I always wondered what the phrase "reinventing the wheel" meant. After the automobile was invented, did some genius decide that a round wheel was a bad idea? Did he actually believe that a triangle wheel or a square wheel was a better idea? We all know that a round wheel on a car, bicycle or truck has and always will be a great idea. I have never seen a car on the LIE with triangle wheels! Since late 2021 I have thought a lot about my own life and how I need to "reinvent the wheel" when it comes to me personally. Let me explain!
When I had Covid-19 last December I had a lot of time to think and pray. I did a lot of that since daytime TV is truthfully for the birds! I thought a lot about my future and what I want to accomplish in the next few years and beyond. I realize that God gave me a gift and that is to reach and teach children as well as write. I questioned God and wondered "Maybe my years as a children's pastor and ventriloquist were over. Maybe it's time to begin 'reinventing' myself?" I had thoughts about maybe planting a church, working for a homeless ministry or maybe doing what my first love was...becoming a missionary. I knew that in February I would be turning 58. Don't get me wrong, I don't consider 58 as being an old man or someone who is useless. I honestly feel mentally I am a young guy but physically with back issues some days I feel more like I'm 78! I took the time to pray real hard and ask God what exactly He was calling me to do. I really didn't think he wanted me to continue to work with children and thought maybe a had a career as a children's author. "Kids would rather have a hip, cool and groovy guy teaching them, not some gray haired dude who talks to puppets!" I seriously tried very hard to "reinvent myself" during the month of January. When my back issues got worse, I thought it was a sign from God. Boy was I wrong.
I have been an "idea machine" ever since I was in 3rd grade. That is when I discovered I had a gift for writing! I loved being creative and my favorite class in High School was Creative writing. In college I wrote for our schools newspaper. When I discovered in college I had a gift of doing puppets (truthfully the last ministry I ever thought I would ever do) I thought it would be for a short time, I found out a few years later it would be the calling on my life. Ideas always flooded my mind when I was a pastor. While in my own head I was tying to reinvent myself during January and February this past year, God was putting more ideas in my head. I started writing a christian play and began developing that. I got an idea for a new chicken puppet who was very nervous.I named him Chester. He will come out of an egg basket and I bought a few Styrofoam eggs I am presently painting and creating that he will be overly protective of. I also got an idea for a sock puppet who is a groovy hippie guy. As I put the sock on my hand I plan on putting together this puppet as I talk to the audience. He has nuclear green hair and fake eyes. He was extremely cheap to make! I learned one thing these past few months. It was not time to reinvent the wheel in my life, it was time reinvest in me. I had to do the very things God gifted me to do. I had to do what makes me happy and use my talents for God. I am not saying I am going to be a Terry Fator or Jeff Dunham as a ventriloquist. I am not planning on being the next Stephen King or James Patterson as an author. I am planning on being me and seeing where God takes it. It's time to reinvest in me. I believe 2022 is going to be a special year and I look forward to sharing with you in the coming months what is taking place!
HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!
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