I'm not Cookie Cutter
A couple of weeks ago I spent the whole weekend doing yard work, and basically, I don’t know who I am anymore. My husband left town for the weekend to visit his mom, and I decided to play Extreme Makeover landscape edition.
Here is the thing, I have never been one for yard work. I have actually never mowed a lawn before. That might sound bad, but growing up my dad did it, then my husband either did it or had a yard guy do it. Side note, I also have 3 sons.
So… we all have our giftedness, that is not one of mine.
The end of last year Richard and I bought a 1940’s fixer upper in the River East section of Fort Worth. We love it! This kind of house is not for everyone, but it fits us. One area that really needed fixing was the yard! With the help of my sons, we went to work on the flower beds. We planted flowers, hung an American flag, and strung lights across the patio in the back-yard. We worked for 2 ½ days, it still needs a lot more, but it’s looking great!
As my son and I at on the back patio admiring our work, we began talking about our decision to choose this home. I randomly blurted out, “I am not cookie cutter Dawson”. In the moment it was just a statement about enjoying the uniqueness of our home, but I have now been processing it for a few days.
There have been times in my life where I felt like a square peg in a round hole, just trying to be who I thought others wanted me to be. God’s word tells us. “Do not conform to the patterns of the world”, but we seem to want to just fit in. What if you were made to stand out?
As you have all been safe at home, is there anything that you have learned about yourself? I believe this is a time of reset. Reset of our time, our priorities, and our values. We are all reevaluating what is most important.
Maybe it is time for you to make a raucous! Shake up the status quo and do something that gets you excited! I actually found some stress relief in working in the yard, who knew? Since then I have also refinished a table and made macramé. Quarantine Barbie has all kinds of new interest! Have you discovered, or maybe resurfaced, a talent that you put away years ago?
What if you decided to just go with the gray hair that came out while the salons were closed? What makes you feel alive? I am not cookie cutter, and neither are you!
As we enter into this “new normal” I have had a few people tell me that there is a part of them that is sad for this season to end. I want to encourage you to think about that. Just maybe we don’t want to go back to “normal”. God is doing a new thing! Take an inventory of the things that do not need to come back. Go into this new season with authenticity and purpose, truly embracing who God made you to be.
If you would like to do a call to get new perspective, express concerns, or dream about possibilities, I would love to do a free call with you! Click below to send a message!