The Ugly Duckling became a Swan
Have you ever wondered why friends come into our lives for a season? Do you struggle when those relationships are no longer a focal point in your life? Do you have that friendship where it seems to be 'frozen in time' while you are out of touch, it could be 5 years before you speak to each other again, yet when that day comes you are right where you left off?
Life was so simple when we were kids...and by kids I mean Preschool - 3rd grade :) I don't know what happened between 3rd and 5th grade, but there was a HUGE shift in the universe. Anyone else have this issue? Maybe not, but it's like there was a separation between higher-class and lower-class kids. I was no longer popular with everyone, I had become outcast to the 'Nerd' category with quite a few others they felt needed to bear the title of shame. Life as a kid was no longer FUN. Back then I thought that my life was terrible, I had no friends...well the friends I wanted now laughed at me and called me 'four-eyes' and 'buck-tooth beaver'...this stage of my life lasted until 7th grade when things started looking up.
Have you ever heard the saying 'the ugly duckling syndrome'? I lived it for that time of my life and it was not anything I would wish on my worst enemy. When I was a toddler, my family and I were in a doctor's office waiting room when I tripped on a bump in the rug which sent me falling into a glass table. I busted up my gums and just about bit the inside of my cheek off. At the time, it seemed like the damage was just to my baby teeth and gums BUT little did they know it had damaged my adult teeth. It was this fall that would cause my adult teeth to come in all jacked up, couple that with my toddler thumb-sucking habit and I was destined for 'nerd-ness' (yes, I just made that up!) God Bless my parents, because looking back I could not see what they saw in me HAHA! They loved me the same and gave me comfort when I would come home crying. Grades started slipping because I wouldn't want to do my homework, I waited til the last minute to complete a school project (which my Dad was always there to complete it for me), even my personal hygiene went out the window...YES, I became the 'stinky kid'...man was I living up to my 'nerd' potential! My parents as a last resort, took me to counseling...and let me tell you...that was the BEST thing they could have ever done for me! It was in that moment that I was able to get out all my worries, my fears, my problems as school; I learned NEW ways to deal with the situation I was in at the moment. My bottle cap glasses and buck teeth were still there, but I was able to embrace my 'nerd-ness' and find solice in the friendships I had right in front of me.
Over the years, I have come to realize that I was walking through a season of life. A season that would build me to become the woman I am today! I have had many friends throughout my young adult life...do I have any of them now? One! Her name is Lacy and she has stood firm throughout the last 15 years. If you are one who is fortunate to still maintain contact with friends from kindergarten, God Bless you! You are blessed to have these relationships still flourishing after so many years. If you're like myself and haven't kept up with the long distance friendships over the years, it doesn't mean we're any less fortunate. We are blessed with few individuals whom we hold near and dear to our heart. It's almost like the saying for those of us vertically challenged folks: God only let's things grow until they're perfect, some people took longer than others...I guess God created some of us to handle many friends and to some the number of friends was not as important as the value they bring to our life.
Life was so simple when we were kids...and by kids I mean Preschool - 3rd grade :) I don't know what happened between 3rd and 5th grade, but there was a HUGE shift in the universe. Anyone else have this issue? Maybe not, but it's like there was a separation between higher-class and lower-class kids. I was no longer popular with everyone, I had become outcast to the 'Nerd' category with quite a few others they felt needed to bear the title of shame. Life as a kid was no longer FUN. Back then I thought that my life was terrible, I had no friends...well the friends I wanted now laughed at me and called me 'four-eyes' and 'buck-tooth beaver'...this stage of my life lasted until 7th grade when things started looking up.
Have you ever heard the saying 'the ugly duckling syndrome'? I lived it for that time of my life and it was not anything I would wish on my worst enemy. When I was a toddler, my family and I were in a doctor's office waiting room when I tripped on a bump in the rug which sent me falling into a glass table. I busted up my gums and just about bit the inside of my cheek off. At the time, it seemed like the damage was just to my baby teeth and gums BUT little did they know it had damaged my adult teeth. It was this fall that would cause my adult teeth to come in all jacked up, couple that with my toddler thumb-sucking habit and I was destined for 'nerd-ness' (yes, I just made that up!) God Bless my parents, because looking back I could not see what they saw in me HAHA! They loved me the same and gave me comfort when I would come home crying. Grades started slipping because I wouldn't want to do my homework, I waited til the last minute to complete a school project (which my Dad was always there to complete it for me), even my personal hygiene went out the window...YES, I became the 'stinky kid'...man was I living up to my 'nerd' potential! My parents as a last resort, took me to counseling...and let me tell you...that was the BEST thing they could have ever done for me! It was in that moment that I was able to get out all my worries, my fears, my problems as school; I learned NEW ways to deal with the situation I was in at the moment. My bottle cap glasses and buck teeth were still there, but I was able to embrace my 'nerd-ness' and find solice in the friendships I had right in front of me.
Over the years, I have come to realize that I was walking through a season of life. A season that would build me to become the woman I am today! I have had many friends throughout my young adult life...do I have any of them now? One! Her name is Lacy and she has stood firm throughout the last 15 years. If you are one who is fortunate to still maintain contact with friends from kindergarten, God Bless you! You are blessed to have these relationships still flourishing after so many years. If you're like myself and haven't kept up with the long distance friendships over the years, it doesn't mean we're any less fortunate. We are blessed with few individuals whom we hold near and dear to our heart. It's almost like the saying for those of us vertically challenged folks: God only let's things grow until they're perfect, some people took longer than others...I guess God created some of us to handle many friends and to some the number of friends was not as important as the value they bring to our life.
I personally cannot keep up with the Jones'...I've tried! I prefer to have a small group of friends in my life, it's not like I have a magic number BUT I have come to the realization that I am a 'closet introvert' ~ as much as I love people and love to talk, I am VERY quiet at first. One lesson I have learned throughout the years, do not dump you life story on people when you first meet them UNLESS you want them to run at the sight of you! I do believe that's how I went from 'out-going' to 'closet introvert'; these days I find myself observing more often while keeping my mouth shut because I like to get a feel for the people that I am around before I open up.
Over the last four years I have been closer in my relationship with God BUT especially in these two years I have met some amazing people that I am blessed to call friends! We attend the same church, we felowship with one another and fill each others 'spiritual love tanks'. There is nothing more satisfying than to be filled with the Holy Spirit and growing in your walk with God through fellowship with other believers. So many opportunities are available to you as Christians, as Daughters of the King, to fellowship with one another. We must first seek Him, ask for his guidance and live as Christ did.
Many don't realize that we are filled with the same Holy Spirit that was in Jesus Christ. Isn't it fascinating?! All it took to be saved, to be filled with the Holy Spirit was a simple confession of our sins and acceptance of Christ as our Lord and Savior!
John 8:12 ~ I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have light of LIFE.
Comments
Post a Comment