From yesterdays bulletin from the desk of Pastoral Associate Fran Taylor: HOW DO YOU USE YOUR GIFTS? When you read that question, do you ask yourself “what gifts?” We tend to think of gifts and talents as something extraordinary. “I can’t draw or paint. I can’t sing or play a musical instrument.” We think of the things we “can’t” do instead of what we can do. Are you a good listener? Are you welcoming? Do you have a nice smile? Don’t compare yourself to others, concentrate on what you can do. If you want to know what your gifts are, perhaps you should think about what you enjoy doing. We forget that not everyone has the ability to cook well, or keep a nice home, or garden. Not everyone has the gift of patience, or perseverance. I never thought that I was creative until someone pointed out that knitting and crocheting – which I love to do – are creative arts. Unfortunately, some of us can go our whole life without appreciating our gifts because no one has ever pointed them out to us. Sometimes, we are afraid to use our gifts because we might not be as good as someone else and don’t want to feel that we have failed. We may not have been encouraged to develop our gifts and feel that it is too late. God is not like the master in today’s reading, but he has given us gifts and talents to be used, not wasted. If we are like the servant who buried his talent, we will not be thrown into the darkness, but we will not experience the joy that comes from a job well done either. If you are unsure of your gifts, ask someone you trust to tell you what they are. If you have children, let them know what their gifts are and encourage them to use and develop them. And believe that it’s never too late to begin!
Posted on: Mon, 17 Nov 2014 19:18:36 +0000