Today I was making pureed avocado soup for lunch. When I made it yesterday, it was SO good! I was out of onion, but I didn't really think that would be a big deal.
It was! The soup tasted so different. Bland. I added more salt. I thought of sprinkling some cheese over the top, but I knew it wouldn't make any difference. It was just not going to be the same without the onion.
Have you ever noticed that the most incredible things in life are compilations? Music with a medley of instruments or voices harmonizing almost makes the sound 3-dimensional. The prettiest colors are mixes of other colors. An etherial mauve is so much richer than a plain red. Or how about a shimmery silver blue with hints of purple to make perrywinkle. Better than USPS mailbox blue, no? And notice how those elements of color that are deep in there draw out the character of your eyes, or how they cast a warm tone to your complexion!
Did you know that you are not just a pile of skin and bones? I am sure that, to a degree, you know that you are a person with emotions, thoughts, etc. But you are so much more! You are a spiritual being made in the very image of GOD! If you read Genesis 1 about the creation, note how everything Papa God made was made according to its KIND. Then for humankind, He said, "Let us make man in our image." Woah! He made male and female in His image. We may say "He" for God, but God is not male or female. He put some of Himself in men, women, children, infants. A man's protectiveness, a woman's knack for creating safe/nurturing spaces, a child's truthfulness, an infant's empathy towards other infants. All God.
On top of all of that, He made you, you. He placed you strategically in your marriage, as your kids' parent, in your church, at your work place, in your neighborhood, in your friendships. Anywhere He led you to be, He put you there with a purpose in mind for you. If you are absent physically or emotionally, the people around you miss you. Things won't be the same without you, no matter what. Then they will look for substitutes. But when God creates 2 things to be together, nothing else will fit.
Keep in mind, though, that abandoning the people in your life doesn't necessarily mean walking out on them. It may mean just retreating. This happens because of relational discord, or even if you fear not being valued. I have been learning SO much in this area! For example, I am not really the type to scream and shout if I don't have reason to. Sometimes when I am with people who like to be loud, I feel like who I am isn't understood or valued. Having grown up on a diet of MTV and Seventeen Magazine, I thought that effective meant loud. I thought that gentle meant insecure. So I used to force things, but it actually hurt a lot of people. Making jokes just to be talking, but sometimes they were at the expense of others. Thankfully, I have come to a place where I want "gentle" back, because abandoning people for reputation is fruitless. I still struggle at times as those around me don't understand, but I am slowly learning that impact is just more important. I'm free to be who I am, and I get to carry who God is in me! God understands, and that is enough.
So keep being you. One of my favorite people is my friend, Faith, so appropriately named. She has such a focus on loving people that just isn't hindered. She is a delectable mix of extremely intelligent, creative, innovative, humble, funny, and selfless. Beautiful. One day she was praying with a group of ladies, and one of the women was crying, runny nose and all. No one had a tissue, so Faith reached over and wiped her friend's nose with her own sleeve! LOVE it. She loves unabashedly, and I find that to be the highest beauty.
You are a delight. God celebrates you. Like this! Enjoy :)
No comments:
Post a Comment