It must have been around age twelve. Do you remember the Sunday newspaper? It was massive and divided into multiple sections. There was a special insert called the Parade magazine. That was my training manual.

The Parade magazine was my go-to for answers. As a soon-to-be teenager, I needed answers–and fast! This was the beginning of one of the two missions in life, Learning Me.

As I write, my mind flashes back to a conversation with dad. He was a very private man. His own wife and children would all describe him as a mystery. One day I asked dad a question about how to handle a personal struggle. He responded, “That’s why I send you to private school. The teachers have all the answers. Ask them.”

Perhaps that’s why I loved the Parade magazine. It was jam packed with human interest stories. One section was of special interest. It included the Personality Self Tests. There you could learn about yourself.

• Do you have an Anger problem?
• Are you Optimistic or Pessimistic?
• Does Worry control you?
• Are you Emotionally Intelligent?
• How Romantic are you?
• Are you a good Listener?
• Are you too Nice?

It was life at age twelve. I needed answers and I needed them now. There were the challenges of social life, fitting in, and learning how to interact.

My parents were people of faith. That was never a doubt or question. Sundays were for Learning God and worshiping. Also, we were sent to twelve years of private, religious school training. God was always a part of life. Learning God is woven into our souls.

Why do I mention this?

Life consists of unending dialogues between me and Abba. My mission is to release immature, wounded, survival thinking, so I can be transformed. Step one is to see my immature, wounded, and survival thinking.

Prayer

Father, help me learn me. Help me see my weaknesses and blind spots. Help me see what is not working. And help me be transformed into the image of Christ. Please go slow and be gentle. Dying to self is not easy. Amen.

Bible

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self… to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV)