Getting to Know Me Part 4: Undercurrents

So yesterday I mentioned that, according to Strengthsfinder, I have an insatiable thirst for knowledge, and will most likely have my head buried in a book at any given time.

However, I was told to log my top 5, so here are the other three, in order:

3. Learner


People who are especially talented in the Learner theme have a great desire to learn and want to continuously improve. In particular, the process of learning, rather than the outcome, excites them. (And this, in a nutshell, explains why my high school days were the most miserable days of my life.  I love the idea of being in a class, of learning, and with my thirst for knowledge, I just wanted to be taught. And then you get the class clowns who are exactly the opposite....)


Because of your strengths you prefer to work in groups. (Not necessarily) You are attracted to teams whose activities and challenges intrigue you. You usually give these matters your undivided attention. Chances are good that you are attracted to the difficult and challenging endeavours. (If I'm honest, what normally happens is that I somehow accidentally end up volunteering for things or getting involved by default) You are not inclined to look for the easy way out. You are bold. You take risks. (Not really) You dare to stretch your mind. You test the limits of your abilities in ways that timid individuals would not attempt. By nature, you might search for the factors that produced a certain outcome or started a particular chain of events. Sometimes you are frustrated until you figure out why things happen the way they did.(Another major cause of my insomnia) Instinctively, you sometimes dedicate yourself to acquiring specific types of knowledge or using particular skills. Maybe you are self-taught. (Pretty much all my computer skills are self-taught) Maybe you work with an instructor, trainer, coach or mentor. You might embrace opportunities to expose your mind to new ideas.(or I might not) You might welcome the chance to practice new ways of plying - that is, diligently practising - a trade or a craft. It's very likely that you relish reading about topics that fascinate you. People are not surprised to find you with your nose in a book - that is, reading all the time. (The word to emphasise in that sentence is "all") When a subject intrigues you, you review a wide range of printed materials. You glean - that is, collect bits and pieces - as much information as you possibly can about your areas of greatest interest. (What has amazed me in my spring clean this year is how much my interests have changed and how many newspaper articles, emails, magazine articles I was able to throw away).

4. Responsibility


People who are especially talented in the Responsibility theme take psychological ownership of what they say they will do. They are committed to stable values such as honesty and loyalty. (Absolutely)

Instinctively you are a person upon whom others can depend. When you make a promise, you keep it. You feel obligated to honour your commitments. (Whatever it takes) You do things correctly, accurately, and properly. (Doing it any other way is not God-honouring, nor is it satisfying nor does it honour the person you're doing it for) It's very likely that you probably are the team member who wants to be held accountable for the results you produce and the obligations you assume. You can readily admit when you are wrong. You usually accept without complaining the consequences of your words and deeds. Driven by your talents, you may reject the idea that telling a falsehood about something unimportant is acceptable.(A lie is a lie) Perhaps you refuse to make an innocent social excuse to protect someone's feelings.(This is pretty much why my last job was a disaster - because I couldn't in honesty tell someone that my ex-boss wasn't there when she very definitely was.) Because of your strengths, you sometimes work hard to do what you said you would do. (Hometime is a concept to me, not set in stone) Perhaps you take pleasure from hearing people say they can count on you. Being regarded as dependable or trustworthy might be your badge of honour. (See, this is where I have to be very careful - pride can very easily set in) By nature, you may have a reputation for exhibiting more adult-like behaviour than a few of your colleagues, teammates, classmates, friends or others.(Again, why high school was so painful to me - some people just need to grow up!!!) Some individuals regard you as an expert in your field,. Perhaps they notice you are talented, skilled and/or knowledgeable. When certain people appreciate these traits, you might be motivated to use them on a daily basis.

5. Developer


People who are especially talented in the Developer theme recognise and cultivate the potential in others. They spot the signs of each small improvement and derive satisfaction from these improvements.

Instinctively, you are naturally inclined to make sacrifices that benefit someone else. You enjoy being generous with your time, knowledge, skills, experiences, resources or possessions. (Mmmmm ... yes.... to a point). Driven by your talents, you are devoted to helping others. (This much is right) You keep serving , even to the point of your own detriment. (How does that 'n' word go?  Nnnnnnyessss) You toil tirelessly for the benefit of people. You expect nothing in return. Exhausted as you are, you usually derive satisfaction from working on worthy causes with your friends. Because of your strengths, you may sense the good qualities certain people possess. Perhaps you find something to like in many individuals you meet. Sometimes you remind others of the reasons why you think a person is special. In the process, you might boost the self-esteem or confidence of a newcomer. It's very likely that you may derive satisfaction from helping youngsters. The exact nature of your assistance might be influenced by your talents as well as your knowledge and skills. By nature, you like to lift the spirits of the people around you. You know what to do and say so individuals feel useful, valued, appreciated and important.(I'm no saint - I can also be impatient, and cutting).


So that's my core characteristics.  Stay tuned for the final blog in this series, tomorrow,when I will go into what pulls all of these previous posts together, because there is one factor that hasn't been taken into account in any of these tests.

My favourite team

Valuable lessons from 2011

Lesson 5: Even When It's Dark, There Is Light


I've saved the biggest lesson of 2011 for last.  It ties in - sort of - with all the previous ones (except for the cockroaches - it has nothing to do with cockroaches), and even now it's an ongoing lesson, with some of the issues still in the process of being resolved.  They have been incredibly hard lessons, and I've cried bitter, bitter tears, but I've seen amazing blessing as a result.

It started in January.  I'm not going to go into what happened.  I will just say that it was probably the single most painful thing I have ever had to deal with, even surpassing the agony of the divorce I went through in 1999.  It meant severe and immediate changes in everything.  In order to deal with the situation, we had to step down immediately from the leadership position we held in the church; sessions were held with various professionals, and eventually counselling was received.  The result has been restoration and increased closeness as a family.  The sweetest of all has been a greater degree of openness and accountability, which wasn't there before.

We took Catherine to start at Rhodes University, Grahamstown, in February (while still slap-bang in the middle of all this turmoil).  After four months of battling severely, she realised that the course wasn't for her, nor was studying so far from home.  She came back for good to Strand in June.  So many flustered "Oh Lord, what now??" prayers went up at that time, but it only became apparent later in the year when she joined our church's gap year program, Ground Force, that she was never meant to teach high school English.  All her giftings, her passions, her interests are geared towards her being a Grade R/Grade 0 teacher (preschool).  She's been working in a creche in our local township, Nomzamo, having the time of her life.  The other young folks on the course who went definitely did not feel it was something they would do outside of Ground Force, but they went every week as part of their program.  However, Catherine always came back energised and bubbling over at the kids and what she'd learned from them as much as they'd learned from her.  She would never have realised this had she stayed at Rhodes. Many other things still have to be worked out - work, finances, further studies, etc, but I have faith for all of these.

And that's the beauty of this year.  It's been a tough year.  Many of the things that have happened to us have not just had physical and emotional consequences but financial implications - very major ones - which have definitely put us on the backfoot for 2012.  But in many, many ways we are going into 2012 far richer than we could have ever hoped.

I have three children, each with different challenges to meet this year (jobhunting, driving tests, further education, matric exams, learning with ADHD and a nystagmus) but all with a wonderful attitude, and a strong sense of who they are in God.

I have a wonderful family - immediate and extended - who are behind me. I'm hugely grateful for the stronger relationship forged with my sister this year, and an understanding of each other that was never there before.  I'm grateful for my spiritual family, for members who encourage me, and those who are not afraid to give me a proverbial kick up the rear when I'm acting in error.

I'm thankful for an amazing husband who, though he sweats the small stuff and drives us crazy sometimes, in a crisis he is a gifted, sensitive, caring leader, rock solid and one that you can definitely lean on.  I'm grateful for his dependability, his faithfulness, his enduring love and his gentle but firm leadership.  I could not have coped with this year without him.

My awesome family

And I'm grateful most of all to my Heavenly Father, for having my paths clearly marked, for knowing the end from the beginning, for sticking with me through the dark, sleepless nights, for His still, small words of comfort, encouragement or admonishment, for His supernatural provision.

I face 2012 with a small measure of trepidation.  I would lie if I said I didn't. But I leave 2011 with a grateful heart for good, solid lessons.  I would be foolish not to learn from them, and be thankful for them.

Do I want to live through 2011 again?  Not on your life!  Am I glad it happened like it did? You bet!

Happy New Year to all of you.  May 2012 bring you all you wish for, but most of all, my wish is for you to receive God's gift of eternal life, freely offered to you.  May you know His peace, love and forgiveness as you start this New Year.