Bob Nicholas.com

Just finished reading this book: “Silent Alarm: A Parable of Hope for Busy Professionals” by John Blumberg.

http://www.amazon.com/Silent-Alarm-Parable-Hope-Professionals/dp/0976526611

Blumberg does a good job of weaving some simple yet effective messages into this light read. When I read a book I try to take away “one thing” which I will use. Many books have so many tips, suggestions, messages, etc., that focusing on the “one thing” makes it a manageable application. Often I read a book multiple times and take something differently every time.

The one thing I took from this book is, “Redefine your dreams. Not of what you want to do, but of who you will be.”

He makes the point that often when someone says “Who are you?”, we respond with what we do.

There is a great scene in the movie Anger Management with Jack Nicholas and Adam Sandler in which Sandler, having been assigned to anger management by the court, is in his first meeting and Nicholas, the facilitator and anger management guru, persists in interuppting Sandler each time he states “what” he does in response to the question of “who” he is. Remember, “Temper’s the one thing you can’t get rid of, by losing it.”

When asked who I am I often respond with: I’m married with 4 kids, I’m a Catholic Convert, a marketing underwriter at a large commercial insurance company, I’m involved in Cusillo, and I enjoy reading theology and inspirational books.

Perhaps I should start responding: I’m a sometimes compulsive trustworthy sap who is sometimes gets emotional and wants to be remembered for his compassion and mercy rather than his other less apparent qualities.

(Let me say to FS, MB and any other of my friends who are giggling right now that any sarcastic comments about the emotion or compassion comments will be met with drastic consequences)

At any rate, I’m going to begin redefining my dreams.

Rather than ask myself what I want to do with my time, I’m going to use my time to ask God who I am. The scariest question I’ve ever asked myself is “Lord, show me how You see me.” Doesn’t that just say it all… Isn’t Who we are really what He created us for?

I have often thought that our vocation is what we are to do with our lives, but the real way to say that is that our vocation is Who we were created to be.

So, Who I am created to be is… I guess we’ll see what he says.

Tags: blumberg, dreams, redefine, silent alarm, vocation, who are you

In Holiness, MEN, Randomness. You can leave a response, or trackback from your site.