The Eye of the Beholder

For Christmas my son gave me a silver charm link for my bracelet. On the little square are the words, "Eat Sleep DANCE". This is special to me for two reasons. One, it is a visual reminder of my theme verse from Ecclesiasties for 2007 - "There is...a time to dance". But, what makes it even more meaningful is the fact that my 15 year old son would think of the message it speaks to my heart and purchase it for me. Dancing to me has come to represent embracing the unknown and stepping out on the dance-floor of life. It's willingly taking God's Hand as the music begins to play and trusting the Lord of the dance.

As much as I love this gift, there's one small problem. I think it had been previously owned and returned because it was upside down in the container and the package had been opened and retaped. That in itself isn't an issue, but the fact that the charm had already discoloured and turned green spoke of its quality. Now, I am in no way insinuating that my son is cheap. For the record, he also purchased me the "August Rush" soundtrack, (something I myself had been searching for right up until Dec. 23rd - Where he found it I'll never know), and he also gave me a DVD on "Beginner's Ballroom Dancing" (move over Hannah Montana! - see LysaTerkeurst.blogspot.com - Feb 6/08 entry). So finances didn't seem to be the issue. I decided I wouldn't say anything about this defect, but thought that maybe one day while at the Mall I would secretly replace it and my son would never know the difference.

However, the other night I removed my jewellery before washing the dinner dishes (yes - a job I still often do by hand - only because I don't run our dishwasher often enough and it was full to overflowing!), I had set this bracelet on the counter. My son was walking by and noticed it laying there and exclaimed, "Hey...Cool, one of your little charms is green!"

I said, "It's the one you gave me for Christmas."

He responded - "WOW - That's so neat! It makes it extra special!"

What's that expression? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder? What I was viewing as cheap and inferior, my son saw as special and unique.

I often look at myself and see all that's discoloured in my life - all my faults, failures and inadequacies, but God looks down and says, "You are precious and honoured in My sight...I love you." Is.43:4 What if He was as quick to pick me up and cast me aside because of my flaws or exchange me based on my appearance? So thankful that God sees past this outer shell and loves and accepts me just the way I am and at the same time sees me as who I can be in Him. He doesn't place value on perfectionism, but on surrender.

This little charm now not only speaks to me of my son's love for me, but also my Heavenly Father's love for me too.

As Kermit the Frog sings, it may not always be easy being 'green', but God is colouring my life with a rainbow of shades and I need to enjoy the hues that are uniquely mine because I'm uniquely His!!!