giftedness
The other day a church asked us if they could film an interview with us for their TV show. WHAT?! That is so not my thing. For so many reasons.
But we did it.
We sat across from the pastor on a comfy couch on the church stage. We were miked up—you know those awesome nearly invisible teeny-tiny ones??—and had 4 cameras aimed our direction. I kept thinking, “Do you really need four angles of us?” Actually, my biggest thought was, “For crying out loud! Today of all days I woke up with a massive zit on my right cheek. Do we really need so many different views of that?!”
We talked (and filmed) for about 25 minutes.
When we finished up, the pastor told us we did a good job. And I scooted off to the bathroom.
Niel told me later that while I was gone, several of the pastors and crew went on and on about how much of a natural they thought I was. They said I seemed so comfortable, I spoke articulately, I carried myself well. HUH?! I don’t see that at all and so it just kind of boggles my mind.
What giftedness do others see in you more easily than you see in yourself? Why is it hard for you to see it?
Mmmm, I’d agree. Even when you’re nervous, you cover well, ‘Lece. Something I’ve always thought was mass-awesome.
Lately… my selflessness has been brought into view a lot. Many times, it’s a comment from either David or my mom. It’s more a thing that I know is there, though, but just forget about it when it happens. And I don’t even really see it as a gift very often, but I throw off other things when a friend is in trouble or even just bored. They come first. That means 110% of me gets devoted to everything I do. Which is why I more often than not see it as a negative thing. I don’t always have that extra 10%, and “my best effort” is just not good enough. :)
@atangie says:
You are great on camera! I saw your videos on the href=”http://www.thriveafrica.org/”>Thrive site.
People tell me I have a confidence and a peace. I totally do not see that. If they see that I give the glory to God and tell you it is nothing more than his grace and more of his grace.
@atangie says:
doh – messed up my html… still learning :-/
Here is the link I was trying to create. :-]
Thrive
Those who haven’t ever visited, or haven’t visited in a while should check it out.
@danielleH says:
Li,
You ARE amazing. That’s super cool – when will this interview be aired?
As far as I go…I’m not sure. People have said they liked my teaching, but that is one thing I am pretty confident it. Other than that…the ability to sing along with Enchanted? Seriously…don’t know.
@moweezle says:
That is so great! I’m sure you did a terrific job and it turned out amazing…you’ll have to give us a peak at your work :)
you are SO a natural on camera!!!
so. can i have your autograph or something? ;)
Annie was just saying the other day that I’ve got a gift for actually doing things. I said, “Huh?” She replied that I’m more likely to use my gifts – actually do things with them – than she is, and it’s inspiring to her. That surprised me… I suppose because I see the flip side of it – the disadvantages. I see myself as a dabbler. When something interests me, and my imagination takes off about what it would be like to do it, or how the project would turn out, my mind can only go so far, and then I HAVE to actually try it. My imagination pesters me if I don’t. But then, so often I get to a point where I start to lose interest, and I wander away, or jump off to dabble in something else. Consequently, I feel like I am far too likely to start things and not finish them… to dabble in tons of things, rather than to give something my all and see where it gets me.
:) Well, I loved this post. Fun to see ‘both sides of the camera.’
As for myself … I’m really with Danielle here – I’m not sure what I’d say! I know several people at work simply will not believe that I’m a shy introvert. My job encourages me to make friends and interact with the people I do know (coworkers), and forces me to be friendly and interact with complete strangers (customers). I’m much better at interacting with complete strangers now than I used to be – but part of it is that I have a ‘restaurant script’ that I can fall back on at any time. My husband wants to go into politics someday – I know I’ll need some kind of stranger-interacting when that happens. Kinda nervous about that. But I’m glad I’ve had these 10 years in restaurants to at least help when I need to force something out. :]
Ok, I just wrote a lot. Does my story count? :)
Oh those people were so right. When you speak in public you are amazingly articulate and self possessed. At Cornerstone, I was listening for um’s and there was never one, plus you were completely engaging when you spoke.
Others often mention my ninja skills.
natalie — seriously?! no “ums” at Cornerstone? I didn’t even know i was speaking there. and i didn’t want to, to be honest! we only had 30 minutes, and we wanted niel to have that whole time to preach — so our plan was that he’d just incorporate into his message an update on thrive. then out of nowhere pastor tim says, “alece, i really want to hear from you — so why don’t you come up here and share an update” — i was flabbergasted. i had no idea what i was going to say and felt very very nervous the entire time. i felt so sure that i “ummed” through the whole entire thing. wow. i’m kind of amazed to hear that i didn’t.
i love hearing about everyone’s sometimes-hidden strengths… from doing things, to interacting with strangers, to ninja skills.
I think I’m going to keep my “sometimes-hidden strengths” to myself…but I will say, I don’t have any ninja skills!
Hmmm… I’m not sure?!
Let us know if we can check out your interview online anywhere!!
i don’t think our interview will actually get edited/produced into their show for quite a while… but that’s ok with me!
those of you that have weighed in — what do you think we can do to see these things more? we are so quick to see what we dislike about ourselves, and yet it takes work to realize the positives. i know i need to work on that!
try more stuff. DO more stuff. be brave & take a risk. i think fear of failure keeps SOOOO many of us from really testing ourselves to see what we’re made of.
i know its true for me.
Alece:
Remember the good things your friends said about you when you’re down. I do it all the time. It works. Like a charm.
And my own familiarity with my own failures and shortcomings keeps me humble because I know most of the rest of the world doesn’t see them.
It makes for quite a balancing act…but the good always wins. Because if I am any worth to my friends, then even when I’m down, I’ll know they NEED me. And they do. I might not always see it, but they do. And they tell me that, too. That helps, too.
I think the real crux is seeing ourselves the way God sees us. He doesn’t see us through rose-colored adoring-fan glasses, but neither does He see us through mistake-laden toe-tapping glasses either. He is very honest and very hopeful. The epitome of both. He sees both the best that is possible (Jesus), and the ugly that is (sin). Therefore He is always ready, both to lift us up beyond ourselves, believing in us when no one else will, but also to correct and reprove when we don’t want to hear it.
As far as things we are gifted in that we may not realize – maybe we just need to talk to our friends more! Ask and give. Ask what they see that we’re doing well in, and give our own encouragement to them as well. Hearing is believing! Where are all of those exhorters, anyway? ;)
When I was watching the video I could see your were talking about something that you are passionate about. You were speaking from your heart not your brain.
Passion will trump the fear of failure everytime.
It is easier for me to remember the stupid things I have done then the times I did something good. I think most of us are like that. I have no idea why.
I have lead projects and thought I did a poor job, then had my bosses and the people I worked with tell me what great job I did.
Look at the product of your efforts. Thrive Africa is 10(?) years old. Is it ready to collapse or still going strong? If it is still going strong what more proof do you need that you are doing a great job?
Look at how people are reacting to you. Are people coming up to you with a smile? Do they want to have you around? If they start avoiding you than that is the time to worry.
@atangie says:
Alece – this sentence you wrote is kinda contradictory, don’t you think?
“we are so quick to see what we dislike about ourselves, and yet it takes work to realize the positives. i know i need to work on that!”
You are focusing on the negative that you need to focus more on the positive. :-)
Yet I concur with your observation.
Some great advice has been given. I especially like Annie’s comment and the comment about asking people around us.
For me I know I am not going to push myself into an uncomfortable position. But when duty calls I am on and just go for it. Sometimes it goes off without a hitch (or an um) and some times I fall flat on my face.
I figure if I am doing what I am doing for the glory of God trusting in his grace working through me to accomplish it then I can rest assured that it will all work out in the end.
What is that thing they say in that huge continent that you live in? This might be spelled wrong – but here goes -
Hakunah Matata
:-)
You are wonderful, marvelous and spectacular Alece! …and you know I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it.
@danielleH says:
Natalie’s totally a ninja.
See it more? I don’t know…I taught this morning, feeling a bit confident in a gifting (and that we taught the same lesson on Sunday to the night group) and I felt like class was not fantastic. I suppose, keep trying. Angie wrote something on my blog about “feeling the most alive” doing something…I think that is a clue to our gifts.
@atangie says:
Someday I hope to meet this Natalie Ninja girl. :-)
does Natalie offer Ninja lessons? i’d like to sign up!
this somehow turned into an “encourage-alece-via-comments” post, which i never intended but certainly appreciate. thanks friends.
for me, when something is pointed out as something i’m better at than i give myself credit for, i’m trying to allow that compliment/encouragement to really soak in. i’m so quick to dismiss it, to brush it off. i need to let it settle in my heart and mind more than usual…
and i definitely want to sign up for some natalie ninja lessons, too.
@danielleH says:
funny.
even as much as i love getting them, it’s hard for me to accept compliments as well. hardly makes sense.
Cal me crazy – but do i detect a certain lack of self-confidence??? :-)
Does someone think that she could be doing so much better if she was only able to see in herself what her good friends do?
Or if she could prevent herself from seeing those ‘flaws’ she sees as Mountains when everyone else sees them as molehills??
Could these be signs of ego at work??
Would it not just be better to do what you do so well and not fret over the small stuff? – like which end of the Hot Dog to leave on the plate???
( Seek Help Girl! ;-) From someone who understands how to overcome ego and give you the mind you want.)
I seem to recall Jesus was pretty good at that sort of thing?
<B
yes, He sure is!
@tamhodge says:
“try more stuff. DO more stuff. be brave & take a risk. i think fear of failure keeps SOOOO many of us from really testing ourselves to see what we’re made of.”
Wow Mandy! When you’re not spending your time pickin on me you say some really smart stuff ;)
Honestly – yup, that’s good! Me too!
People say i’m funny. I just don’t see it.
Tam – like most things in life – The Truly funniest people are those who don’t TRY to be – they just BE themselves and DO what they love.
Leesh – something there for you too maybe?? :-)
To do is to be. Socrates
To be is to do. Plato
Do-be-do-be-do. Frank Sinatra :-)
<B
Tam: you’re NOT funny.
good stuff, y’all. ;-)
and tam, don’t listen to mandy. you so are funny.
way to moderate, alece… and you threw in the “y’all.” which i didn’t notice at first because its THAT natural for me!
HA!
@tamhodge says:
no worries Alece – I don’t listen to Mandy
no one really does anyway…