on why i need you to be you

I was a chameleon growing up. Moving every year does that too a person. Adapting is critical to survival and I did more than survive, I thrived on it back then.

It wasn't until the last 15 years of my 40ish life that I've lived anywhere for more than a year.

There's danger in staying put, in living somewhere longer than the "new" girl wears off.

You might get to know me, the real me, the ol' rubbed off me. The kind I'm not sure I want you to see.

It's that rejection thing.

As homeschoolers, we are an isolated bunch most days.


I recently told my husband "I need to make an intentional effort of meeting with other ladies." Because too much time away and I become the turtle in a shell and I'm a people person, people!

I need you.

I need rubbing off and a place of encouragement-for-grumpy-days-me. I need the Holy-Spirit-filled-changing-me to fellowship with the Holy-Spirit-filled-changing-you.

Several Saturdays back, I was in a room full of women. No kids, no spouses, just us grown-up girls.

In other words, a rare night.

At one point, we all came together from our little chatty groups we'd been clustered in. In one big circle, we sat 'round a living room sharing, laughing, lots of talking.

I looked at each one and thanked God for their unique selves represented there.

Not for one second did I want anyone to be anybody else. I wanted them to be exactly as they were, individually different.

I prayed,  "Lord, give them permission. Give them that deep-abiding joy of just how You made them, and that they not try to be someone else for the sake of being someone else. Give them permission to just be who they are."

That doesn't mean we don't improve or change according to His will. Heaven knows, I need lots of changing.

But we only change because it is His will and not our own.

There are many faucets of the human personality which make each one a delight or a trial unto itself, but oh how lovely the differences are. And perhaps my marveling at the gems sparkling from each one of those women is really a way of turning the mirror on myself and allowing my own "permission".

Go and be who you are in Christ because we need the authentic Body. Our differings, the essence of given grace, is what makes all our individuals, members of one another.

        "We, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 

          Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them..."

                                   (some italics and bold are mine) Romans 12:5 and 6

   at Michelle's....


  and at Laura's...