Hidden Talents

It is coming up for two years since I started my blog and I feel that it is time for appraisal.  The first question that comes to mind is “Why did I do it?”  It isn’t something that I had ever contemplated and I certainly didn’t have any of the skills required to do it. So what was it that prompted me to start it?  As is usual, it was a combination of factors.  I like to think that one factor was the kind comments from recently bereaved friends who said that they had been helped by what I had shared with them.  This seeded the vague thought that maybe my experience could help others as well.  It was during the Coronavirus pandemic and yet another lockdown, so maybe another factor was that I was bored and was looking for a new project.  Of all the ideas that I had – start a discussion/walking group, write a book – the idea of a blog seemed to be the one best suited to my personality.  The only problem was that I had no idea how to start a blog.   I also had several objections to the idea – I am a scientist, not a writer; I am not technically competent enough to start a blog; no-one will want to read it. It was reading the story of the feeding of the five thousand (Matthew 14: 13-21) that challenged me to put aside my objections. I thought of a young lad handing over his small packed lunch to the disciples.  It wasn’t very much, but he was willing to let it go and the miracle happened; there was enough food for a multitude.  I realised that all that is expected of me is to be prepared to give what little that I have and not to worry about the results.  If just one person is encouraged, it will be a worthwhile thing to do.

The first thing I had to do was to learn about blog writing – how to choose a web-host, how to register for a domain name and, hardest of all, how to design a webpage.  I know that I still don’t have it right and know that it is difficult to find one’s way around my site, but it is a work in progress.  Fortunately there are books out there that tell you what to do and I have a son that I can turn to when I am desperate.  It has been a steep learning curve, but I have enjoyed it.  I also had to come up with a name for my site.  I chose the idea of my window because I know that everyone’s experience is unique and will view life through a different window. I can only talk from my viewpoint.  Writing posts has given me new admiration for all the folk out there who are able to produce sermons or newspaper columns on a regular basis.  Well done to them!  I’m afraid that it takes me ages to finish a post and, now that I am back to all my regular activities, it is becoming harder to find the time to write. 

Covid and our response to it had many negative results, but I have to confess that, because of the lockdowns, I have learnt new skills and completed projects that I would never otherwise have done.  Starting my blog gave me the confidence to volunteer (with my son’s help) to get a website up and running for our Scottish Country Dance group.  Not being able to attend stained-glass classes, forced me into working independently and to start designing my own projects, rather than copying them from a book.  It isn’t always easy to try something new, but the satisfaction and enjoyment one gets from trying is its own reward.

What are the barriers that we put up to prevent us from trying something new?  So often an idea comes to mind and we might think “That sounds like something I would like to do”, but it gets brushed to one side and we don’t persevere with it.  It reminds me of the person that looks in the mirror and then walks away forgetting what he/she looks like. (James 1:23). A glance in the mirror usually prompts us to do something to correct our appearance.  In the same way, if an idea really stirs us, we need to act on it. Some of the barriers that I put up in my own life are:

• I can’t

From chatting to friends, I have found that many of us believe we can’t do something because a teacher once said “you can’t sing” or “you can’t draw” or “you can’t play the piano” or “you can’t write” etc.    In actual fact, one can learn to do almost anything if one is determined enough.  If you get joy from an activity, you will work at it.  We mustn’t compare ourselves with others.  There will always be someone who is better than you.  But, by the same token, you will be better than someone that has never tried.

• I don’t have the time

My other excuse for not doing things is “I don’t have the time”.  Well, certainly when I was teaching full-time and running a home and playing Mom’s taxi, I too busy for many things.  However, as a friend reminded me after she had read Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8, that there is a time for everything.  I am learning to prioritise my tasks and find that there is ample time for all that I have to do as well as time for the things that make me happy.

I started off by mentioning a young lad with a packed lunch.  I believe that we all have hidden talents packed away.  Maybe now is the time to take them out and share them. Go on – learn to draw, play a musical instrument, use a camera properly, design a garden, write a book – be creative.  If we believe in a creator God, we are reflecting His likeness when we are creative.