As I think back, my parents encouraged me to be well rounded. For the most part, I really benefited from their encouragement. I played a lot of sports, though none with any great passion or expertise. In 7th grade, I was one of the shortest in my class, so it limited my ability to excel in school sports. By High School I was playing more individual sports, tennis and golf. We were fortunate to live on a lake and we owned a boat. Water Skiing was an activity I enjoyed with friends, and later in life, I discovered snow skiing, and you know it is a big part of our family. Sports were more for recreation, so when I didn’t excel, my parents encouraged my other strengths. It may be why I enjoyed playing guitar and singing. You didn’t have to be tall and athletic. I am amazed at how things work out. I secretly would have liked to have been a better athlete, but quite frankly, music and guitar would be the talent providing me the most joy and benefited me most in the ministry. At 5’7 1/2”, the NBA wasn’t going to come knocking on my door!
    When it came to education, my parents recognized I did better in Math and Science but struggled in subjects requiring more reading. They were great about encouraging and rewarding my math and science ability but were not overbearing about my limitations in other subjects. When I made an A in subjects like math, they were certainly pleased, but if I made a B or even a C, in subjects they knew were challenging they were still encouraging as long as they knew I was making an effort. They were also available to make sure I had the tools necessary to excel in any subject. One thing they didn’t tolerate was me just giving up and saying, “I am not good at it”, “I had a bad teacher’” or “I don’t like the subject.” Because of their influence, I am pretty well rounded. If I am in a discussion with someone and I don’t understand what they are doing, I just ask questions and like to learn new things.
    If I haven’t said it before in any of my notes, I don’t have a lot of regrets in my life. Of course, there are a few do overs I would like to have and some failures I would have liked to have avoided. As I look back, without some of those mistakes and failures I might not have taken the path for my life directing me to where I could fulfill my God given plan and potential. If there was a do over, I have wondered what my life would be like if my parents and family had not been so concerned about being well rounded and had really encouraged me to follow a path with a little more passion. My parents were pleased I could play the guitar and sing, but they didn’t encourage me to do it with passion. Even some of the athletic pursuits were not encouraged to pursue with passion. I doubt I was ever going to play sports professionally but would have liked a little more encouragement.
    There is no great remorse over any of these things, because at the end of the day my parents were supportive and probably realistic in their evaluation of my talents and therefore did help me reach a lot of my potential in life. With your mother, we did try to encourage her to pursue passions. Your father’s family did a great job, and he accomplished a lot in pursuing baseball.
    It is important to pursue your passion, but always have people around you to guide you to set realistic goals and help you make decisions based on their experience and expertise. This leads me to the talent which probably has defined me and has given me the most satisfaction.
    The summer after I had finished 7th grade, I was allowed to serve in our church’s Vacation Bible School. For the most part we were assistants to the adult leaders and did small jobs for them. The thing I loved most, was at the end of the morning the adult leaders would meet to plan for the next day and all of their children would be sent to our fellowship hall where a couple of my friends and I would lead recreation for about a half an hour. It was so cool to be entrusted with this task. As I look back, it was the first real step into taking on a task for which I was really responsible. This experience was my first time to actually lead something and to teach something. Of course, we were teaching and leading dodge ball, ring around the Rosie and duck duck goose. As simple as it sounds, it was a challenge. Tired 1st graders and rambunctious 6th graders (who were just a year younger) were our assignment. I am not sure if we were good at it or if the adults were just desperate. We were, however, asked back every year and I did this even into high school.
    In his letter to the Romans, Paul encourages followers of Jesus to use their God given gifts.
Romans 12 NASB 3 For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. 4 For just as we have many parts in one body and all [f]the body’s parts do not have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually parts of one another. 6 However, since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to use them properly: if prophecy, [g]in proportion to one’s faith; 7 if [h]service, in the act of serving; or the one who teaches, in the act of teaching; 8 or the one who [i]exhorts, in the work of [j]exhortation; the one who gives, with [k]generosity; the one who [l]is in leadership, with diligence; the one who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
    As an adult, those emerging gifts at VBS have been a big part of my life. Speaking God’s truth with faith, Serving, Teaching, Leadership and Mercy are God given gifts and talents I truly value.
    The gift or talent which gave me the most satisfaction was teaching. I always liked figuring out things, but the opportunity to teach and to explain something brought me a lot of Joy.
    It wasn’t really my plan, but my minor in college was education (there’s a story behind that). Right after I graduated, I didn’t have a lot planned and there were several teaching job openings. I taught 9th grade math for 3 semesters. Teaching in the public school was a great opportunity and it led me back into youth ministry. I remembered those days in VBS how happy I was teaching games and leading events. During my years a pastor, teaching the Bible and finding practical ways to apply God’s truth and the Good News of Jesus’ resurrection brought me the most satisfaction.

    By the time you are able to read this and comprehend it, I hope you will remember the things I have taught you. For now, they are just simple things, like manners, using correct words, grammar, how to put things away, etc. I look forward to teaching you to snow ski, maybe help a little with golf (your dad and his father will probably be better for those lessons) and ultimately these notes will not just tell you about my life but will teach you some life lessons and especially about what life as a follower of Jesus is about!
    It is already obvious you have God given talents. Remember this, don’t judge your talent by how wealthy you become or home much fame you acquire. Judge your talent by how fulfilled you feel as you pursue it and is it bringing Glory to God!

Gee Sprague, October 20, 2022