Acting

Doesn't look like my granddaughter does it? In my daughter's family acting is a way of life. My daughter started when she was old enough to walk. She would always gather whoever she could and perform for them and wait for the applause. Of course she had no encouragement what so ever from anyone else. Both her children have performed in theatre and have been recognized for their performance, but neither of them has chosen on stage acting as their future. They both majored in the theatrical realm in one way or another because acting and theatre are at the heart of their lives. My daughter has taught drama at the middle school level for many years and is good at it. She has spoken to me about kids being able to try on their identity through acting in ways they couldn't do otherwise. It helps them discover who they really are. I have had some of her students and some of their parents tell me personally that they came out of their shell (found themselves) through my daughters drama opportunities. Even my wife Marsha was involved in theatre in high school and college, and anyone who knew her knows she had a dramatic side to her. Acting is a great thing.

I once listened to a Christian tape where the pastor had been brutally attacked by a guest preacher in his own church. He was so angry he sent his wife home after with the car as he had to walk it off. As he was fuming along his walk God said to him, "I've already forgiven him you must also." This created real turmoil but he knew it was from God so he thought I can't forgive him but I can act like I forgive him and know that I should really forgive him. He started doing that and every time the anger would rise he would repeat the process until it became the reality. He tried on what he knew God wanted from him. Forgiveness became an easier action with everyone else after that for him. I have stepped out in trust of God when I did not really trust him in my heart. I held fear and doubt and thought I was making a mistake but I knew I had to act like I trusted God. My confidence in God was built through many times of acting like I trusted God when inside I still had great doubts about God and myself. Like clothes at the Macy's, we can try things on and see if they fit. Many times I've seen people try on sizes they knew inside wouldn't fit. We can act like this Christian service or that Christian action is possibly going to fit even when we think it won't. We can always put it back. But if we don't try on what we think God wants of us we will never receive his fullest blessing. That blessing is only found in his will for our lives, his good and perfect will.