Last week, one of my former students/basketball managers messaged me a picture on Facebook. The photo Jenny uploaded was from the time when my dad administered the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to my basketball team at Friendship Christian School and then did a short workshop for them when he and Mom were in town, which happened to be Lebanon, Tennessee. (Almost every Lady Commander wanted to know what type of boy their type of girl would marry!) My dad, after his years in ministry, earned his PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Nebraska. He loved using the Myers-Briggs, a tool which based on a test, divides people into one of sixteen personality groupings. As you can see at the top, I am an INFJ which stands for Introverted (I)ntuitive Feeling Judging. You might be interested to know that it is the rarest type with only one 1% of the population falling into this category. Before you get too impressed, you should know that while Gandhi is assumed to have been an INFJ, so is Hitler. After my Facebook post, I heard from several former students and colleagues that they were also INFJs. Not surprisingly, I have very fond memories of all of them.
If you know me, you aren't surprised to learn I'm an introvert- many students are. I tell them in class, I play the role of a teacher. One of the nicest compliments I've had was from a colleague. He said I was the most natural teacher he knew, like I was born one. I don't know if it's true but it was very kind. The truth is, I only like the teaching/coaching part as it deals with kids. That's why I never wanted to be an administrator, a group I admire, because they deal with adults. As an INFJ, I'm non-confrontational and I've had very few confrontations with teens over the years. For the most part, kids get the order of things, making it easy. And as an introvert I'm ready for the day to be over- I need to charge my emotional batteries to get ready for tomorrow.
I was one of the last people I know to get a cell phone. It took Dad having a stroke and my being called out of class to have someone gift me a pre-paid Tracfone which I used for several years- it was a blessing in dealing with family issues. The time came for me to replace it and with help from Lisa Berglund, I bought an ATT flip phone. It wasn't difficult to figure out even though it took several years until I learned how to text. But having a cell phone and getting joy out of one are two different animals. You see, I cringe every time it rings. Don't get me wrong. I love conversations with family members and close friends but I dislike talking on the phone. It's much easier for me to interact on Facebook or by e-mail. In those mediums, I'm less awkward and don't have to handle the ending of the back and forth. There will be weeks where I don't get a call or text and consecutive days where I don't even turn the phone on. Maybe it has to do with almost all calls come when I'm not in school, when I'm regrouping. Maybe I dread the person on the other end is mad at me, which has only happened about once in all the times I've ever talked on any sort of phone. Maybe that's why I rarely give out my number or have never learned how to save numbers in my cell. I hope you don't hate me. If you do, please just send me an e-mail.
Do you know what I'm really happy about? I'm very, very glad that our Father in Heaven is not like me. He's willing to listen to me anytime. He doesn't go into hiding or only pick up if He's certain of who is on the other end. He's not worried about what I'm going to ask or divulge or confess or plead for. He doesn't keep His access a secret and He doesn't have to take time off to recharge His batteries. The truth is, He knows exactly what I am and who I am because He, through my mom (an Introvert) and my dad (an extreme extrovert) made me. And praise God, He still loves me.
Applicable quote of the day:
I would admit I'm an introvert. I don't know why introverts have to apologize. Bill Gross
God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
E-mail me at shawley@westburychristian.org
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