What will I be?

As a parent I know that part of my role is to help my children find what they are good at, what they enjoy, what they are gifted in, with the hope that they will find what they would like to do with their lives that will bring them purpose, satisfaction and fulfillment.

Any teacher will tell you that those who are short on attention, often excel in sport or the arts.  We search.  We search for ‘the thing’ that will be the key to unlocking our future profession.  And Immi is no exception – I search....

She is dramatic – but can’t cope in a role that needs set lines or for you to follow certain rules about when you are on stage and when you are off!

 She is crafty, but a lot of crafts need two hands and become incredibly frustrating after a while.

 She is sporty, she loves to run, but she is terribly unbalanced and terribly tired.  After our trip to the Paralympics last summer we did go to Athletics as she wanted to try long jump, but it was a Thursday evening and she simply couldn’t manage it. 

She loves animals, but most work with animals involves outdoor work. She loves being outdoors but hates being cold – a problem in the UK!

However, Immi is quirky, and caring and arty.

Immi loves art and personally I think (although probably I am biased) that her art is quite commercial.  When she is in a bad mood she has recently taken herself off to draw a picture.  She has drawn lovely birthday cakes for cards which are quirky and cute. 

She also loves hospitality – she will spend hours laying a table for guests and try her hardest to make beds and prepare for people.  As I write she has been half an hour in the bathroom – cleaning.  I have yet to see if it is any cleaner or whether I will have to go in and do another clean, but for now she is finding fulfillment in helping. 

I know there will be a niche for her somewhere.  I know her choices are more limited, but there will be the perfect fit somewhere.  My two children have such very different searches on their hands – Jed can try his hand at many things and find what he enjoys.  Immi has to wait, bide her time and then the right thing will be perfectly clear.  In some ways I wonder if her path will be easier to find, like how sometimes standing in a huge Tescos with a billion choices of Orange Juice is overwhelming, but go to Aldi and you get the choice of one – and it is perfectly good!

A friend about 5 years ago had a picture (like a daydream she believes to be from God) of Imogen being like a golden jigsaw puzzle piece and that she has a very specific role to fulfill in her life that is a perfect fit for her, that no one else could fulfill in the same way.  I am holding out for this – she is amazing, just waiting for the right fit.  We are told in the Bible that God plans to prosper us and not harm us, to give us hope and a future.  I am holding to this promise.