What makes me special?

Oh my, it's been a long time since I've blogged, hasn't it!? Life has been crazy with final exams, projects, presentations, reports, applications ... you know, all that fun college-y stuff. I won't bore you with the details.  :-)

In the shuffle, however, I've been trying to grasp at fragments of the lessons that the Lord tries to stuff into my pathetic head before I collapse to sleep each night ... they have been profound and terribly important, and I've only gotten my fingertips around a couple of them before they've slipped right back out again - those important ones being to root out bitterness, to shake off the dust of the world that is starting to cling to me rather thickly, and to turn my focus back onto the Lord and His children, and not onto myself.

In support of the last one, I came across a video tonight that I had seen a long time ago and really been blessed by, but had filed away and forgotten ... it's a short 7-minute lesson that I think we all need to hear:



What makes me special? That's an entirely different take on the question than "Why am I so weird?". I tend to struggle badly with self-pity because I frequently feel off-balance and awkward in conversation, like an outsider who doesn't quite fit in (read: Belle); and this leads me to feel sorry for myself and wonder what's wrong with me and if I'm just odd. Throw in my singleness and the feeling is multiplied.

But that's not how I should be viewing myself. I am fearfully and wonderfully made, and being made perfect by the sanctification of the Holy Spirit. He has given me gifts that uniquely fill needs that no one else can address, and viewing my differences in this way will give me a much more positive outlook on life - one that not only will allow me to be more useful and happy in life, but that will also allow me to value and cherish the differences in others as well.

And since it's 2AM here, I'd better head for bed!! Have a wonderful day, dear friends - I love you all very much!!

~ Vicki