There have been numerous things that I can honestly say were extremely difficult times in my life. I can't even remember or begin to try and count how many situations the Lord brought me through, they just go on and on. But I think, at this very moment, I am facing one of the hardest ones I have ever encountered.
I feel things deeply, it's the way I am. So when I care about people, I truly care about them and would honestly do anything I could for them. When I'm upset about something or someone, it upsets me enough to get to the point of feeling ill because I'm so completely distraught. This is one reason why I'm careful with my heart, I'm cautious with who I bring into my close circle of what I consider to be the 'Friends & Family Zone.' And it's good to be guarded with your heart so you aren't allowing people who could easily drag you down to be influencing your life. But you also can't be afraid of people because they could possibly hurt you.
As much as I've tried and tried to be so very careful with my heart, I think it's broken so badly right now that I'm sure it looks like a mangled mess. I don't know why people do the things they do or act the way they act, obviously I don't know what goes on in the heart of a person. But I sometimes wish the Lord would allow them to see how the choices they make don't just affect themselves. They affect everyone. It's a ripple in the water that creates a monsoon somewhere far off that you can't see in the distance, colliding into people with a thunderous crash and wiping away all remnants of who you were, or who they thought you to be. You can try to run from it all you want but it will still come to sweep you away.
Everyone makes mistakes, we're all human, and I'm no different. But it's in that time, after you've fouled up and understand that what you did was wrong...that's when you have another choice; the choice to allow this mistake to sweep you away in this destructive monsoon so that you'll never recover, but fall away even more into a hopeless state. Or...the choice to go to God. He's already seen the mistake, He knows what's in our hearts and what we're made of. And yet, He continues to love us. Why this choice seems to be the harder of the two, I don't know, but I'm guilty of it myself. You become so hardened with guilt that you want to try to run from the Lord, as if we could ever do that. But there He is, calling for us and waiting for us to come to Him and surrender it so He can forgive us and change us.
I'm reminded of the time in the Bible when King David had made the mistake of going after Bathsheba. He knew it was wrong and yet he still did it, someone who was supposed to know God and live for Him. He repented for what He'd done and was forgiven for what he did, which is awesome when you read of how the Lord can change someone's life when they surrender to Him. I'm amazed of how much the Lord loves us, how he can see us for all that we really are...all the mistakes we make and yet still want for us to be close to Him.
Right now, I feel like I'm observing everything from inside that tiny little bottle that Alice floated around in....wondering where the water will go and where the Lord will take me. My heart aches so much from hurts that I think I've given Alice a run for her money in the tears department. She made a measley little river and I honestly think I've made an ocean big enough to swallow a continent. I guess there's a drastic flipside to the bottle analogy...some could try to drown their sorrows in a bottle, which just can't give you any peace. And others could feel like they're floating on top of the sea of sorrows, while hoping desperately to find some dry ground to set their feet firmly on. Either way, the only answer to these problems is Jesus. He's where we'll find rest.
I'm a bit all over the place in this particular post, I know, but there were so many crazy things to touch on that I didn't know where to begin. I feel like I offered out my heart, only to have it ripped into tiny pieces and left on the ground for me to stare down at and wonder if I'll ever be able to gather up every little shred. But I know I can't. I can't do that and I can't heal myself. I can't change someone else's choices or make everything disappear. I have to look at God and pray that He will heal me. He's done it before and I know that He can do it again. He can take all my pieces and put them together to make something new.
And even though I may feel scarred, beat up, kicked down, and disregarded by someone...I'm so very thankful that God loves me. Sometimes I feel alone, but I'm not. He never leaves me and He never stops loving me. Even my mangled up mess of a self that's floating cluelessly down a sea of sorrows.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Friday, March 6, 2009
Windy Woes & Wonders
Another season is changing...spring is finally coming to shove winter aside and let us feel the lovely rays of the sun. I'm very excited about the warmness covering our part of the world again:) But ofcourse that means it brings something else with it.....change.
I don't know what it is about the changing of the seasons, it's something that completely fascinates me because I recognize it coming even before the weather actually morphs into something different...you feel a desire to do something new, go somewhere new, or just be somewhere else in your life period. I talk about if often because it's an ever-constant thing...just like the changing of the seasons throughout the year, you keep changing as a person.
I also love watching what happens with the birds when it gets warm outside. They always look like they're enjoying every minute of flying around in the sky. I'm sure I would too though, flying would be an amazing adventure! You could zip to any destination that you wanted, without all the trouble. I can't even imagine how awesome that would be, well, maybe I could in a small way..
Just think about it! There would be no need for airplanes, which would mean there would be no depleting of your savings to buy a ticket, no sitting next to a horribly obnoxious person on a plane, and no surrendering your shoelaces before you even get to the plane because there was supposedly a secret way of creating a nuclear detonator with those laces. Deadly laces..But seriously, the level of fantasticness would be ridiculously high. (And fantasticness is a word, it's new.) I'm just saying, I think I could enjoy the whole flying around thing:]
I guess there's always the downsides to that though...I'm sure you're wondering what they could possibly be, but really, there are some pretty solid setbacks.
First of all, the hair issue. Now for guys with no hair, this would not be an issue but for the rest of the population, this could be a serious situation. I can't really envision how bad I would look with that much time blown by the wind, but considering the fact that I look like Cousin It in a tornado when the wind blows me on the ground, I'm gonna go out on a limb and assume it could get ugly.
Secondly, bugs. I'm sorry but I really think the whole 'bugs in the teeth' look just wouldn't become me. Plus I would be grossed out, and innocent bystanders would be grossed out...I mean, you're talkin just one all around grossed out situation.
And lastly, the stupid thing. What's the stupid thing? People. If people can't drive in a big vehicle and get along or around each other, I don't even know what would happen with them whizzing all over the place. We'd have people plummeling into the ocean left and right.
So there you go, the fantastic dream of being able to fly anywhere alongside the realities of how badly it could be were it an actual reality. On one hand you could either fly off to Neverland with Peter Pan, and on the other, you could look like a big-haired, wind-burnt, bug-squashed mess that's plummels into the sea. The Peter Pan dream sounds way cooler to me personally. Oh the dreams we dream..
But all that to say, this new season is bringing more changes...the sun is coming out, the flowers are starting to bloom, the birds are flying to the clouds, and the winds are calling for us to move. I wonder what will happen next..
I don't know what it is about the changing of the seasons, it's something that completely fascinates me because I recognize it coming even before the weather actually morphs into something different...you feel a desire to do something new, go somewhere new, or just be somewhere else in your life period. I talk about if often because it's an ever-constant thing...just like the changing of the seasons throughout the year, you keep changing as a person.
I also love watching what happens with the birds when it gets warm outside. They always look like they're enjoying every minute of flying around in the sky. I'm sure I would too though, flying would be an amazing adventure! You could zip to any destination that you wanted, without all the trouble. I can't even imagine how awesome that would be, well, maybe I could in a small way..
Just think about it! There would be no need for airplanes, which would mean there would be no depleting of your savings to buy a ticket, no sitting next to a horribly obnoxious person on a plane, and no surrendering your shoelaces before you even get to the plane because there was supposedly a secret way of creating a nuclear detonator with those laces. Deadly laces..But seriously, the level of fantasticness would be ridiculously high. (And fantasticness is a word, it's new.) I'm just saying, I think I could enjoy the whole flying around thing:]
I guess there's always the downsides to that though...I'm sure you're wondering what they could possibly be, but really, there are some pretty solid setbacks.
First of all, the hair issue. Now for guys with no hair, this would not be an issue but for the rest of the population, this could be a serious situation. I can't really envision how bad I would look with that much time blown by the wind, but considering the fact that I look like Cousin It in a tornado when the wind blows me on the ground, I'm gonna go out on a limb and assume it could get ugly.
Secondly, bugs. I'm sorry but I really think the whole 'bugs in the teeth' look just wouldn't become me. Plus I would be grossed out, and innocent bystanders would be grossed out...I mean, you're talkin just one all around grossed out situation.
And lastly, the stupid thing. What's the stupid thing? People. If people can't drive in a big vehicle and get along or around each other, I don't even know what would happen with them whizzing all over the place. We'd have people plummeling into the ocean left and right.
So there you go, the fantastic dream of being able to fly anywhere alongside the realities of how badly it could be were it an actual reality. On one hand you could either fly off to Neverland with Peter Pan, and on the other, you could look like a big-haired, wind-burnt, bug-squashed mess that's plummels into the sea. The Peter Pan dream sounds way cooler to me personally. Oh the dreams we dream..
But all that to say, this new season is bringing more changes...the sun is coming out, the flowers are starting to bloom, the birds are flying to the clouds, and the winds are calling for us to move. I wonder what will happen next..
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Labrynth
No I’m not referring to the strange, yet amusing movie from the 90’s that has most likely left David Bowie still wondering if his career suffered a bit after the scary spandex pants. No, I’m referring to the craziness that is called life. I know I have waaaay too many analogies but sometimes visuals are helpful. To me, anyway…
There are so many ups and downs in life, so many circumstances where you can feel like you know exactly where your feet are going to step next. But then in the next millisecond, you think you’re plummeling through a trap door. I don’t understand it, I just try to learn what God wants me to learn and hope I’ll get it fast enough to move on without completely having a meltdown.
It’s very much a maze at times, with all the unknown twists and turns…something sneaking up on you when you think you’re doing pretty well. You can even feel like you’ve found the garden in the middle where you can stop to smell the roses when, Wham! You just got hit with a new bend in the road, a new challenge for you to face. You weave in and out of these forever long paths that you just know have to lead to the way out, but when you get to what looks like the end, there’s a new turn and a new path of foreverness. Honestly, it feels like Forever is my middle name. There it is…Rebekah Forever…keep on keeping on cause it could be a while:p
Truly though, I know it won’t be forever. But it can sure feel like it with so many things to overcome and so many days gone by that seem to create even more days to come. *sigh* The maze of me! Everyone’s got their own maze, a list of challenges that goes up to the wazooey of eternal sky. On and on it goes, where it stops, I sure don’t know.
But I have a hope.
I’m going through gardens that are pleasant and beautiful right before I hit more roads of gravel and brick walls all around. I’m trying to find the right doors to go through to figure out where God wants me to be, and not be afraid of the seriously creepy gargoyles that make crazy faces and try to mock me. I’m walking on, even when my feet hurt and my shoes feel worn down and I’m pretty sure I passed that same rock five times. It’s been hard at times, but joyful in others. It’s life. I’m thankful to have it, thorns and all. I only write my frustrations or voice them so I can quickly get them out of my head and out of my way so I can move faster.
And I still have a hope.
I trust God will fulfill every promise He has given. I can’t figure this labrynth out, but God knows and as long as my plan is to follow Him…I’m definitely going to see it to the end.
There are so many ups and downs in life, so many circumstances where you can feel like you know exactly where your feet are going to step next. But then in the next millisecond, you think you’re plummeling through a trap door. I don’t understand it, I just try to learn what God wants me to learn and hope I’ll get it fast enough to move on without completely having a meltdown.
It’s very much a maze at times, with all the unknown twists and turns…something sneaking up on you when you think you’re doing pretty well. You can even feel like you’ve found the garden in the middle where you can stop to smell the roses when, Wham! You just got hit with a new bend in the road, a new challenge for you to face. You weave in and out of these forever long paths that you just know have to lead to the way out, but when you get to what looks like the end, there’s a new turn and a new path of foreverness. Honestly, it feels like Forever is my middle name. There it is…Rebekah Forever…keep on keeping on cause it could be a while:p
Truly though, I know it won’t be forever. But it can sure feel like it with so many things to overcome and so many days gone by that seem to create even more days to come. *sigh* The maze of me! Everyone’s got their own maze, a list of challenges that goes up to the wazooey of eternal sky. On and on it goes, where it stops, I sure don’t know.
But I have a hope.
I’m going through gardens that are pleasant and beautiful right before I hit more roads of gravel and brick walls all around. I’m trying to find the right doors to go through to figure out where God wants me to be, and not be afraid of the seriously creepy gargoyles that make crazy faces and try to mock me. I’m walking on, even when my feet hurt and my shoes feel worn down and I’m pretty sure I passed that same rock five times. It’s been hard at times, but joyful in others. It’s life. I’m thankful to have it, thorns and all. I only write my frustrations or voice them so I can quickly get them out of my head and out of my way so I can move faster.
And I still have a hope.
I trust God will fulfill every promise He has given. I can’t figure this labrynth out, but God knows and as long as my plan is to follow Him…I’m definitely going to see it to the end.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
A Hope and Home
There are two words that are separated by one letter in appearance, and yet are connected in meaning. Homeless and hopeless.
Obviously the meanings of these words are apparent...the absence of hope or a home. But I think I’ve come to understand them both on a personal level, which makes them jump out at me all the more when I think about them.
Many times, you walk down the street (especially in the city) and you’ll see someone that’s blatantly homeless. I mean, you can tell it just by looking at them in some cases. But there’s usually this absence of compassion for them because, in all honesty, most people don’t know what that feels like. Well over the past few years, I’ve experienced the uncertainty of life without a home. I’m thankful that I haven’t had to live on the streets physically, but extremely little separates me from it. With no home of my own and uncertainty on a daily basis of the living situation now...I see more when I look into the eyes of people on the streets. I see the blank expressions of those with no cares in the world because they have no worries, which reminds me of where I used to be. And then I see the deeply scarred expressions of those that have nothing and have been treated like they are nothing, which is what I’ve experienced recently.
With the one word, comes the other...when someone is homeless, they are also feeling hopeless. Because there’s no place to go. No place to escape, no rest from the troubles of the world. And then on top of that, people treat you like you don’t deserve to live at all. It’s a very harsh and cruel cycle the homeless go through. I know that some of them are living that way because they have fallen into drugs or other things, but there are also countless others that simply are too poor to own a place to live. Either way, they need the love of God just as much as we do.
I feel more deeply for the homeless than I ever have in my life. I see the blessings of soup kitchens and distributing food and clothes to those in need...not because you feel pity or want to do a good deed for the day, but because of love. I understand the impact of a simple hug to someone that is wounded inside from the daily hurts of people and life.
It’s definitely not been easy but I am thankful that I’m learning something from all of these years in the ‘desert.’ I can at least feel more and see a little more of how God wants us to love those that the world disregards.
"Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?"
James 2:5
How awesome that God sees our hearts and not our wallets. He has a love for us that goes deeper than anything our imaginations can dream up, and He can use whomever He chooses to change the world.
Through all of these hard things, I still have a hope and peace that can only come from Jesus. He is my hope and where I find rest, the One who prepares a place for us...home.
"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our suffering, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us."
Romans 5:3-5
Obviously the meanings of these words are apparent...the absence of hope or a home. But I think I’ve come to understand them both on a personal level, which makes them jump out at me all the more when I think about them.
Many times, you walk down the street (especially in the city) and you’ll see someone that’s blatantly homeless. I mean, you can tell it just by looking at them in some cases. But there’s usually this absence of compassion for them because, in all honesty, most people don’t know what that feels like. Well over the past few years, I’ve experienced the uncertainty of life without a home. I’m thankful that I haven’t had to live on the streets physically, but extremely little separates me from it. With no home of my own and uncertainty on a daily basis of the living situation now...I see more when I look into the eyes of people on the streets. I see the blank expressions of those with no cares in the world because they have no worries, which reminds me of where I used to be. And then I see the deeply scarred expressions of those that have nothing and have been treated like they are nothing, which is what I’ve experienced recently.
With the one word, comes the other...when someone is homeless, they are also feeling hopeless. Because there’s no place to go. No place to escape, no rest from the troubles of the world. And then on top of that, people treat you like you don’t deserve to live at all. It’s a very harsh and cruel cycle the homeless go through. I know that some of them are living that way because they have fallen into drugs or other things, but there are also countless others that simply are too poor to own a place to live. Either way, they need the love of God just as much as we do.
I feel more deeply for the homeless than I ever have in my life. I see the blessings of soup kitchens and distributing food and clothes to those in need...not because you feel pity or want to do a good deed for the day, but because of love. I understand the impact of a simple hug to someone that is wounded inside from the daily hurts of people and life.
It’s definitely not been easy but I am thankful that I’m learning something from all of these years in the ‘desert.’ I can at least feel more and see a little more of how God wants us to love those that the world disregards.
"Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?"
James 2:5
How awesome that God sees our hearts and not our wallets. He has a love for us that goes deeper than anything our imaginations can dream up, and He can use whomever He chooses to change the world.
Through all of these hard things, I still have a hope and peace that can only come from Jesus. He is my hope and where I find rest, the One who prepares a place for us...home.
"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our suffering, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us."
Romans 5:3-5
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Reflecting
I am absolutely, positively unsure of what’s going on inside of me right now. But I think the restlessness has returned yet again. Actually, I don’t think it ever left really....maybe subsided would be the proper term. For a time, anyway.
So I’ve started a new job and I’m ending my other job, quite a bit going on in a short amount of time. And yet while I’m at both, (neither of which are bad) I have no desire whatsoever of wanting to stay. I want to leave this place, this state, this country...and move on. I want to get on with the next season of my life and see what is finally around the corner from where I stand right now. It honestly feels like this waiting period has lasted so very long. The whole time-warp thing still comes to mind because I feel older and yet I don’t see the oldness staring back at me in the mirror so I wonder if I really could be that old.
Every time I’ve felt a stirring in my heart, we’ve left to go somewhere new. I never know where exactly that will be but it’s usually a pretty drastic change. So I guess I should continue to try and be prepared for anything. I only hope that this next departure to wherever actually ends up being to the destination that’s been grafted onto my heart.
It’s interesting to me how much the Lord teaches you without you fully grasping it, until a while later when the light turns on in your head and you finally ‘get’ it. I think before each transition that we’ve gone through, we’ve been given a short time to look back at how far God has brought us and remember where we used to be. So we can think of all the things He’s taught us and how much we’ve changed. It’s amazing, really.....to think of where I was only a year or two ago, and then to see where I am at this moment. It’s a miracle.
In the old testament, when you read in Genesis and Exodus..and throughout the Bible, really, of how the Israelites witnessed so many miracles and yet they seemed to forget them from one day to the next, you think they must have been ridiculous because how can a person possibly forget such awesome miracles? But I understand how in our humanness, we are so forgetful. It’s pretty bizarre how much we forget, really. I’ve had to write things down because I know that even though it’s a huge thing to me today, I may not remember it tomorrow....and it quickly get’s shoved under more of the everyday moments of life that just pile up. With all of those things that I’ve personally done, I am not so quick to point my finger at the Israelites anymore. It doesn’t mean that it’s a good thing, but it does mean that the Lord is teaching me how unqualified I am at judging and how much I need to change to become who He wants me to be.
I’m so thankful that in all these changes and crazy things I’ve gone through, God is leading me and guiding me to walk with Him. It’s an ever-winding road that can get me confused when I look down at the ground instead of looking at the Lord, but I’m praying constantly that He will continue to be patient with me and help me to keep going....never forgetting how far He’s brought me to reach this point.
So I’ve started a new job and I’m ending my other job, quite a bit going on in a short amount of time. And yet while I’m at both, (neither of which are bad) I have no desire whatsoever of wanting to stay. I want to leave this place, this state, this country...and move on. I want to get on with the next season of my life and see what is finally around the corner from where I stand right now. It honestly feels like this waiting period has lasted so very long. The whole time-warp thing still comes to mind because I feel older and yet I don’t see the oldness staring back at me in the mirror so I wonder if I really could be that old.
Every time I’ve felt a stirring in my heart, we’ve left to go somewhere new. I never know where exactly that will be but it’s usually a pretty drastic change. So I guess I should continue to try and be prepared for anything. I only hope that this next departure to wherever actually ends up being to the destination that’s been grafted onto my heart.
It’s interesting to me how much the Lord teaches you without you fully grasping it, until a while later when the light turns on in your head and you finally ‘get’ it. I think before each transition that we’ve gone through, we’ve been given a short time to look back at how far God has brought us and remember where we used to be. So we can think of all the things He’s taught us and how much we’ve changed. It’s amazing, really.....to think of where I was only a year or two ago, and then to see where I am at this moment. It’s a miracle.
In the old testament, when you read in Genesis and Exodus..and throughout the Bible, really, of how the Israelites witnessed so many miracles and yet they seemed to forget them from one day to the next, you think they must have been ridiculous because how can a person possibly forget such awesome miracles? But I understand how in our humanness, we are so forgetful. It’s pretty bizarre how much we forget, really. I’ve had to write things down because I know that even though it’s a huge thing to me today, I may not remember it tomorrow....and it quickly get’s shoved under more of the everyday moments of life that just pile up. With all of those things that I’ve personally done, I am not so quick to point my finger at the Israelites anymore. It doesn’t mean that it’s a good thing, but it does mean that the Lord is teaching me how unqualified I am at judging and how much I need to change to become who He wants me to be.
I’m so thankful that in all these changes and crazy things I’ve gone through, God is leading me and guiding me to walk with Him. It’s an ever-winding road that can get me confused when I look down at the ground instead of looking at the Lord, but I’m praying constantly that He will continue to be patient with me and help me to keep going....never forgetting how far He’s brought me to reach this point.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Beginnings and Endings
Well it's definitely been quite a while since I've been writing on here.....I've been slacking:( But I've also been extremely busy, so at least it's not because I wasn't doing anything at all.
I'm happy to say that I am finally nearing the end of the job I've been working at for a while. I've gotten something that I think will be a lot more fun, considering it'll involve art and painting. Woohoo! Fun times:) So I will finally get to say goodbye to waiting on people and their perpetual angry eyes of grumpiness. Ugh. Can't say that's ever been enjoyable. In fact, it's been downright irritating. Honestly, sometimes I really wonder how the human race has survived so long. It really is a miracle you know. When choosing an item from a menu becomes an eternally long, stressful matter of life and death, you know you're in trouble. I was thinking that my last day I might want to become the smoothie nazi and tell people, "No smoothie for you!" That could be the best day ever..
So I'm excited about the change of all that. I think I get stir-crazy if I'm somewhere for too long. I wonder what that means for my future, will I be constantly moving all over the place? Oh wait, I do that anyway. Haha! Seriously though...
In other change-related news, I've got another gig coming up that should be interesting. I always think they'll be fun (and playing always is) but sometimes the nerves are somewhat of a battle. In spite of all the nerves though, my prayer is that the Lord will use me to minister to someone out there. You really never know what He's going to do, you just try to remain obedient and trust that He's guiding each step you take for a purpose.
Swinging back to my job changing subject, I sure hope people aren't as grumpy in this new painting job I'll be starting.....can't imagine how tempting it will be to use that paintbrush for evil and not for good if someone breaks out their angry eyes at me....dun dun duunnnn!
I'm happy to say that I am finally nearing the end of the job I've been working at for a while. I've gotten something that I think will be a lot more fun, considering it'll involve art and painting. Woohoo! Fun times:) So I will finally get to say goodbye to waiting on people and their perpetual angry eyes of grumpiness. Ugh. Can't say that's ever been enjoyable. In fact, it's been downright irritating. Honestly, sometimes I really wonder how the human race has survived so long. It really is a miracle you know. When choosing an item from a menu becomes an eternally long, stressful matter of life and death, you know you're in trouble. I was thinking that my last day I might want to become the smoothie nazi and tell people, "No smoothie for you!" That could be the best day ever..
So I'm excited about the change of all that. I think I get stir-crazy if I'm somewhere for too long. I wonder what that means for my future, will I be constantly moving all over the place? Oh wait, I do that anyway. Haha! Seriously though...
In other change-related news, I've got another gig coming up that should be interesting. I always think they'll be fun (and playing always is) but sometimes the nerves are somewhat of a battle. In spite of all the nerves though, my prayer is that the Lord will use me to minister to someone out there. You really never know what He's going to do, you just try to remain obedient and trust that He's guiding each step you take for a purpose.
Swinging back to my job changing subject, I sure hope people aren't as grumpy in this new painting job I'll be starting.....can't imagine how tempting it will be to use that paintbrush for evil and not for good if someone breaks out their angry eyes at me....dun dun duunnnn!
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Misfit Island
I often make references to those classic old timie claymation movies that are so corny that they become outright hilarious. The best ones have horrible voices that show no kind of emotion at all, with the awkward movements of little handmade clay creatures that didn’t get their legs bent all the way so they can’t seem to walk properly without looking crippled. Those are the best. One of my favorite/most awful ones made has got to be the Rudolph one. That fabulous one with the abominable snowman that has foil teeth and a bad hair day, so awesome. I think I’ve seen lots of people that look just like that, which is a little alarming....
One thing about that old, ridiculous cartoon thing that I find funny, yet interesting at the same time..is the Misfit Island. Where all those weird toys somehow got magically put in one place so they could be depressed together. It’s kind of that way with people, you’ve got the outcasts to what we all might consider to be ‘normal’ wandering around and trying to find a place to fit. They generally end up finding other people similar to themselves that they can be around and ‘not’ fit in together. People tend to travel in herds, popular people roll with other popular people. Rich people stick with fellow rich people, nerds with nerds, jocks with jocks, churchies with churchies...and on and on it goes. (Sidenote: churchies is a word, seriously.) Nobody really likes to be alone you know, even for those of us that generally tend to be loners, it’s still not desirable to be alone all the time. So we gravitate towards others that we’re similar to and feel like we belong with. But there are so many people in the world that just don’t belong, so many of us that can get along with all sorts of groups or kinds of people and yet we don’t classify ourselves to fit into any particular group. You can have tons of friends, so many that they’re coming out of your ears, but yet you still don’t feel like you fit in entirely. Or you could have few friends, struggling to find anyone that might understand you in even the slightest inkling. In either circumstance, it get’s frustrating when you feel like you are on the outside looking in. No matter how tough skinned you are, it’s going to be a struggle.
I know how that feels, really. People don’t scare me, and friends are something that I consider to be a huge blessing....but I know that I don’t necessarily fit in anywhere. My life is different, my goals are different, and my focus is different. But I’m okay with that. It’s a good thing to be different (not freaky, mind you...just different.) I think too often, we’ve allowed ourselves to become part of the crowd and not fully grown into the men and women that God created us to be. Can you imagine what would happen if we all lived to our fullest potential, using all the gifts and talents that God has given us for His glory? It would be absolutely amazing.
So I guess to tie in the whole weird claymation thing along with how we all tend to shuffle by with the crowd, I just want to point out that we’re all misfits in some shape or form. We all have quirks or traits that separate us from each other, different looks, tastes, talents and so on. We’re all unique. So instead of us all trying to either pretend that we’re the same as everyone else and making fun of the ones that are different, (like those annoying reindeer that really got theirs in the end of that Rudolph movie) let’s be the ones that become ground breakers, growing into mighty men and women that live victorious lives in Christ. And instead of taking our eccentricities and differences to an extreme and isolating ourselves on our own personal islands, (like those creepy little toys with depression issues) let’s be bold and share what God has given us with others and help them to become stronger too. Weird analogy, I know. But I’ve seen weirder. And I may look elf-like in some instances, but I don’t have any plans on being a dentist or anything, so rest easy.
Misfit Island, gosh....I think by now it’s probably considered a continent.....there are plenty of people I WISH would go on an island like that....but that's another story:)
One thing about that old, ridiculous cartoon thing that I find funny, yet interesting at the same time..is the Misfit Island. Where all those weird toys somehow got magically put in one place so they could be depressed together. It’s kind of that way with people, you’ve got the outcasts to what we all might consider to be ‘normal’ wandering around and trying to find a place to fit. They generally end up finding other people similar to themselves that they can be around and ‘not’ fit in together. People tend to travel in herds, popular people roll with other popular people. Rich people stick with fellow rich people, nerds with nerds, jocks with jocks, churchies with churchies...and on and on it goes. (Sidenote: churchies is a word, seriously.) Nobody really likes to be alone you know, even for those of us that generally tend to be loners, it’s still not desirable to be alone all the time. So we gravitate towards others that we’re similar to and feel like we belong with. But there are so many people in the world that just don’t belong, so many of us that can get along with all sorts of groups or kinds of people and yet we don’t classify ourselves to fit into any particular group. You can have tons of friends, so many that they’re coming out of your ears, but yet you still don’t feel like you fit in entirely. Or you could have few friends, struggling to find anyone that might understand you in even the slightest inkling. In either circumstance, it get’s frustrating when you feel like you are on the outside looking in. No matter how tough skinned you are, it’s going to be a struggle.
I know how that feels, really. People don’t scare me, and friends are something that I consider to be a huge blessing....but I know that I don’t necessarily fit in anywhere. My life is different, my goals are different, and my focus is different. But I’m okay with that. It’s a good thing to be different (not freaky, mind you...just different.) I think too often, we’ve allowed ourselves to become part of the crowd and not fully grown into the men and women that God created us to be. Can you imagine what would happen if we all lived to our fullest potential, using all the gifts and talents that God has given us for His glory? It would be absolutely amazing.
So I guess to tie in the whole weird claymation thing along with how we all tend to shuffle by with the crowd, I just want to point out that we’re all misfits in some shape or form. We all have quirks or traits that separate us from each other, different looks, tastes, talents and so on. We’re all unique. So instead of us all trying to either pretend that we’re the same as everyone else and making fun of the ones that are different, (like those annoying reindeer that really got theirs in the end of that Rudolph movie) let’s be the ones that become ground breakers, growing into mighty men and women that live victorious lives in Christ. And instead of taking our eccentricities and differences to an extreme and isolating ourselves on our own personal islands, (like those creepy little toys with depression issues) let’s be bold and share what God has given us with others and help them to become stronger too. Weird analogy, I know. But I’ve seen weirder. And I may look elf-like in some instances, but I don’t have any plans on being a dentist or anything, so rest easy.
Misfit Island, gosh....I think by now it’s probably considered a continent.....there are plenty of people I WISH would go on an island like that....but that's another story:)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)