LIGHTtheWORLD Day 13 - Humility something I need to work on!

Facebook, blogs, twitter, have not been much help in assisting me to be humble.  I write a lot, show off more than I should and as a reforming politician, haven't quite passed up on "highlighting the moment".  Even my blog, you may have noticed, has the term "carltonthegreat" in its URL.  I was challenged a little as a youth with self confidence.  My mother, who was a theater major and could quote Shakespeare like it was her second language, would have me participate in little drills that would reinforce self esteem and confidence in the things I would say.  Even in college, I got so nervous that I got a "D" in a public speaking course and had to retake it.   I still get nervous on occasion when I'm doing public speaking, but it's fair to say, that I've given some version of public speaking probably 1,000 or more times in both religious and secular circumstances.  Can't say I'm very interesting, but I try.

I had big ears, that I eventually grew into.  I got them from my grandpa, but in my early years, they made me a little self-conscious.  I still think I was cute however....

Carlton as a young man

Grandpa Christensen with my step-grandma
Elizabeth

I think the challenge has come in later life, of how do you have confidence in yourself without needing to gain the approval of others.  It's a challenge, and one I need to work on.  Carlton the Great came one day when some co-workers and I were joking around, and I used it from time to time for different things.  However I went with it one day when I created my twitter account and later this blog, because I knew my Mom would want me to have self confidence and know who I am.  While I probably wouldn't recommend that particular therapy for everyone, I would suggest, that you should know you're a child of God and in that right alone, should have confidence that you can do all that he needs you to do.  He loves you and wants you to succeed despite life's ups and downs.