Sunday, March 31, 2019

GROWING SEEDS: The Masks We Wear

March 31, 2019



They say that once you top the hill of mid-life and start heading down the other side, the importance of the journey changes from one of Adventure to one of Meaning.  Ok, nobody said that....I said that....but most of us reading this right now are in the season of "Meaning".  We have shed the designer backpack (perfection) and are now toting a Walmart bag instead (reality).  The "things" that once were the most important, have been moved to the least important.  Funny how that happens as you slide down this side of life....

For my 50th birthday, my friends and family thought it would be a great Birthday gift to laminate Jerry Jones' (Dallas Cowboys) face and glue him on popsicle sticks in honor of....wait for it....me.  I've never been a fan of JJ and most everyone that's spent 5 minutes with me knows why.  But suddenly, everyone was waving at me from the side of our road and looked just like him.  It was like my worst nightmare.

I tell you this, because we all, at one time or another, have worn the mask we long to be seen in.  Fortunately, they don't all look like Mr. Jones, but we often feel the need to hide our brokenness, our sin, our pain and yes, our suffering behind a mask of happiness, perfection, and stylish backpacks.  It was easier when we were living in the season of Adventure, but now that many of us are living in the Season of Meaning, we find it harder to keep that false mask on our face during times of struggle.  

Interestingly, I get the most comments when I write about the hard times...the vulnerable times when I blink through the tears as I type that life is hard...when the string holding my mask on keeps breaking and you see the real me.  I'm guessing that you, too, are struggling to hold that smiling perfect mask on your face. 

But, if I've learned anything in my 50+ years, it's that we get stronger through the parts of our stories we'd rather not share.  It's in those parts of the story that we become unstoppable. Rebuilt, actually.  

But here's the cool part.  It's in the vulnerability of our story that allows others permission to take off their mask.

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, 
for my power is made perfect in weakness."  
For when I am weak, then I am strong."  


2 Corinthians 12:9-10

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