I’ve learned something about myself. I’ve learned that I am an expert-novice at many things. That sounds like an oxymoronic description. How can someone be an expert-novice? Let me describe it to you. For example, I love to have this blog up and post pretty regularly. Mostly, I won’t let a week go by without posting anything. This has led me to be an expert-novice in websites. I know just enough to do something but not enough to fix something when it goes sideways. For this reason, I have spent hours online chatting with support when something goes wrong. When I think I have it figured out, another problem arises, and I’m back on chat with support.
**Shout out to all those working in support who have to deal with me on the regular!**
Dreams of being a track star
I’m also an expert-novice with fitness. In this category, I think my status as an expert-novice is expert-expert-novice. When I was in 7th grade, I joined a track team. Why did I join a track team when, before 7th grade, I had nothing to do with running? That is a mystery. I suddenly had a dream of being a track star. I listened to the coach, memorized all his advice, and tried to run. Never mind that I started out running an 11-minute mile. I knew enough about running but never perfected the art of running. My 11-minute mile was pretty dismal. So, the coach taught me to throw the shotput. It was embarrassing to have me out there throwing this heavy ball. In time, the coach understood that I just enjoyed taking part.
Because I wasn’t any good at running, I usually warmed the bench. Sometimes, when our team was doing very well, and it didn’t matter if we won or lost a part of the competition, I was allowed to run. Predictably, I came in last. Every. Single. Time.
My 11-minute mile
While my 11-minute mile status improved over the years (I took up running for exercise), I was never fast by any stretch of the imagination. My brother, Matthew, however, was a perfect runner. He held a local record for a 5k run for many years. I can’t find the newspaper article that gave all the stats anymore. I’m sad about that. Matthew used to try to train me to run better. Once, he took me on a “short” run. He said we would be home in less than an hour (this included time going and coming).
Why I believed Matthew, I don’t know. He was always full of practical joking. We parked our car and started jogging. My brother set the pace. It was a slower pace than he was used to. But it was a faster pace than I was used to. He shouted instructions on breathing, stepping, and moving my arms. Now, my regular runs in those days were about three miles. I had accepted the fact that I wasn’t ever going to be good enough to break records or be famous. I just liked running for the sport of it.
Because I had run for so many years, I accurately estimated the distance (give or take) I ran. So, by the time 30 minutes had passed, I knew we were about three miles from the car. I panicked and called Matthew, “Hey, how far are we going?” His reply, “Doesn’t matter, you can make it!” And he began to laugh. I had been bamboozled into running seven miles when it was all said and done.
Well played, Matt, well played.
An expert-novice or Jack of all trades
Running has since given way to other forms of exercise, such as walking, hiking, pilates, weights, and barre, and I’ve even tried Bollywood dancing (click the link if you want to laugh). In all of them, I am the expert-novice. I know enough to do something but am not good enough to get complicated. You might call me the embodiment of the proverbial “Jack of all trades and master of none.”
My expert-novice status extends to all kinds of crafts and activities. There was a time when I wanted to be an artist, so I painted. I painted until I was bored and picked up rug hooking (it sounds bad, but it’s just making little rugs with a metal hook). Then, I tried baking, decorating, and proofreading. I have amassed enough skill to make a mess with just about anything.
If you want to be an expert-novice, you have to be eclectic. Jamie (hubs) knows that I get bored quickly. He knows, for example, that there’s often no rhyme or reason for my exercise regime. One day, I might wear pilates socks; the next, I’ll wear sneakers on the elliptical. One day, you’ll find me working at my desk in the office. The next day, I might take my laptop and work while rocking in my rocking chair. This tendency of mine frustrates him, I’m sure. Jamie loves order and won’t stop one task to start another. Unlike him, I like to juggle five or six plates in the air simultaneously. It keeps me interested. He must wonder a lot about me! But in any case, he has lots of patience with me.
Sticking close to my wheelhouse
Nowadays, when it comes to working, I stick close to the skills in my wheelhouse: writing, reading, teaching, working with the poor, and church planting. Some of the things I learned in my expert-novice exploits, such as proofreading, have served me well. But other things, like rug hooking (that bad-sounding craft), make me wonder what I was thinking.
Until I embraced my eclectic nature, I felt embarrassed by my pillar-to-post ways. It wasn’t until I understood God made me as He wanted to. He not only loves me (I’m so grateful for that), but He also likes me. God likes to be with me while moving the furniture around or changing the accent wall color in our bedroom (yes, that is an upcoming project). And He doesn’t want me to tone down or change; He made me to be me.
Wonderfully complex
You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
They cannot be numbered!
I can’t even count them;
they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
you are still with me!Psalm 139:13-18 NLT
God put those quirks that are a unique part of you there. He made you smile as you do; no one else has that smile. Maybe He made you quiet and reserved or loud and boisterous. However, He made you, and you are “wonderfully complex.” There’s not another you in the world. And God loves you, and He likes you.
Don’t belittle those unique quirks. Those quirks set you apart. Embrace the wonderfully complex nature of you. See God’s handiwork in it. If you do, life becomes much more manageable. When you accept yourself and how God made you, you won’t feel the need to apologize for yourself. And if, by chance, something happens to need attention, God is big enough to work on it if you let Him.
While it makes no difference to the content of this post, some years ago, I ran a local 5k and came in 11th place for my age class. It doesn’t matter that there were probably 11 of us in my age class. Some things never change! 🤣
Also, I have fiddled with the idea of taking an online interior decorating course.
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