09/05/11

My favorite colors all in one picture.  Makes me smile.

When the teachers went back for orientation to get ready for school to begin, we got to "take a test" ourselves.  One of our principals gave us the "Lion/Otter/Golden Retriever/Beaver" test.  You know the one... it is all about your personality strengths and weaknesses.

As we were having to circle a word in each row that best described who we are, I kept noticing many that I used to consider myself to be, but can honestly say now that I am not as much that way.

This one category was the "Lion."  I definitely used to be a Lion in a lot of ways.  Here are words used to describe the Lion:

Forceful
Pioneering
Self-Reliant
Assertive
Adventurous
Commanding
Independent
Impatient
Unyielding
Strong-willed

Hmmmm.... I see so much of my former self in those words!

Now, there are strengths to that type of personality:

Gets things done, persistent, takes charge, makes quick decisions, solves problems, self-reliant, works hard, accepts challenges.

Not all of these are bad!  I can still see a little of that in myself.

However, here are the weaknesses:

Insensitive, overlooks risks, impatient, inflexible, takes on too much, too demanding of others, resents restrictions, inattentive to detail (I must say, this one was never me...)

Yes... those would have described me a few years back.  I was all about getting things done, but it was usually at the cost of appearing as if I had it all under control.

I found I was also a lot of the "Beaver."  Here are the words to describe that one:

Careful
Correct
Logical
Perfectionist
Disciplined
Critical
Orderly
Serious
Modest
Observant

Most of these I would still consider of myself today and, in fact, were the areas I circled the most on my "test.

The strengths are:orderly, self-disciplines, thorough, analytical, competent, precise, diplomatic, committed to quality.

Weaknesses: overly cautious, too rigid, too detail-oriented, fault-finding, pessimistic

There are a lot of people in the world that say that "they are born the way they are and they can't change" or something of that nature.

What they don't realize is that God is Who made them and He CAN change us to be who HE wants us to be.  Sometimes that change requires some hard times.  Sometimes that change requires a brokenness.

Mine required a little of both.

As I took this test I began to see qualities in this one area that I would not have always seen myself.  Not saying I was NEVER any of these, but just not majority.  It was the "Golden Retriever."  Let me share the words to describe and show what the Lord taught me.

Restrained
Satisfied
Gentle
Generous
Deliberate
Slow-Paced
Kind
Procrastinator
Easy-Going
Friendly

He taught me to hold my tongue and not always say what I think.  

He taught me to be satisfied with what I have because He was never going to leave me nor forsake me.  

He showed me how to be more gentle, generous to others, and kind. 

He taught me that hasty decisions were not always the best even when you "think" you have thought about them. 

He taught me that slow-paced means I can hear His voice better.  
He showed me that being a procrastinator wasn't always bad because I was taking time to come boldly to His throne of grace and it was worth it. 

He helped me see how much less stress I experience when I am easy-going and not so uptight.  

He helped show me what a true friend is.

He changed me.. as He is continuing to change me into who He wants me to be.  He can change you, too.  Don't hold on to those negative sides of your personality thinking that it is "just how I was made."  Anyone can change with Christ giving you the strength.  And, one day, when we see Him face to face, we who know Christ as Savior will all be changed again.....

Philippians 3:21 - Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body,