do you really have weaknesses, or are they actually strengths?

Several years ago I heard a song that I liked. I was telling Mandy (my sig other) about it today and she had never heard it so I started searching online about it. It turned out that I was inspired by the creator of the song.

John Paul Larkin was born in 1942. He became a famous Jazz musician and the creator of a new type of music and singing. He was never extremely well known in the U.S. but in other country's he was very well known, however even in the US he had a #1 hit.

The interesting thing about John is that he was born with a severe stutter. Later in life news interviewers would say that he could hardly speak one sentence without repeating something 6-7 times. John began paying Jazz piano and was well known for his playing. He decided to add singing to his performances and got standing ovations.

In 1995 and 1996 his albums outsold Bon Jovi and Michael Jackson.

The interesting thing about this is that John could not speak without stuttering so he would "scat" sing and he was known as Scatman John.

John said of his stuttering "this was a process of "turning my biggest problem into my biggest asset."

John was diagnosed with lung cancer and died in 1999. Johns attitude toward the cancer was "Whatever God wants is fine by me... I've had the very best life. I have tasted beauty."

Something that most would say is a stumbling block made this man wealthy and famous. His perseverance and positive attitude created a chance for him to help many people in this world, which he did. He received many awards for his service.

I believe that whatever we are struggling with can be turned into a blessing with the right attitude and vision and with the help of God. After all he says that he will turn weak things into strong things.

As of today John's (Scatman John) "Ski Ba Bop Ba Dop Bop" greatest hit can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpHLEm9-0bg

PS. One quote from John in the song "scatman's world" he says "Scatman, fat man, black and white and brown man, tell me about the color of your soul." - I enjoy what that thought empowers.