National Boards, Take 2

Dug in today.  A girl in my "Organizational Change" class is certified and leads a support group in her area.  She said she "loves it."  Me:  "Really?  You LOVE National Boards?"  Her:  "Yes."  I accept her answer, but I seriously wonder at my completely opposite regard for the process.

So, I'm trying to channel her love and change my NB paradigm.  I'm also proceeding very prayerfully...not that prayer means I'll get a passing score...just for clarity and peace as I write/teach/create...

I hope sincerely that I can look back at the process and appreciate professional change...I want to be glad I did this and be supportive and positive to others going for it. 

So without any further ado, I'm going jogging to clear my head after all that concentration. :)

Tonight...

...the smell of cedar, a falling star, frogs singing...It's unseasonably warm, and Earth is breathing here on Tate Road. 

Lambert

The kids just finished watching a cartoon about "Lambert".  Lambert is a lion who the stork mistakenly delivers to a sheep.  Lambert grows up a "sheepish" lion, and then one night a coyote comes upon the his herd.  Lambert sees him, is scared, and tries to hide behind the other sheep.  As Lambert watches, petrified, the coyote takes his mother.

At this point, I am engrossed in the plot.  Garon even walks through and asks, "What are you looking at?"  I am thinking to myself, "Lambert doesn't know his potential!"  Even though I know the plot line will resolve happily, I am nervous and rooting Lambert on...

Then I think of myself as an outsider looking in.  Then I think of the characters as us and God being the One looking in.  He knows each of our individual potentials, and we must make him crazy as we hide (or turn away) from the gifts we've been given.  But in His wisdom, He molds us.  Circumstances (usually hard ones) force us to come forth and be who we were made to be.  Not until encountering situations our small human minds could never dream of do we see a glimpse of our enlightened selves.

My good friend, Nancy, also recently shared another angle on the subject of hard circumstances and character building...she spoke of the process metal is put through in order to skim away impurities.  First it is placed above fire, then it is melted, and finally the impurities rise to the top to be skimmed away.  We are like metal.  Sometimes we don't even realize our lack of Grace until we are put "against the fire".  Our reactions to our circumstances reveal our true natures.  Once made aware of our weaknesses, we can give them to God and let Him change us.

Back to Lambert...I'm finding irony as I reflect on the fact that Lambert's "true nature" actually makes him a danger to his family.  However, our "true nature" is equally menacing.  Only with the Grace of God can we use our gifts for good.  Otherwise, like Lambert, our own incompetent misuse inevitably leads to darkness.

All of that said, I pray that God will mold me and let me be His hands and voice and feet here on Earth.  I pray that He takes my life through whatever circumstances necessary to break me from my impurities in order to change my heart.  Please, God, let my eyes be open to Your Will that I may grow closer to You every day of this new year, 2012.  Help me be giving and selfless.  Help me spread Your Light and Love.