This is not a new song but a favorite of mine. A friend from junior high and I were "chatting" on facebook the other day about friendships. I have had this same conversation many a times with another one of my oldest and dearest friends, Tiffany. The older I get, the number of people you consider a friend seems to dwindle.
I have struggled, as maybe you have too, of being REAL. I am guilty of hiding in the shadows, keeping parts of myself a secret from others out of fear. There are very few people that I would dare say know the real Jayne. In the last few years, I have begun to realize that God has blessed me with people around me who will still love and accept me, even if they see the real me! It's crazy to think that at 36, I am more confident and comfortable with who I am and in knowing who that really is than I have ever been before. There is a peace and calm that comes from knowing that you live inside your real skin at all times. I was sharing with that facebook friend that being real back in the day was a little easier. I wasn't jaded and insecure. To think that at 12 and 13 she saw the real me as opposed to those I called friends in my 20's is kind of hilarious.
I love this song because it talks about how God sees the real me, the one trying to hide, the one who sometimes wears a mask, the one who feels as if everything around might crumble and break. It humbly asks the Lord to slowly let the mask, the insecurities, the fears come down. He sees a wonderful, beautiful creation when He looks at us. He is taking the tattered pieces of our lives and weaving them together into a beautiful tapestry.
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| Hannah, Tiffany, Michelle, Amy, and me in Jr High! |
2 comments:
Oh my goodness! What a great memory! Boy are we young!
I can completely relate to struggling being real. We've just moved churches and I feel like it's so hard to "break in" to the existing friendships. Not that our church isn't a friendly place, it's just that people have history and why on earth would someone want to start history with someone new (although I wish they would!)
When I think of my dearest friends, I still think of all of you...even though I haven't seen or even spoken to you in all these years. I'm so glad we've found each other again (even if it's just on facebook). I love being able to peek into your lives...even if it's through a computer screen.
Jayne, I'm so glad Amy pointed me to this - I enjoy reading your blog and it was too fun seeing this picture again. :)
Being real is a gift of our 30's I believe, and I believe it's harder for those of us who grew up with religion than it is for others. But it is necessary and freeing and wonderful!
I love how you share what God is leading you through.
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