adorning

Last night I got home late and my blog about ride or die friendship never materialized. Maybe someday.

Today, my inspiration hit as I found myself under a sink in our kitchen getting sprayed in the face by a pretty substantial leak. In moments like this my status of single flies furiously in my face. More than that tonight I found myself struck by the fact that I am just not a dainty and delicate woman. 

Over the course of these several months I have found myself many times, face to face with the struggle to understand my role as a feminine being. I find myself more comfortable in a situation where I am under a sink or in my shelter dealing with chaos than I do in many situations that would be considered "feminine." 

A week or two ago when I was sobbing on the floor after a shopping trip I found myself saying over and over, "I am not GOOD at this stuff." As I walked out of the house dripping like a wet dog to go get some exercise and process through the thoughts this had brought to my head, I was reminded of a quote from Elizabeth Elliot.

"To me, a lady is not frilly, flouncy, flippant, frivolous and fluff-brained, but she is gentle, she is gracious, she is godly and she is giving. You and I have the gift of femininity... the more womanly we are, the more manly men will be and the more God is glorified. Be women, be only women, be real women in obedience to God."

In some bizarre way, crawling under the sink was a display of some of my brand of godly femininity. I was able to pour generously in a situation where there was no one else able to do the job. Perhaps I didn't look dainty doing it, but I think it made my Father smile to see His daughter serve her family.

Interestingly enough I was spending some time in the word after. Swinging in my hammock sweaty from a work out and still wet from the leak I read this: 

"Do not let your adorning be external-the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear-but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious."
1 Peter 3:3-4

I like this version. 

"Let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart."

Yes. 

That is the imperishable beauty I want to have. 


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