When am I a Swan?

I’m tired of being ugly

Unloveable

Unloved.

The ugly duckling personified.

Born in a perfect world and lacking perfection.

The ugly duckling later became a swan. What about me?

When will I become a swan?

When can I look at myself in the mirror and say, “You are Magnificent”?

Why can’t I say it now?

When have I done enough?

When was it for the ugly duckling?

He just flew around being himself. But he was always scared of opening up to others. He always stuck out. He was ridiculed and mocked.

Scorned, judged. Tried, condemned.

But he was a SWAN!

When  I am   am I a swan? Wait… what did I say?

When… I am… a swan.

Who I am can change my present. It can change my future. It can change the world?

How? That doesn’t make sense.

I’m the loner in the corner. The shy one.

The quiet, responsible, optimistic, perfect child. I’m not allowed to feel insecure or to show insecurity.

Everyone else has something to offer. Why me?

Then again, why not me?

I love myself! I admire myself! I can say that. I don’t altogether believe it.

I can’t look myself in they eyes without seeing all of my weaknesses and shortcomings.

I know they will never completely be gone. When can I love myself?

When am I a swan?

~Kate Wynstelle

Building Homes

Wow, doesn't time fly :). Since I last posted I've moved across the United States to upstate New York into a house that isn't a "fixer-upper." It's a "tear her down, then fix 'er up."
In honor of my new house, I'd like to share this parable by C. S. Lewis from his book Mere Christianity.

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace."

My little sister shared another amazing analogy illustrating our divine nature. When you  cut an apple through the middle, you'll find a star formed by seeds. Inside each of us is an amazing destiny, formed by the seeds of our potential.

I know that God has shown me my greatness. I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. And He strengthens YOU. YOU are amazing, you have a powerful potential for good.

Unlock that potential, and you will change the world. God can help you. Let Him in. Let Him build you.