Dear All of Us,
We're so doggone
fortunate.
Here we are
all together in this
School of God's Love,
classmates in God's
GIFTED AND TALENTED
PROGRAM
- gifted to give
- talented to transform.
We're learning
the art and science of
God's Creative Love.
We are discovering
what that means about us
and what we mean for others.
God sure is
one high energy dynamo.
God is Love Energy
that just can't
settle, slow or stop.
There is this pulsating,
joyous, constant and
ever continuing
expansion and fashioning.
It creates us
- ever present and
progressive tense -
GIFTED AND TALENTED
to join in the exuberance
and dynamic of creation
and redemptive recreation.
It just gets better and more
in its extravagant continuance.
Some call that evolution,
expanding consciousness,
or cosmic phylogenesis.
They're good starters
but they just begin to suggest
the marvel and mystery.
Speaking of Genesis,
we have in it
an artful portrayal of God
creatively at work in the
Studio of Reality,
and bringing us
into the endeavor.
So engaged,
we study our
GIFTS AND TALENTS
and their employment
as co-creators in the
Energy Field that is God.
It's exciting to have
each other as classmates.
We are all in on the deal
together in different ways.
We are like
rarefied hues
blending in
a glorious sunrise.
We are like the team
at Boeing
constructing the new
Airforce One.
We are like
medieval artisans
crafting the
Cathedral at Chartres.
We are like
musicians performing
Tchaikovsky's
1812 Overture.
We are like the culinary crew
catering a community barbeque.
We are unique.
We are one.
We are together
enlivening,
busy co-creating.
We are "God At"
- good at -
all sorts of ways
of such doing:
scientific research,
farming, an assembly line,
driving a bus, teaching,
child care, counseling,
a small business,
corporate guidance,
pastoring, music, poetry,
making the world's
best ever pizza,
retail, tailoring,
medical practice,
and endlessly more.
Those above are but
a fraction of our
GIFTS AND TALENTS
applied.
All spring from
God given
to be
God giving.
They are as varied
as our bodily DNA.
Here in class
we sense them,
intuit them,
notice them,
welcome them and
learn to put them
"to doing,"
as
John Wesley
counseled.
They are intellectual,
physical, social,
organizational,
spiritual, artistic,
scientific, relational,
and dynamically
so much more.
They appear and recede,
as we move through
our times and settings.
I preached for
way over fifty years.
No more.
Really can't do it.
Now I write and counsel.
That I can do.
I also make the bed,
sweep the floors,
give time and love
to my family
and friends.
Lots of little things
to bring order and care.
Every morning
I take out the trash.
- Yep, there's
a giftedness,
a talent to do it -
In doing that I try
to close doors quietly
so as not to awaken
sleeping neighbors
on this floor of our
apartment building.
I smile and say
hello to folks
when out walking.
Little lots of gift and talent.
The Schoonovans were
an elderly couple
in our church years ago.
So dear and delightful.
Renn had been head
of the trustees.
Marie had played the organ.
Then they were homebound.
So they dedicated themselves
to praying for the people
in our church and people
all the way out worldwide.
They also sent notes and cards
to parishioners experiencing
good times to rough times.
Little lots of gift and talent.
Hopefully we are free
of worldly calculations
and its peeking orders.
To write a book, or
to thank the bus driver,
are twins in creative love.
GIFTS AND TALENTS
are not for
power, prestige, position.
They are for nurture,
support, freeing,
development,
transforming,
the free flow
of God's ongoing creation
with us participating
as co-creators,
whatever/however
we transform.
So some had the strength
to move the stone
and others the artistry
to order it in the
majesty of Chartres.
Little lots of gift and talent.
Yes, we're so doggone
fortunate.
We're all together in this
School of God's Love,
classmates in God's
GIFTED AND TALENTED
PROGRAM
- gifted to give
- talented to transform.
Your Co-Learner and Classmate,
John Frank
******
If you care to,
over the next while,
please take
slow time,
deep sensing,
considered application,
with what follows.
What is revealed?
How accept it?
How share it?
PRAY AND PONDER
- "The gift you have been given,
give as a gift."
I Peter 4:10
What gifts and talents do I have?
- spiritual
- physical
- intellectual
- organizational
- artistic
- relational
What is singular
and unique
about how
they are in me,
toning them to
my particularity?
- " Since we have gifts
that differ according to
the grace given to us,
each of us is
to exercise them
accordingly:
if prophecy,
according to
the proportion
of his faith;
if service,
in his serving;
or he who teaches,
in his teaching;
or he who exhorts,
in his exhortation;
he who gives,
with liberality;
he who leads,
with diligence;
he who shows mercy,
with cheerfulness."
Romans 12: 6-7
Let's apply these
to our living
and doing.
How do these shoes fit?
- " Each person is given
something to do that
shows who God is:
Everyone gets in on it,
everyone benefits.
All kinds of things
are handed out
by the Spirit,
and to all kinds
of people!
The variety is wonderful:
wise counsel
clear understanding
simple trust
healing the sick
miraculous acts
proclamation
distinguishing
between spirits
tongues
interpretation
of tongues.
All these gifts have
a common origin,
but are handed out
one by one
by the one Spirit of God.
He decides
who gets what,
and when,"
I Corinthians 12; 7-11
The Message Translation
What have I
been given to do
"that shows who God is"?
How is that worked out
in daily life?
- Who needs what I have
as gift and talent from God?
Where are they?
How do I practically
go about sharing
with them?
- What holds me back
and what frees me up
in sharing God's
gifts and talents
given to me?
How best give in concert
with others and their
gifts and talents?
******
A WODERFULLY JOYOUS
WELCOME
to folks new
to our sharing here.
Again this week
we had an outstanding
number of folks from
INDONESIA
How wonderful!
"frankly speaking"
spirituality for the street
Posting
is early every
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east coast USA time
johnfrankshares.blogspot.com
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online version
******
You are so gifted
and talented.
God needs you
as co-creator.
See you all next week!
******
We each and all have
GIFTS AND TALENTS
given to be given
