Verdicts IN!! I smell good..

I did a mini survey this afternoon and the results weren't so surprising: Cool. Crazy. Intriguing. Silly. A Frickin' Character. Sexy. Intelligent. Kind. Confident. Funny. Crazy. Annoying. Exceptional. Spiritual. Crazy. Inspirational. Changing. Loyal. Lovable. Crazy. These are just a few of my characteristics courtesy of some very good friends of mine (Is it just me or do my friend's think I'm a little bit crazy?). I decided to do this survey as I sat in church this afternoon when I was blessed by a great word from my Pastor (as always.. The Man is GOOD).

Pastor said: "Character produces/determines presence" As I sat there and absorbed this statement I wondered what presence I have. Before I could get to deep into my own mind wandering I ingested the rest of Pastor's sermon. It was definitely interesting. In a nutshell: Our character determines the presence we have. (No wait hold on I wasn't going to end it there.) All of the characteristics that make us US, are revealed in the presence we have around people. Have you ever met someone who had an air of arrogance? Or intelligence? They just gave off this vibe or this aura? Sometimes they don't even have to speak you can tell certain things about them just from watching them. Its their presence. And all of the attributes that make them who they are work together to produce that presence.
All of the responses that I got from my friends help make up my presence. When I walk into a room and get amongst people I don't know they can tell certain things about me before I open my mouth. I've been told I strut when I walk a lot. I look like I have someplace to go my head is usually up high and I'm probably smiling. Usually after opening my mouth and speaking to someone I don't know for more than five minutes they can tell I'm a little quirky (you know... what my friends called crazy) and that I enjoy a good joke. Not to long into said conversation they will definitely tell that I love me some God. I don't have to go into a big spiel about how much joy he gives me for them to know. Or I could not say anything at all and they'd know. They can sense it in my spirit. They can just tell. In the way I walk, talk, act, dress, etc.

To quote Pastor: "Everything we do, every choice we make comes out of our character". Our character is basically a group of attributes that determines a person's actions and reactions. You ever hear a story about someone you were familiar with that didn't match up to the person you know? Whatever it was you heard didn't coincide with their character. And our presence is the result of the grouping of all of our characteristics. Some people's presence can be a fragrance while others give off an odor.

Around that time I started sniffing around trying to catch my own scent. This is what actually prompted me to do my mini survey in the first place. I'd like to think that I give off a fragrance. Something sweet, subtle, yet tantalizing to the senses; something that makes you look around the room to zero in on what that wonderful smell is. But sometimes our own image of self isn't actually who we really are since our opinion is biased. Needless to say I was very glad to hear that my fragrance was as tantalizing to the senses as I thought. More than anything i was glad to find out my presence didn't give off an odor (hey you get more than two 'crazy' and your bound to get one 'annoying'). But I for one think the whole crazy thing is what makes me Special :-P

But I digress... Enough about me what about you? What presence are you giving off? **sniff sniff** I mean if you did your own mini survey what would you **sniff sniff** smell like? Is it a good indication of your character? I suggest you all do a little inventory and find out what you smell like; as well as those around you. Show me your friends and I'll tell you who you are. If you have a fragrance and you are hanging around those with a really strong odor it will diminish your own scent. Give your nose a rest and trim the fat. Remember...