"Do Your Ears Hang Low...?"

When I was a little girl, my granny would say to me, “Baby, if mama mistreats you, you just flop your ears and fly to granny’s house.” Evidently, I have big ears. Isn’t it funny that you don’t notice such things about yourself until someone else points it out. I thought my ears were just fine, they used to come in handy when my hair was long- I could pull it behind them and it would stay out of my face.

We have to guard against letting other’s opinion of our looks influence us in a negative way. It’s easy to take their comments and become “self conscience” of things about ourselves that we never gave a second thought about before. This can be a tool that the enemy uses to try to distract, discourage, depress and intimidate us. We start pondering such questions as: Do I look that bad? I wonder if everyone thinks that about me? Why hasn’t anyone ever told me before, don’t they love me? Then we become preoccupied with ourselves.

I had to resolve myself to the fact that God made me. He planned me, shaped me and fashioned everything about me to His specifications. He gave me my big ears, and He must have wanted me to have them—perhaps it’s because He “likes” them and the way they look on my head. There is a song that my daughter learned in kindergarten, I don’t know the name of it- but it says, “Do your ears hang low? etc.” (You probably know it.) I am teaching it to my granddaughter but I am adding a “special” verse to it to teach her about Jesus and His design for her. The first part of the verse says, “But they hang on me just where God wants them to be and they fit my face so very perfectly…”

This “Glitter Girl” has been liberated from letting others make me feel self conscience because of what they define as "imperfections"- big ears, a long pointed nose, little lips, buggy eyes, too tall, too short, etc.. I know that I am uniquely designed by God, therefore, me and my “big ears” are comfortable with who we are. “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” Psalm 139:14

"I Love Lucy"

I grew up watching television shows like “Lassie”, “Leave It To Beaver”, “The Andy Griffith Show” and “I Love Lucy”. I am sure most of you did too- or have at least seen them. Their reruns are still being aired.

The show “I Love Lucy” was certainly titled correctly- after all- we all love Lucy. She was a very funny lady. Her mad cap antics kept us in stitches. She could get herself, her side-kick Ethel, Fred and Ricky into the most predicaments.

Lucy was a “go getter”. If she wanted it, she went after it. She didn’t let her husband’s “no’s” stand in the way. She always found a way to “finagle” her way around him through one of her “hair brained” schemes. She would plot and plan trying to manipulate Ricky to say “yes” and let her have her way. While we loved laughing at and with Lucy (I am strictly referring to the character- not the actress Lucille Ball herself), it is one thing to watch on a television screen her insistent pursuit to have her way, it is another to adopt her methods and use them as a guideline in real life to get what you want.

Her example of manipulation (and, yes, that’s exactly what it was) is not a good example to follow. As a follower of Jesus Christ I have learned that getting my way through manipulation is never the best choice- or the “God” choice. The Bible is clear that manipulation is witchcraft, and witchcraft has no part in the Christian life.

Do I always get my way? No. Do I always need to get my way? No. Is it always in my best interest to have my way? No. But if it is in my best interest and it’s God’s will for me but my husband is not willing to let me have it, or do it, I don’t have to manipulate him or the situation in order for it to go in my favor. I have a Heavenly Father that I can go to in prayer about the situation. He knows how to orchestrate, change and turn things around so that they work together for my good because I love Him and am called according to His purpose.

Lucy often discovered that when she finally did get her way, she wished she hadn’t. She also discovered that if she had waited and been a little more patient Ricky had already changed his mind. I don’t have to fight my own battles- with anyone- if I turn them over to God He will do it for me—if it is in accordance to His plan for my life. So I’ll wait and let Him do it! "The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace." (Exodus 14:14)

"Glitter Girls" know that it is always in our best interest to wait patiently for God to move on our behalf and not try to manipulate the situation ourselves.

"Now Faith Is...?"

I don’t know if you can read the fine print on this beautiful little graphic or not, but the author is Joni Erickson Tada. Because of her paralysis and confinement to a wheelchair she has been accused of not having faith. Her accuser’s “reasoning” causes them to conclude that if she had faith she would be healed. Let’s get “liberated” from some “stinking thinking” today.

There is no doubt that God is the healer, there is no doubt that if we can believe all things are possible to them who believe, there is no doubt that at times Jesus says to all of us, “Oh, ye, of little faith”, and there is no doubt that we have an adversary who comes to accuse us when we don’t see the healing, or the deliverance, or the need met. He comes to accuse us of not having faith, of not being a Christian or things would change, he tells us that God is mad at us, that we have sin in our lives, and a whole barrage of other accusations.

The liberation happens as we stop listening to his “LIES” and start listening to God’s “TRUTH”. The truth is that God is still a Sovereign God. The truth is that “all things work together for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose”. The truth is that it was neither “he nor his parents who sinned, but that the works of God might be made manifest”. The truth is that God can use you anywhere, in any situation, in any circumstance, at any time- whether it’s in a wheelchair, a hospital bed, behind prison bars, living on the streets- and still get glory in spite of it.

The truth is that it takes greater (REAL) faith to continue to serve God, to continue to let your light shine, to continue to love God, to continue to trust Him when you feel like He “has slain you”, to be content in whatever state you are in. So, in my book, if ever there was a real “Glitter Girl” Joni is one because she still shines in spite of her physical condition, she exhibits peace despite the confinement of a wheelchair, she beams with joy even through the inability to help herself with even small task, the love of Jesus radiates from her even in her weaknesses. Her faith is the “real deal”. Is yours?

“Glitter Girls” know that real faith shines brighter in times of darkness than it does in the sun light. “And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise.” Hebrews 11:39

"Yes, Jesus Loves Me"

Everyone knows the song, “Jesus Loves Me”, but most don’t know that there are several verses to it- some of the verses have been made up by individuals or children’s church groups that were not the original. One such verse that we used to sing at our church went like this: “Jesus, love me when I’m good, and I do the things I should. Jesus loves me when I’m bad, though it makes Him very sad. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me so.”

“Glitter Girls” love Jesus and don’t want to do anything that will hurt Him, disappoint Him, make Him sad, bring shame or reproach to His name, or cause others not to desire to know Him. But the fact is that sometimes we do. Sometimes it’s not always wittingly, sometimes it’s innocently, sometimes we do it ignorantly.

Because I have been “liberated”, I know I don’t have to stay in the guilt and condemnation of my failure, short comings or sin. I know that Jesus still loves me and will forgive me when I repent and turn to Him. Even though I may have made Him sad, He doesn’t stop loving me.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:35-39

"MySpace"

A couple of weeks after I finished putting this blog together I got to thinking about doing a MySpace. I love working with websites, graphics, writing, etc.- so I thought it was a good idea. This way I could have a place that wasn’t about the ministry but just about me. Besides, it’s the “in” thing to do online- “everybody” has a MySpace.

The more I thought about it, I came to the conclusion that who I am is not separate from the “ministry”- ministry is what I do because it’s “who” I am. If you look at all the blogs and websites I already have and the daily devotional, they reflect that. You can see who I am in the content of the sites- there is no mistaking that I am a follower of Jesus. So you already “know” plenty about me- what more could I say? Besides, a “Glitter Girl” knows it’s not really important if they know “me”, it’s more important for them to know “Jesus”. So I don’t need a MySpace. If you have one, that’s great, I'm not condemning it. My point is: this “Glitter Girl” has been liberated from feeling the need to keep up with the “Joneses”- even the “Cyber Joneses”. “And be not conformed to this world.” (Romans 12:2a)