Farewell Seattle!

The summer has just about ended in the US...although you wouldn't know it in Seattle as the temperatures are still touching 80 (high for here!) As I farewell friends, the nation is farewelling a much loved Aussie character - Steve Irwin. The TV today is full of the story of his bizarre and premature death (how else would the Crocodile Hunter depart but pursuing the thing he loved most- encounters with the wild). He has done more for tourism than any other Aussie, far outdoing Paul Hogan's "throw a shrimp on the barbie" image. Today every newschannel is covering the story on a half-hourly basis, playing and replaying interviews, comments from John Howard and wildfile experts. It is rivalling airspace for news on the Iraq war.
In an interview with Larry King, Steve talked about his ability with animals as "A gift that God placed inside me". Inspired by his father, who founded the Australian Zoo, he wrestled with snakes before he started school and caught his first croc at nine years of age. He was focused and pursued his goal to educate others on every possible angle of the animal kindgom. In another interview this week Tiger Woods shared on the deep relationship he had with his father, how focused he was from infancy to pursue golfing excellence and be "the best that I can be". His success has enabled him to open the Tiger Woods Learning Centre - a multi-media learning environment that will afford kids from lower income families to have access to a wonderland of educational resources. He says that this achievement is his greatest acheivement. And for recreation? He plays golf! He LOVES what he does, just as Steve LOVED what he did.
Which leads me to ask some important questions: What has God placed in my life to use for others? Do I have a passion to use that gift/s? Am I pursuing my passion? What brings me the greatest joy? Satisfaction? When I leave this world, will my life have been of benefit to others? Because that's what it's all about - using what God has given EACH ONE OF US for the purpose for which He has given it. How about you?