Blowing your own trumpet

 Blowing your own trumpet - link to Podcast

Boasting is something we really don’t like to see in other people, but can be slow to recognize in ourselves. When we blow our own trumpet, we drown out others and for me, my wife, the lovely Sue, is willing to help me see this and effect change.

It would be fair to say I am a passionate and enthusiastic sort of fellow.  I get very excited about ideas and projects and love seeing things succeed and progress.  This podcast is a case in point.  I am mildly obsessed with it.  Every few months a new development seems to arrive and I find a way to improve or grow the capacity of this thing.  Sometimes episodes get great responses and lots of downloads and I check this to see how it is tracking.  Sometimes I chat to some random person and discover that they love it and listen in every week.  I sometimes allow this enthusiasm to overflow into my everyday conversations.

But there is a fine line to this level of enthusiasm.  Where is the line where it shifts from wise stewardship of my natural gifts and opportunities, to being an arrogant self-absorbed pain in the rear end?  

As with most vexing questions like this, it seems to me that the gauge for this is not my adoring fans in the faceless world of podcast downloads.  It’s the lovely Sue. 

Now I have produced over 120 episodes of the Stories of Hope Podcast and almost all of them make some mention of the Lovely Sue.  Someone once asked me if she minded being referred to so often in the podcasts and the answer is simple.  She doesn’t mind at all, as she doesn’t listen to them.  Not that she misses a few, she misses them all.  She’s just not interested.   

I was discussing this with the lovely Sue’s arguably even lovelier sister, Ros the other day and she smiled and nodded, as she sometimes finds her husband’s passions about bike riding a bit tedious.  Turns out the lovely Sue’s mum, the lovely Helen in some ways feels the same way about her husband, John.  He goes on about his lawn bowls tournaments.

Now don’t get me wrong, the lovely Sue loves me more than anyone and is kind and thoughtful about my well being, but if I become proud or boastful, the atmosphere can turn a bit chilly.

In our scripture from 1 Corinthians 13 we read that love does not boast and is not proud.  There is no place in a loving relationship for one person to think they are better than the other.  When I start waaring on about podcast downloads or my mastery of a Ukulele song, I am drifting into the dangerous ego driven space of listing my accomplishments and dominating the space, that could well be occupied with others sharing their stories and achievements.  The most loving person in the room cares enough to give me the look of death and help me return to a more balanced and collaborative place.

Boasting is something we really don’t like to see in other people, but slow to recognize in ourselves.

The Lovely Sue and the other women folk in the clan are seriously good wives.  They love their husbands passionately and have the gumption and strength to help them see, what they sometimes cannot see in themselves. 

Of course we men folk have a similar capacity to challenge any hint of pride and boastfulness in the ladies, but we choose to remain quiet and humble, not because we are afraid, but because we want to demonstrate true love. 

And I checked this with the lovely Sue and she looked me straight in the eye and she said, yes that’s correct!  

Bless ya,