated. 

Next with some scrap wood from our local grocery store I made a baseball field slightly larger than a Monopoly board surrounded with a 4" wall, double on two sides to accommodate dugouts, some construction paper, and with a compass made a diamond.

With a makeshift spinner I heard those old familiar words, "Play Ball!" and I was entertained for many hours. Wow!

So God was already at work molding and shaping my character. Yes, He continues to give all of us gifts and talents to share with the world.

Is Hindsight Better than Foresight???

The preacher pounded the pulpit with his fist white shouting to an awe inspiring crowd. Then came that old familiar rhetorical question, "Is hindsight better than foresight?"

As I sat back and reflected over my life I saw a pattern develop. When a kid God started showing me who I am.

Every chance I got, without hesitating, I got comfortable next to my radio and listened to all the play-by-play action. Back then, Jack Quinlan always gave us an exciting, colorful scenario that got all of us easily engaged. We felt like we were all right there on the playing field never missing a beat. 

So the radio launched my interest in baseball and little did I know it than, but it started to carve out my true identity. And who said God doesn't give all of us gifts and talents to share with the world???

p.s. This article replaces "The Significance of Baseball," a title mentioned in yesterday's devotional.

 

Wheels In Motion

When people ask me who I am it sets the wheels in motion turning in my brain. Surely, this is a complex subject to talk about, doesn't always have an easy answer, and it may surprise you how I used my research to establish some positive markers that changed my life. 

Looking at lots of likes and dislikes did they tell me who I am? Not always.

Recently a friend of mine took a career aptitude test. It felt like many long hours sifting through an endless lists of career opportunities with 5 choices ranging from most disliked to most liked. Did it help with her identity? Sometimes, but not always.

Lots of other people get caught up in the 'stereotype trap.' It's like trying to put a square peg into a round hole. 

So who am I? It started to crystallize in my life many years ago as a diehard Cub baseball fan, the result may surprise you, and so I encourage you to read my next blog post titled: The Significance of Baseball." And yes, God gives everybody gifts and talents to share with the world. 

The Identity Crisis

According to the dictionary an identity crisis is a period of uncertainty and confusion in which a person's sense of identity becomes insecure due to a change in their expected aims or role in society. So who am I? 

During some intense psychiatric counseling I spent many long hours sharing my feelings. Finally, and I must say her patience wore thin, I learned that the topic of discussion focused more on circumstances rather than who I really am. 

Since this rude awakening I started looking at my strengths and weaknesses that helped identify whom I really am. Can you identify with this experience???

Identity crisis solved? Not yet. Only to learn that God created all of us as individuals with special gifts and talents. Do you know who you really are???