"Unique!"

Stepping Out in RED shoes!

 - Day 89 - 

Daddy loves our individuality!

He created us that way.

"I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Your works are wonderful,  I know that full well." 

Psalm 139:14

Every year, churches have their seasonal "Holiday Kid's Program."  When my kids were little,  I would be sitting, right up front and center.  Yup!   They'd all be wearing their cute little Christmas or Easter outfits -- my son's hair slicked back,  my daughters' hair in beautiful curls.  My son would have on his bow tie -- the girls their black patent leather shoes.   I couldn't wait to see them shine, up there on stage!

• Unique
• Different
• Individual
• Distinctive
• Unmatched
• Unrepeated
• Note worthy
• Remarkable
• One-of-a-kind
• Extraordinary

Once my kids grew up, I tended to avoid  "The Children's Program."  I didn't have a vested interest anymore.  On occasion, however, I'd accidently end up in attendance.  I'd often find the whole thing quite comical.  No one stood in straight lines.  Some did the hand actions to the songs, and some couldn't quite remember them.  There'd always be one or two, center stage, dressed to the nines.  They'd have every word and action to the song down pat and would perform it with excellence.

"O LORD, you have searched me and you know me."

Psalm 139:1

Meanwhile, there'd be one little boy -- off to one side -- not quite connected with the group.  He'd be so excited about the superman t-shirt he was wearing. that he couldn't stop looking at it and touching it.  He may have even had a makeshift cape pinned to the back of his collar.  (That's because he'd throw a tantrum without it.)


While the rest of the group was singing, 
he was standing sideways, 
enamored with the big "S" on his shirt, 
jumping up and down,  
his arms lifted up, 
trying to fly.  

Okay... that wasn't my boy, by the way.

Off on the other side of the platform, there was a little girl in a ballerina dress and sparkly shoes.

She was having a fine time,

twirling, no less.  

I don't know where she was, but I was sure she wasn't with the rest of the group.  She was dancing around to her own little tune -- having a nice time, all the same.


Then, front row, was a little one who was trying so hard to stay focused on the song and the actions, but the band-aid on her ankle was flopping around.

She kept obsessing with it, 
bending over and pressing it down, 
hoping it would stay on.  

She completely forgot the fact that she was on stage.

"All the days ordained for me were written in 

your book before one of them came to be."

Psalm 139:16

Who knew that years later, little superman would become an military chopper pilot, the dancer a pop-star, and the little girl with the band-aid issue, a missionary nurse to third-world countries?  The perfect kids in the middle, weren't very good when it came to risk taking, but they did well with their lives all the same.  They became accountants and business managers.  You get my point.

As observers, we so often look for perfection in others.  As children of God, we think that's what's expected of us, too! -- perfection.

  But that's not how it is at all!

We think it's about looking good, staying in a straight line, singing out the words in unison and remembering the hand actions.

Meanwhile...  Our Heavenly Father just wants us to enjoy being who we are -- His kids!  

Perhaps we ought to look at others this way -- the way The Father looks at us -- Just a thought!

He looks at the boy in the superman costume and thinks...
"That's my little guy!  He'll make a great pilot someday!" 

 He looks at the little dancer and says...
"How cute, she's already showing such promise on the big stage!"

He sees that little one and thinks...
"She's so focussed on healing -- How wonderful!  Do I have a job for her!"

"How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!

How vast is the sum of them!

Psalm 139:17

And then there's me -- sitting in the back row -- wondering what those kids are doing.  "Why aren't they in a straight line?  
Why have they wondered away from the others?  Why aren't they singing the words and doing the actions?"  
Not any more!  As I'm learning to accept my own uniqueness and realizing how much my Daddy loves it, I'm becoming much more appreciative and less judgmental of others.

'"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.'

Isaiah 55:8

Today I'm feeling really good about my RED shoes.  God not only created me to step out into the world, in this unique way each day, but He's excited that I'm looking and listening for Him!

What is it that He's uniquely created you to do?

Gail