Name Branded

With Christmas coming up, it´s easy to get tied up in material things. Today I went with my Amanda (a sweet missionary friend who is ALSO from Texas) to pick up a Christmas package at the central post office here in Lima. Picking up packages can be quite an ordeal, especially around Christmas time, and the whole event usually takes a good few hours. So, while Amanda was inside, (they one would let the actual recipient of the package into the post office) I wondered around to the nearest market to see what I could find. Surprizingly, I found that the market was filled with stores that sold American-brand clothing. I got really excited because I had found Ann Taylor, American Eagle, Union Bay, Old Navy, Forever 21 stuff for really cheap. I really didn´t need any new clothes, but it was more of the thought of being able to sport some American brands that can be somewhat pricey for pretty cheap. But then I had a realization-the only reason I was thinking about these things was to ¨impress¨ people with my clothes, and to the people here, names like Forever 21 didn´t mean anything.

Something very funny aslo happened while I was at one of these stores. I did try on a few things, and because the sizes here are so different, our American sizes mean very little to the average Peruvian. I told the lady I was looking for some skirts, and she pulls out one and hands it to me. A lovely skirt, but only one problem: it was size 1. Yes. I normally wear a 1....with a 0 attached on the end of that, but this lady was convinced that this wouldn´t matter and that I could still try it on. You can imagine how that went. What was even funnier is that when I asked for something with a little bigger size, she handed me a skirt in size 0. Yeah. That went over well. Or, should I say didn´t go over anything?!?!

Needless to say, I did´t buy anything at this market, but it did make me painfully aware that sometimes I dress according to what I think people will think of me.

Hope everyone is enjoying the last couple days leading up to Christmas...speaking of things to wear, can I just say that it´s SO WEIRD being in a place where it´s summertime during Christmas. Makes for some interesting santa suits....

Arms to Hold You

I have come to know a lonliness, darkness that I have never known before. But I didn´t write this blog to brag or even talk about these things.

When you know the unprecidented depths of these things,  you also know the an uprecidented overflowing grace and mercy- a side of God you have never experienced before- if you so choose. 

I am so thankful for this grace and mercy...and for the arms of Christ to hold you when you walk through the spaces where there is only room for you and Him.

As I was writing this blog, this song began to play and I began to cry, realizing how relevent it was. (Lisa, this was the CD I opened today, and God knew it would minister to me today...thank you.) 

Sometimes I feel like winter, cold I feel

Icicles are forming

It's hard to tell what is real

Cold winter, cold winter day

Frost is on the windshield and it's hard to see

Air is like slivers

It's hard to breathe

It's a cold winter, cold winter day

Warm me up inside

And let your face from me not hide

'Cause You are what I long for

To melt this cold heart of mine

'Cause when You are around I am found

Sometimes I feel like the prodigal, a wandering weary son

Gone in search of something beautiful

Something to make me one

It's a cold winter, cold winter day

The world is full of lies that will only rob you blind

Hit ya' when you are not looking

And steal away your time

It's a cold winter, cold winter day

And warm me up inside

Let Your face from me not hide

'Cause You are what I long to find

To melt this cold heart of mine

And when You are around I am found

Warm me up inside

And let your face from me not hide

'Cause You are what I long to find

To melt this cold heart of mine

'Cause when You are around

'Cause when You are around

And when You are around I am found

Winter: Shawn McDonald

What I think I look like...What I actually look like...

 

Ever had an impression of yourself? A not-so-accurate impression or view of yourself? Well, the above picture was meant to be a joke as I was looking over pictures of when we went to Ecuador and remembered us taking pictures on the beach...and thinking how attractive I THOUGHT I looked. Little did I know...attractive was not ANYWHERE on the list...and neither were any other words of the type! 

Ever asked God to give you a TRUE impression of yourself? Like what He thinks of you? I have asked Him recently what He thought of me and it was actually the opposite of what I thought of myself.

He calls me ¨strong woman,¨ when all I see is weakness.

He tells me I am bold when all I see is fear.

He called me beautiful when all all I see is dissapointment and failure.

He called me by name

And I am His

But so many times I run to others first. 

I run to those I can physically touch, 

forgetting the One who loves me most

Is standing right there

Waiting...

And when I come before Him, confessing my faults,

I find a whirlwind of grace

a new life that pours into my soul

as His forgiveness pours through me

and enables me to forgive others.

Take a minute and ask God what He thinks of YOU...you might just be surprised what He tells you.