Their Ways Are Not My Ways
A few days ago, I carefully prepared yogurt layered with granola and raisins for my son, who had requested it. It looked lovely in the little glass bowl and each bite should have included just the right combination of ingredients. My son sat in front of this perfect creation, picked up his spoon, and enthusiastically mixed everything all together before taking a bite.
I almost said something and pointed out the care I had put into preparing his breakfast. Instead, I decided to smile and appreciate the differences in us that really both led to the same place in the end.
As my children get older, I am faced with more of these moments where they do not do chores the way I do, study the way I do, or even eat food the way I do. Sometimes it is a challenge to accept them for who they are rather than the person I think they should be – you know, a carbon copy of me. Then I think, “Why on earth would I wish that upon them?!” God has much bigger plans for them.
For example, my daughter loves reading and writing as much as I do, but she is confident enough to go after her goals. I loved books and history as much as a child, but took the path of least resistance in college, studying for a degree that I used for all of 2.5 years of my professional career. If I had boldly went after what I really loved, I would have been writing for decades by now rather than still trying to break through. I put off trying to write until I was 35 years old because I lacked her sense of self and ambition. Thank God, my ways are not her ways.
It is only after seeing these differences that I have opened up to the idea of being ok with my own differences. The mask is coming off just a little bit, and I am comfortable with at least some people seeing the real me, not the Samantha that I try to make people believe that I am. I say stupid things. I am interested in topics that nobody else cares about. I am not physically perfect. The introverted me wants to hide at home and surround myself with my best friends, my hundreds of books, but God pushes me to reveal myself to others who would enhance my life in ways that the printed word never could.
My ways are not my friends ways, and that’s ok. I’m trying to stop analyzing everything I said and did after I have interacted with an actual human. Let them accept me for who I am . . . or not. More importantly, let me accept myself for who God has made me and stop worrying that I should be something more, different, or better. After all, His ways are not our ways, and I tend to think that He knows what He is doing!
To read more:click here
I almost said something and pointed out the care I had put into preparing his breakfast. Instead, I decided to smile and appreciate the differences in us that really both led to the same place in the end.
As my children get older, I am faced with more of these moments where they do not do chores the way I do, study the way I do, or even eat food the way I do. Sometimes it is a challenge to accept them for who they are rather than the person I think they should be – you know, a carbon copy of me. Then I think, “Why on earth would I wish that upon them?!” God has much bigger plans for them.
For example, my daughter loves reading and writing as much as I do, but she is confident enough to go after her goals. I loved books and history as much as a child, but took the path of least resistance in college, studying for a degree that I used for all of 2.5 years of my professional career. If I had boldly went after what I really loved, I would have been writing for decades by now rather than still trying to break through. I put off trying to write until I was 35 years old because I lacked her sense of self and ambition. Thank God, my ways are not her ways.
It is only after seeing these differences that I have opened up to the idea of being ok with my own differences. The mask is coming off just a little bit, and I am comfortable with at least some people seeing the real me, not the Samantha that I try to make people believe that I am. I say stupid things. I am interested in topics that nobody else cares about. I am not physically perfect. The introverted me wants to hide at home and surround myself with my best friends, my hundreds of books, but God pushes me to reveal myself to others who would enhance my life in ways that the printed word never could.
My ways are not my friends ways, and that’s ok. I’m trying to stop analyzing everything I said and did after I have interacted with an actual human. Let them accept me for who I am . . . or not. More importantly, let me accept myself for who God has made me and stop worrying that I should be something more, different, or better. After all, His ways are not our ways, and I tend to think that He knows what He is doing!
To read more:click here
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