America’s Got Talent

We all belong to the same human family, but, we all have subtle differences. We all have eyes, but the range of size and color are such a testament to the creativity of the Lord. Something so small, yet so individually created and loved into being by our Father.

We are all gifted with different abilities too. You have special talents, give to you by our Father, to use for his glory. No one is born without some special strength. Even though I know that to be true, I’ve heard people deny it.

“I can’t do anything right” or “I missed the announcement to get in the talent line, so I don’t have any special skills.”

I want to say, “Oh brother. Who’s been telling you this stuff?”

It’s not God, that’s for sure. He says you are fearfully and wonderfully made.

My mother-in-law would say that she was born without any talent. She never learned to play a musical instrument, never owned a bike, never played sports. The list of what she ‘couldn’t do’ was endless.

You know what’s funny? She would tell me this while serving a ninety-eight-course meal every Sunday. (Slight exaggeration…but only slight.)

Yep, for twenty plus years, our family would drive out to Grandma and Grandpa’s for Sunday dinners. This was an Italian tradition,

and was it nice! We’d have pasta with homemade sauce (‘gravy’), two kinds of meat and at least three vegetables. Sometimes we’d have crostini and homemade lasagna or ravioli. Yeah Grandma, you have no skills at all. Pass the bread (homemade, of course)!


I’d try and try to tell her that she was an incredible cook. She’d always pooh-pooh the idea that she could cook. You know who thinks that’s crazy? All the people who can’t cook! Like me!

Oh, I can boil water and do basic stuff. But you don’t see me making homemade pasta or cooking for six or seven guests every week for twenty years. (I didn’t even describe the desserts…)

I think the problem lies with how the concept of ‘talent’ is viewed. Unless we are Captains of Industry, or Olympic Athletes, somehow our abilities don’t seem that important. Or worth anything. What is cooking next to a baseball player making multimillions a year?

But that’s human logic; God doesn’t think that way. He sees my MIL and that baseball player as equals. Both of them are using their abilities for their enjoyment, and for others too. That is exactly why they were given in the first place.

We shouldn’t be busy deciding what talents ‘count’ and which ones don’t. We should all celebrate our talents, no matter what they are. They are all unique and beautiful and God given, so isn’t that enough?

The next time I whistle with my fingers in my mouth, help administer first aid or lead a Bible Study, I’m going to revel in these gifts. Because you know what? They’re special. And God loves to see me use his gifts, not rate them.

Linking today with: Fellowship Fridays , Faith Filled Fridays , Bible Love Notes
Monday Morning Musings

No ‘Take-Backs’



As far as the east is from the west,

So far does he remove our transgressions from us .

Psalm 103:12


This does not appear to be far enough.


The Lord knows that I am not perfect. After I fall, I need his forgiveness so our relationship won’t remain broken.

What he takes away, is gone. Gone FAR.

But a funny thing happens sometimes. After being forgiven, I’ll go back to feeling guilty about what I’ve done. The remorse stops me in my spiritual tracks, and I get stuck in the mud all over again. It sounds so silly…well, it is silly. But I still manage to do it.

A friend told me, “I give my burdens to the Lord. Then I run to him and snatch them back!” I can completely relate. We both know that obsessing over a sin that’s forgiven, or worrying about burdens submitted to the Lord, are just gigantic wastes of time. It’s all in the right hands, and there should be no ‘take backs’.

After all, how would I feel if I forgave a friend, only to have her continually apologize? Either she didn’t hear me correctly, or didn’t believe me. Her constant regret makes sure the air is never cleared. We won’t heal until she accepts forgiveness with all her heart. And I want her to do that!

God says to me: “It’s ok, I see your sorrow. You are forgiven.” Am I going to respond by not believing his words? Just like my friend, it’s up to me to accept and renew my relationship with him. It does no good whatsoever to relive the sin. It’s gone. I need to move on.

My sorrow, instead, can be transformed into a renewed effort to reflect the light of Christ. No more going back and wallowing in the sin and sorrow. I was forgiven and graced to do better things than that!

God wants me to move past it all. He knows that deep down; I don’t want to hurt anyone, especially him. He shows me, by his forgiveness, that our relationship is important.  My acceptance of the forgiveness tells the Lord that I want to start fresh.

King David says my forgiven transgressions are gone, thrown far away, as far as the east is from the west. Running to go find them again is such a misdirection of my energy. I want to accept this amazing gift of love, and use it to go forward, pay it forward, and live it forward.

God has done a wonder in me by forgiving and forgetting my sins. He even flings them far off in the distance, so I won’t see them anymore. What more can he do?

Lord, help me today to accept and cherish the forgiveness you offer me. I come to you with a “broken and contrite heart”. (Ps. 51) That is all you ask of me, and your grace in Jesus will make me whole. It will make us whole.