I truly do not believe that any one of us really knows what our real and full talents and abilities are as they were gifted to us at conception by an Almighty, Loving, and Living God. Now keep in mind that for the Believer, God makes no mistakes, that nothing happens to or for us unless it is approved and allowed to happen to us by our Creator, and that were are to rejoice and be glad and joyful in all things that happen to us as we live here on earth, whether those things are good, bad , or neutral in nature. These are the ground rules for the abundant life that God promises all believers while they reside on earth….no exceptions.
Why do you suppose it is that when we are asked to do something or to participate in a new and exciting or frightening activity, whatever the case, in which we have never before been actively involved,…that the first response to flow from our mouths is rejection of the invitation or some other weak-kneed, limp-legged, whiney excuse(s) as to why we can not get involved or make even a meager contribution….without even first trying or attempting or even playing some sort of minor role. Why is that? May I suggest to you that the answer to that question is provided to you with just one word….selfishness. Now does it bother you at all, even the least little bit that selfishness is the very basis,…the very foundation of all sin?
How do you know you can’t sing, can’t dance, can’t act, can’t talk well, can’t pray well, can’t read well,…can’t….can’t….can’t unless and until you have in fact tried to do something that you have been requested to do, provide, or contribute?
Life and how you live it is truly a choice. You either choose to be actively involved, happy, and joy-filled, and spewing enthusiasm in the love, care, and service to your fellow man,… or you refuse to live that way. You have a choice. And you will have to make it. You cannot dodge or side-step the responsibility of making such a choice. You see, “no choice is a choice.” Failure to choose how you will live is an automatic choice to refuse to live your life loving and serving your fellow man and your God. Choosing to live a life of love, service, and joy-filled, enthusiastic happiness is going to take a lot of work. In the beginning of this chosen lifestyle, you are going to have to put forth a great deal of effort and energy as you develop this joy-filled life. Do it anyway. I promise you, it will be well worth the doing.
The majority of us will most definitely find great joy, pleasure, happiness, and fulfillment in our own lives if we would simply step out of our own comfort zones and into the fringe of fear and try doing some of the very things that we have run from all of our lives and done almost anything imaginable to avoid having to be asked to get involved. How do you know you won’t be able to do something new and different, if you have never attempted doing it before in your life?
Such an actual thing, event, and involvement has happened in my life during the past two years. My late wife, Jan, lost her five year battle against cancer on September 11, 2011 and passed on into eternity to be her with Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. During the 42+ years of our wonderful marriage, I had always referred to her as my “Little Flower.” I made this reference as a connection to her beauty both inside and out, and in loving fraternal reference to my college fraternity, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, at the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho. You see, the beautiful lavender flower, the “violet,” was the symbol, the emblem, of my fraternity. Whenever I called “my bride forever” my “Little Flower” it was done in remembrance of her beauty as a Violet Queen contestant of my college fraternity where we had first met and fallen in love. Our meeting one another was as close as one could ever get to being a “love-at-first-sight” experience. She stole my breath away!
My closest friend and fraternity brother from college days, Rick Carr from Donnelly, Idaho delivered a major portion of Jan’s eulogy at her funeral service held in Spokane, Washington. As he neared the completion of his shared words regarding Jan and her life, Rick, completely unannounced and unplanned, brought up my reference to Jan and her beauty that had been developed since our college days as a comparison to our fraternity’s flower, the Violet. Rick had also been the President of our Fraternity while we were in our final year of school.
We as fraternity brothers sang many different and varied songs, both individually and as an all male choir. Total participation by all members of the fraternity was not optional, but rather required. I mouthed more words than I ever actually sang. One of the most beloved songs in our choir repertoire was entitled “Violets.” Rick Carr had also been our fraternity’s song leader.
Now it must be shared that I am in no way a vocalist. Any talent or ability I have in vocal singing could only be compared to a band of howling coyotes on a full moon lit night. I never voluntarily sing in public. I carry water better than I carry a tune. My vocalization, like most bad singers, is only delivered while taking a shower in complete privacy.
Without provocation or expectation, in the closing of his solemn and loving remarks, Rick Carr, calls me by name, out of the audience and up to the platform alter in front of the multitudes in attendance and in front of my wife’s casket. He then commands me to join him in the duet singing of our fraternal song,… “Violets.” What could I do? There are certain things, certain times, and certain people that you simply cannot refuse. This was one of those times, things, places, and people….We sang the duet acappella!
Now please do not ever try to tell me that life is just a bunch of random, miscellaneous happenings, or series of events. God is in total control of everything that happens to us or is brought into our life. I sang the song as best I could, given the situation in existence at the moment of request. I tried,…I did what I could do,…I acted with what little I had. I used what God had given me. It was a most difficult effort as I was over whelmed with the emotion of it all. At the conclusion of the song, “Violets” I was still breathing, still conscious, and still overflowing with emotion. I had survived and even remembered the lyrics!
Nothing happens by accident for no real reason in the life of a believer. I am very involved and committed to my home Church and its members. I am actively involved in the workings and doings of this body of believers. I regularly attend all services for which I am able to attend. Our congregation like most congregations is filled with many wonderful and highly talented believers. Much like your own local church, we also have too many folks who attend but do not participate in supporting roles to the machinations and needs of the church.
Two years ago, one of the male members of the church choir cornered me and demanded that I join the choir and begin practicing and singing with them as they and their role in our Sunday services was expanding. They truly needed more voices…now not later! Of course, my first reaction and related comments was to make 15 to 20 really good and sound excuses as to why I could not do it. None of the excuses were even heard, let alone, listened to. My friend and I bantered about, offered and counter-offered, all to no avail. The excuse breaker was that the man making the command on my life to sing had in fact, attended Jan’s funeral service and had listened to Rick Carr and me sing “Violets.” Ahhhh another one of those “what can you do or say” moments. I was had. You are either obedient to the requests, demands, and calls made on your life or you are disobedient,… rebellious. It is always one or the other, there never is any middle ground. You simply cannot succeed in life by straddling the fence and remaining indecisive.
All real power in your life comes through your acts of submission,…not rebellion.
Hence I joined the choir. Scared, hesitant, and unsure. You who know me may ask…Is this really Dave Severn saying these things?… What’s the matter, do you think I am invincible? not human? weak?…ever scared? As unsure and unconfident as I was, I submitted my insecurities, cast off my doubts, gargled with some warm salt water….and showed up at choir practice!
I began to sing in the solitude of my now very empty home. I regularly attended all scheduled choir practices. I began following some of the advice and counsel that I give to other people who were attempting to do some herculean-level things for the first time in their lives.
And…it worked!…This old cowboy, that would be me, is singing in church every month and is loving every minute of it! Now mind you I am not singing any solos, and I am definitely not the lead singer…But I am involved and contributing to the best of my current ability. And I am practicing with the intention to get better and better as each month comes and goes….Who would have ever “thunk” such a thing would have ever happened in the life of Dave Severn?
Hey you over there in the corner…stop laughing…I am super sensitive.
The success of my involvement in the choir comes through the total acceptance of me, just as I am, by all of the other choir members. The one who has impacted, encouraged, and urged me onto to continued and greater efforts and involvement has been the incredibly gifted and talented Choir Leader, Mrs. Deidra Brown. Her excitement, training, and blazing enthusiasm has definitely inspired me to want to do my best and to continue to work to improve my very limited abilities. The other choir member’s constant encouragement, and support without a single word of criticism or chastisement has greatly strengthened my desire to remain a part of this wonderful group of men and women. My commitment level to continue on learning and growing and contributing has been what has kept me involved and giving my best efforts. I am simply motivated and encouraged to do my very best as I trail off into this new arena of excitement in my life.
The fact remains, no matter who you are or what you have accomplished, new excitements way outside the boundaries of your personal ability and comfort zone can, in fact, bring new areas and people into your life that will uplift, encourage, and motivate you to grow and keep growing as a human being and as a child of God. All of this sort of thing is what living on the edge is really all about! Oh the joy…that doing such new things brings to your heart….that can then be shared with other of God’s creations and in so doing help uplift and encouraged them.
What has happened to me, is total confirmation of the truth of human nature that one excuse is as good as another whenever you are making them. However, never forget the truth of life that always is in operation… any excuse will do whenever you decide to make excuses instead of making something good happen!
One of my mentors said it best. Successful people make a lot of money and they make a lot of good things happen,…..Failures, well, they just make a lot of excuses. May I ask a final question?…..Which one are you?
Peace and Love to All of You………………..Poppa Bear