You GOTTA be you!

Well, in case you haven't noticed, this blog has morphed out of the realm of just focusing on adoption, or our adoption story, to just a place where I can jot down my thoughts on life, God, and what it is to live where I am right now. I guess it isn't necessary to really post anymore, but unlike journals, I can't lose the internet, so for now, it seems this is the most consistent place for me to keep up with this!

Idols. Alot comes to mind when I hear that word....old statues, food, sports, Billy...(haha:-) Today on the way home, though, God began to talk to me about another idol I have in my life. (No, not Billy). It was someone. Someone very dear to me who has my respect and is a fellow lover of God. However, as God began to bring this into the light, I began to ask myself "why" questions. Why do I look up to this person, even sometimes to the point of envy? There were many answers I won't share but what it boiled down to had to do with the PERCEPTION that this person really has it altogether. They seem to be able to handle life so much better than me--having it all together, never being in want, always on top of things, never looking like they have a need or need to depend on anyone else...you get the picture. I capitalized perception because even as I listed these things that I was becoming aware of, I realized that this is NO ONE. This isn't even really true of this person. Secondly, what I find attractive in all of this is counter to what God has for me, and really is the root of what caused the entire fall of the human race to begin with===PRIDE. Despite knowing in my head this is really destructive, I have often times in my life found myself trying to emmulate others who fit the "got it all together" description.
Let's just put aside the fact that this sin took down the entire human race in one bite, and consider this as well: we are all truly image bearers of the one Living God. He has put unique expressions of Himself in EVERY individual. In the history of humanity, there has NEVER been one repeat. Not one person who is exactly like another one. What this says is that the ENTIRETY of the human race has STILL not COMPLETELY reflected the FULL image of this amazing God we serve! To me, this serves as reason for me to really seek to be me! I want to reflect, as much as I am able to, who He in me...it is a piece that if I don't steward well and take care to discover and show, the world won't get to see...or at least those in the world I am supposed to show. You have to show who He is in you. I want to see as much of Him here as I can and if you or me or any one of us is spending time trying to be someone else or someone we aren't or some image of what we think we should be, we will never be who we really are and those around you will never experience the part of God's heart he desires to shine through you.