gifts

The times I have felt most cherished are when I have been described as a "gift" - it happened yesterday and it really is a wonderful thing to be told. It's had me realise that I can take more opportunities to tell the lovelies in my life how I see them as a gift - if they bloom as much as I did for being told, then it's worth doing ten thousand times.
The guy I met was well practiced in the skill of giving good compliments - that is not at all meant cynically - I think it can be hard for us to receive compliments without wanting to diminish or refute them, and I think it can be hard to give a sincere compliment in a way that people are able to hear and hold them. I made him write it down so I could hold onto it better ;) He was also very much a gift to me, and I recognised a similar ministry in that his way of being with people is one I aim for too. I have been asked to share at an event, of how my faith and work co-incide. I'm kind of hoping I can find my notes from when I did something along those lines before, save me re-inventing the wheel, but if not, I feel in touch with it now - maybe I should re-write it now even tho it's weeks off yet and I don't know the specifics of what I'm wanted for.
Aside from what I get paid for, I feel I am "called" to be an encouragment to folk. So it's about the delight I was on about yesterday. I suspect most of us do not have a true sense, most of the time, just how delighted people are that they exist. Cos a lot of the time we have stuff flying around that stops us from showing our joy at knowing others. When I did schools work, we sometimes had a pupil walk into the class and have the whole class applaud them. It's what happens to celebs appearing on, or hosting, TV shows - people clap just for them turning up. Most of us don't get that when we arrive at work. We may get a warm welcome upon reaching home - especially if we have a dog, tho I know I could try harder at greeting my kids enthusiastically. Need to work on my wag :D There's a guy at my Friday choir who is ace at it - when people arrive - esp if they're a bit late, he often cheers and calls their name "Such a person's here - yay!! - we're going to be alright now!" It's such a contradiction to our common fears - that we're a nuisance for being late, that it wouldn't have mattered if we hadn't turned up at all. It's why I love the Tipitina song so much - you are a blessing. Might just share that with my new friend ;)