Crafted

Do you ever get bonked over the head by a lesson you've learned? And relearned? And then learned again?
That happened to me this week.
It all started last weekend when a friend was sharing that he met his wife "when he wasn't even looking." I think that's precious. I love that God surprised him with such a fabulous blessing.
I didn't used to love hearing that because it's usually accompanied with that chin-tilted-raised-eyebrow expression that tells a single person, "If you would stop being desperate and just live each day then you, too, would be married like me." Sometimes the expression would be accompanied by the words themselves, though usually couched in a little more encouragement.
The reason it doesn't bother me anymore is that I've come to realize that that belief is simply not true. And I know it. So, if my married brethren and sistren think so, so be it. Often they think so because it was their experience. But it hasn't been mine, and the freeing thing is, I don't have to expect it.
Our God has not called us to a wide path. He's called us to a narrow one. This means its not a common trail. You're like, "duh, Kimberly." I know, but I had to relearn this in a unique way again. Recently. Not only is the trail not the typical world's path, but it's not anyone else's path. NO ONE ELSE'S. So if God's called me to a trail, I can't expect other people to walk that same path. It's mine. That is all he's told me. I know this and rest in it more often than not.
Or so I thought.
It so happens that I'm going to the beach this weekend. Woohoo!
And that means I have to don a bathing suit. Boohoo.
I have been fretting over this to a minor degree over the past few weeks. I love clothes. I love that the color and cut can impact the appearance of a body. I love jewelery and make up and their ability to say "Look up here! Ignore the imperfections!"
Sadly bathing suits say very little. Maybe, "eek." But that's not what I'm going for. Lately it's been saying, "no wonder you're alone."
So on a podcast this morning, I was reminded that I'm made as I am by a God who loves me. He doesn't expect me to be perfect and, furthermore, the people he puts in my life in relationship are not expecting that either. I am free to have flaws. The way he's structured me is specific to the narrow path on which he's called me and though it isn't necessarily the format I would have ordered if given a menu of options, it is by his will. That is freedom. He's bigger than me. The way I've been designed by an Almighty, loving God will not stand in the way of the plans that God has deigned for me.
See? It's a total "duh." But for me it was a breath of fresh truth.
Thank you, Jesus, for your fabulous timing, for your grace. Thank you for how you've made me...mostly...and for freedom.