Freckles

 If you've ever met me, you likely noticed that I'm covered, quite literally, in freckles.  For much of my life I have pretty much despised my pale, freckly skin.  For one thing, if you put me out in the sun for very long at all, I burn!  This is frustrating to me because I love the outdoors!  I hope my cozy home in heaven has endless gardens for me to dink in when I arrive.  Maybe there will be a sandy beach I can enjoy out from under a pile of sunscreen and an umbrella.  There I won't have to worry about skin cancer, right?  My millions of freckles also draw unwanted attention.  I have always struggled with shyness, and I tend to like to hover in the shadows.  My freckles have always had this way of putting me in the spotlight in ways I don't enjoy.  I remember when I was a kid older folks leaning close to my face and telling me that the sun sure must have kissed me.  I know now that they weren't insulting me, but I didn't get it then.  I remember working a polling place for my father-in-law a few years ago, and a gentleman came up, staring of course, stopped and said, "wow...wow...that is a lot of freckles!"  I have plenty more stories, but you get the picture.  I like to blend in and freckles don't let me do that very well.  Before we had kids I hoped that none of my kids would get my skin.  I hoped they would get dad's brown, even, beautiful skin.  Then, I had Marcus.  I think it took me having a ginger, freckled, sweetheart of a son to help me finally accept me.  Marcus has my freckles.  His skin is also somewhat pale and does burn pretty easily.  But, you know what?  I think he's perfect, and I don't care!  He's got dreamy blue eyes, an all American little boy smile, and the best hugs and kisses a mommy could ask for!  He is a unique individual who was created in God's image, and I wouldn't change a thing about him.  Having him helped me to realize that my spotty look is also beautiful because it's the way God intended me to look.
As I've embraced the skin I'm in, pale, easily burnt, freckly stuff that it is, I've also been embracing the following idea:  As a follower of Christ, I am going to stand out from much of the world around me, and it will not always be wanted attention.  I don't think that God wants me to stay in my comfortable, wall flower spot.  He has called me to follow Him with abandon, and boldness.  I am not this way in myself, but in His strength I am growing.  God can use anything to teach us, and in my case, He used my freckles!  God is good, and today I'm grateful that He continues to gently teach me.