Who would go to one of my live shows?

[ReadYourBible]

I'm 'gifted' too.  Sometimes its a curse, because Satan uses the gift to draw us out and try us.  It comes in the form of a record contract, or an invite from a well respected band member etc., or in my case, an invite to author papers with a very gifted female professor as well who won numerous 'Top 40 under 40' awards and has money thrown at her for research because she's just 'that smart', whose offer meant I could have easily established my own credentials in my field, and received accolades for the research I was conducting. 

 

Yet, you see the example of Moses, he was trained in all of the finest education of the time, well versed in the political climate and whatever else was important for someone being groomed to be a man of prominence among the Egyptian people.  In fact, he was already prominent in his own right.  Yet, he turned aside from the lure that Satan had cast before him, and chose to be treated poorly along with Jehovah's other servants.  If you can't keep your 'gift' in its place, then you'll need to re-examine your priorities. 

 

I wish you success in Jehovah's organization, and a career which supports you in doing what you can for him.  If you truly look at your gift as God-given, then use it please to glorify him.

 

 

Edited September 23, 2016 by cerebral ecstasy

[tekmantwo]

Mandi, Hope, Sharon, those were really beautiful posts, a lot of foresight and knowledge in them, applicable to many different situations,  not just in the arts.

 

I,  alas, am not  gifted. ...but mom always did say I was  'special'..does that count?

[Stormswift]

Haha Brother Tim I don't believe you aren't talented, I think everyone has a gift, you just haven't discovered yours yet. 

[ReadYourBible]

42 minutes ago, tekmantwo said:

Mandi, Hope, Sharon, those were really beautiful posts, a lot of foresight and knowledge in them, applicable to many different situations,  not just in the arts.

 

I,  alas, am not  gifted. ...but mom always did say I was  'special'..does that count?

It has been a hard, hard fight for me.  I tried rationalizing that I could do all these things to benefit my brothers and sisters, even work at it part time so I could fully accomplish my ministry.  I even then thought, well maybe I can just do research, that shouldn't be a problem right?  No, it wasn't okay.  That's where Satan threw out the shiniest lure of all. 

 

Jehovah speaks loudly and clearly on this matter, if only we'd listen --- even STILL I fight these inclinations, I just want to go back to my lab.  My forehead smack came though in the form of the consideration of Baruch, where he was seeking great things for himself, and Jehovah said to him (I'm paraphrasing) I'm destroying this, if you keep your ambition in check, I'll let you walk out of this with your life. 

 

It was a very, very sobering thought.  I was doing the SAME thing.   Jehovah was saying the same thing to me, I'm destroying this, keep serving me and I'll give you your life as a spoil.

 

I have to make a living too, and as much as I hate administrative type work, there's ZERO danger of me getting side tracked and reaching out for a more 'senior administrative role' LOL.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Hope]

For me, I've never really wanted to become particularly great.  I'm an administrative support person by trade... I'd be delighted to be a musical support person instead - background singing, choral, even just working in the industry as an admin!

 

I love singing... not necessarily performing, if that makes any sense.  I have no desire to be a headliner, solo act, etc.  I can do those things -- but that's so much pressure!    I enjoy harmonizing so much more.  It's a tremendous thrill to be on a stage - small or large - but I don't feel like it's really feeding my ego as much as it's filling an empty spot in my soul.  I don't feel appreciated in much of my life... but knowing that I can contribute to something beautiful that *I'm* needed for (not just any warm body); that means a lot to me.

 

I'll be waiting 'til the New World for that kind of fulfillment, however... :shrug:

[Stormswift]

Yes I get it - I created an Artist name when I was younger, so IF and it was a big IF my art became famous - I did not. I could still be Amanda without peope relating me to the art.

[hatcheckgirl]

31 minutes ago, cerebral ecstasy said:

I have to make a living too, and as much as I hate administrative type work, there's ZERO danger of me getting side tracked and reaching out for a more 'senior administrative role' LOL.  

 

I know this is so true too. I kept a lowly filing job for years because my other 'talents' would have meant a more demanding though much more brain fulfilling job. I just needed a job where I could pay my bills and be there for my family, serving Jehovah with full focus.

 

The music industry is trickier than most work places though. Hope has described how stimulating and fulfilling being musically gifted is for her personally, and that in itself can make us more vulnerable to satan's tricks. There is more to trap us in the music industry than in an office environment. Mandi and Sharon have also put their gifted talents on hold for the sake of focussing on the real life. To some extent, we have all turned our backs on good opportunities offered in this system that had the potential to divert us away from the truth. Even if it was a legitimate offer, it would have made living up to our dedication harder.

 

Wishing you all the best, Michael, in making the right decision for you. Looking forward to hearing you play beautiful music in person soon in the paradise

[hatcheckgirl]

On 23 September 2016 at 2:09 AM, cerebral ecstasy said:

Start at 3:05, because this is where he hammers on the guitar with such intensity it makes the hairs stand up on the back of my arms.

(Wish I'd seen him when he was busking at Fremantle! Brilliant!)

[Hope]

Michael looks like a young, happenin' brother.  There are plenty of musicians used at Bethel.   Perhaps that could be a workable goal?  I'd give my left arm and both my legs to sing in the WT Chorus!    Singing at the Hall (withOUT the orchestral music, to boot!    grrrr.... ) just really doesn't fill my musical itch.

 

But - it could be worse..  

[Alexa]

53 minutes ago, Hope said:

Michael looks like a young, happenin' brother.  There are plenty of musicians used at Bethel.   Perhaps that could be a workable goal?  I'd give my left arm and both my legs to sing in the WT Chorus!    Singing at the Hall (withOUT the orchestral music, to boot!    grrrr.... ) just really doesn't fill my musical itch.

 

But - it could be worse..  

And it takes only a year of regular pioneering too 

[Hammerhead]

Mandi, Hope, Sharon, those were really beautiful posts, a lot of foresight and knowledge in them, applicable to many different situations,  not just in the arts.
 
I,  alas, am not  gifted. ...but mom always did say I was  'special'..does that count?

Your talented, probably just too old to use it

Sent from my GT-N8013 using Tapatalk

[Stormswift]

1 hour ago, Hammerhead said:

Your talented, probably just too old to use it

Sent from my GT-N8013 using Tapatalk
 

Old is relative my dear brother, when you are ten - 20 is old - 30 plus is ancient. When you are 20 . 50 is old, and so on. When it comes to drawing you actually get better with age not worse and playing of instruments too. Don't ever view your brothers and sisters as mere numbers ...  becaue then you are viewing them as the world does not as Jehovah does.

 

Just to let you know there is no offense taken by your comment, youth sometimes say things they don't mean or even unerstand.  My suggestion is to get to know an older brother or sister in your congregation and you might start to see those older than you in a different light, and actually realize how many hidden talents there are, because they have chosen to love Jehovah over love for themselves, not just because they are old, but even in their youth their decisions reflected their dedication to Jehovah.

Edited September 24, 2016 by Stormswift

[Tortuga]

33 minutes ago, Stormswift said:

Old is relative my dear brother, when you are ten - 20 is old - 30 plus is ancient. When you are 20 . 50 is old, and so on. When it comes to drawing you actually get better with age not worse and playing of instruments too. Don't ever view your brothers and sisters as mere numbers ...  becaue then you are viewing them as the world does not as Jehovah does.

 

Just to let you know there is no offense taken by your comment, youth sometimes say things they don't mean or even unerstand.  My suggestion is to get to know an older brother or sister in your congregation and you might start to see those older than you in a different light, and actually realize how many hidden talents there are, because they have chosen to love Jehovah over love for themselves, not just because they are old, but even in their youth their decisions reflected their dedication to Jehovah.

 

I think Dave was talking to Tim, and he's right, Tim is too old...

[Stormswift]

Ahah I get it  now - sorry about the confusion. ... cancel my post, you young whippersnapper you.

 

And yes, if you go on the age of the turtle icon of his brother then yeah Tim might be getting old haha.

[tekmantwo]

34 minutes ago, Stormswift said:

Ahah I get it  now - sorry about the confusion. ... cancel my post, you young whippersnapper you.

 

And yes, if you go on the age of the turtle icon of his brother then yeah Tim might be getting old haha.

Hey Sis, thanks for covering for me, Dave and I are kind of two of a kind and twist each others ears just for fun...

 

And besides, he can only wish to be as good as me....

[Stormswift]

Heh my advice to him still stands, you old ones need a lot of helping hands, and he should spend more time supporting you.

[tekmantwo]

2 hours ago, Hammerhead said:

Your talented, probably just too old to use it

Sent from my GT-N8013 using Tapatalk
 

Aaaaand, you got that right....no more leaping tall buildings in a single bound for me....but one of these days..soon.

 

2 more weeks---just 2 more weeks. ......

[Stormswift]

As long as 911 wasn't your fault.

Edited September 24, 2016 by Stormswift

[tekmantwo]

9 hours ago, Stormswift said:

Haha Brother Tim I don't believe you aren't talented, I think everyone has a gift, you just haven't discovered yours yet. 

Actually I did find it, used it all up I did...

Don't want to drift too far but,

I was a structural steel weldor/fabrication guy.

In that trade there are certification processes...the most difficult,  the one recognized around the world, is the L.A. City cert. 

I breezed the test, no problem. ..

Also, when you do critical welds, they have independent labs test the welds, either with an x-ray machine or an ultrasound. 

In the  many hundres of welds I have done, for NASA, in Nuke plants, for the military,  for Hospitals, for military hospitals, I have a perfect record...

as in 100% pass, never failed a single one.

That was my talent....

 

Now back to your regularly scheduled programing....

[tekmantwo]

8 minutes ago, Stormswift said:

So 911 was your fault then?

Haha, nope...but I had a passing thought about going there to work...I got over it..

[Alexa]

3 hours ago, tekmantwo said:

Actually I did find it, used it all up I did...

Don't want to drift too far but,

I was a structural steel weldor/fabrication guy.

In that trade there are certification processes...the most difficult,  the one recognized around the world, is the L.A. City cert. 

I breezed the test, no problem. ..

Also, when you do critical welds, they have independent labs test the welds, either with an x-ray machine or an ultrasound. 

In the  many hundres of welds I have done, for NASA, in Nuke plants, for the military,  for Hospitals, for military hospitals, I have a perfect record...

as in 100% pass, never failed a single one.

That was my talent....

 

Now back to your regularly scheduled programing....

That's where I find it hard the most dear brother  

[tekmantwo]

23 minutes ago, Alexa said:

That's where I find it hard the most dear brother  

What do you mean Alexa, do you weld? I have known some very talented female weldors, girls that I was proud to work with. ...

 

Or maybe you mean going back to the thread topic?

[Alexa]

1 minute ago, tekmantwo said:

What do you mean Alexa, do you weld? I have known some very talented female weldors, girls that I was proud to work with. ...

 

Or maybe you mean going back to the thread topic?

I want to be a welder but I was talking to having a 100%, that's scary   

[tekmantwo]

1 minute ago, Alexa said:

I want to be a welder but I was talking to having a 100%, that's scary   

Oh, it's not that hard, you just have to work at it, pay attention to details and just concentrate on not making mistakes. ..you could do it, you're smart and a quick learner...Maybe some day I can help you learn?

[Alexa]

2 minutes ago, tekmantwo said:

Oh, it's not that hard, you just have to work at it, pay attention to details and just concentrate on not making mistakes. ..you could do it, you're smart and a quick learner...Maybe some day I can help you learn?

My father taught me about it and I appreciate it very much  Thank you dear brother