In anticipation of our move to the South nearly five years ago, a California mentor confided to a Louisiana friend, "Well, what you see in Michael is what you get. But, he's kind of quirky." Odd, but I've always assumed that my personality represents the norm, while everyone else is rather quirky.

I do, however, understand the perception.

Much of my life works against my own natural preferences and, therefore, outside of expectations. Quirky.

I work in an extraverted profession, although I'm a pathological introvert. I encourage others to revel in the adventure, although I prefer to relish the accomplishment. I have numerous intimate friendships, although I value my privacy.

By nature, then, I could be happy living with a handful of close friends on an isolated South Pacific island.

Well, actually, I could be even happier thinking back upon the time when I lived with a handful of close friends on an isolated South Pacific island.

Hence, the perception of quirkiness.

It's either that, or the fact that I collected used cigarette butts when I was in kindergarten. But I digress.

It's essential to my wholeness, however, not to live solely at the discretion of my preferences. This is true even of the spiritual practices, the spiritual disciplines, that I choose to employ in forwarding my relationship with God.

My personality is assessed by the Myers-Briggs Type Instrument as INTP. I prefer Introversion over Extraversion; Intuition over Sensing; Thinking over Feeling; and Perceiving over Judging. As a result, when choosing spiritual practices, I naturally prefer Reflection (I) over Participation (E); Awareness (N) over Service (S); Knowledge (T) over Devotion (F), and Spontaneity (P) over Discipline (J). I'm drawn to spiritual practices that reflect these preferences.

So, for example, I prefer solitary prayer over corporate worship.

All the more reason to make corporate worship a priority among my spiritual practices.

And that's quirky. In the best sense of the word.