Thursday, September 5, 2013

Five Minute Friday - Red

Five Minute FridayWriting again this week with Lisa Jo Baker and the Five Minute Friday Crew. This blessed, beautiful place where we open our hearts and let words and tears and the inner workings of our lives bleed and flow and dance across the virtual pages. Yes, this community opens wide and invites you in to share. Come and visit and read. You will be blessed.

This Week: Red

Go

It would be a long time before I could embrace anything but black. Certainly, in the years before, when I had little to do or say with what went into the clothing of me, certainly there was color.

But when I was old enough to call the shots, old enough to make the decisions, and certainly old enough to lay down the crisp or crumpled bills for the goods, it was a sea of darkness that swam before me on the changing room floor. I often said it made dressing in the early morning hours easier. Said it made matching things easier (but really, have you ever tried matching shades of black – take my word – they’re not created equal). Said it allowed for mystery and magic and the phase of goth that extended far past high school.

And while there might have been bits of truth embedded in there, let’s face it. The real magic of black is that is can make you disappear. Make you blend into the background. Let you drift into the shadows. And when you lack confidence and every other step you take, blending, disappearing, drifting away into the shadows is exactly what you want to do.

When I started to let go of the black and the need to blend and disappear – I can’t tell you exactly. It wasn’t an overnight event. I didn’t wake one morning full of joy and confidence; singing like Julie Andrews in the Sound of Music. It was a slow, quiet awakening. A growing awareness that there was something worth having a look at inside. An understanding that God had planted a seed and a woman of worth was growing up from underneath all the silt of struggle and trial. And somewhere right about that time, my new favorite color became red.

Red purse, red boots, Chanel red on my lips and toes. Red tinted Ralph Lauren sunglasses. Red rubies in my ears. It’s amazing how a change on the outside can bolster the wavering heart. I’m now a firm believer in wearing something nice to pick up your mood, bump up your courage for a job interview, help rock your world around you when it feels like it’s going to come crashing down around your ears.

Truly, external trappings are not all. There is so much more that has grown in me than suddenly putting on a red sweater and feeling so much better about myself. And in truth, I’m just as likely to wear black as red these days anyway. But that moment of awakening was real, and it was a start. And once I took those steps into understanding my self-worth; understanding who I was in Christ; understanding who I could become through Him and in Him. Well, there’s no going back now.

Stop

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33 comments :

  1. Love this so much! So much!!!!!! Thank you for it! I'd love to have something brilliant to say, but all I can say is how much I loved it!

    Visiting from FMF!

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    1. Thank you Vicki - anything from an FMF friend is encouragement in and of itself!

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  2. I'm so glad you are embracing color! God has created such rich colors for us to enjoy. Your green scarf picture is one of my favorites to see on twitter and such. Keep living colorfully! Happy day to you, friend!

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    1. Doing my best, Andi! It's the encouragement of the community like this that keeps me centered.

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  3. I love this- and (of course) love that we both went in a similar direction! Once again... Kindred, indeed! Love you!

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    1. I know, right? How I love to see that happen. You and your fabulous red sofa and loveseat!

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  4. Love you Rebekah. So happy to see how God has helped you grow through something as simple as a bold color :) Happy Friday!!!

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    1. He sometimes uses the smallest thing to make a chance in us, doesn't He? Amazing. Love you back!

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  5. love this. love the color change. so great.

    visiting from FMF.

    Have a beautiful weekend!

    Jessica

    http://mybeautifulli.blogspot.com/2013/09/five-minute-friday-red.html

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    1. Thank you Jessica - love to have a visit from a new FMF friend.

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  6. YAY and HOOOORRRAAAYYY for red! You go girl. Revel in your red. I love red and I believe it makes any woman look like she knows what she's doing. Thanks for sharing this with us. You ROCK!!

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    1. Love you Debi - you are such an encouragement and a huge cheerleader. I always look forward to your comments.

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  7. This is a very meaningful journey...I could almost see you transform into the vibrant red.

    "understanding who I was in Christ" I find this phrase simply beautiful and profound

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    1. Thank you Aileen ... it's an ongoing journey. But it all happens in His time and in His will. Have a blessed weekend!

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  8. I love that the color red was an awakening into a new identity. Don't we all pass from darkness to light through red stained grace? I love that you've found your beauty and identity and worth in Christ. And I love that you are sharing your story here with us. That's a whole lotta love right there! So rock that red, or black, or whatever, because you shine.

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    1. Isn't that the joy in the journey friend - darkness to light through His grace! Working on doing what I can to let His light shine. And so grateful for your words and encouragement along the way. I'm going back (yet again) to look at your Evernote comments this weekend as I plow ahead!

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  9. This was so awesome, Rebekah! Loved it! So vivid and real:)

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  10. I just love your words (and you,sweetie). I had had a similiar awakening with color. To be able to use a physical color to relate a spiritual change is such a blessing. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. It's like a deep breath of fresh air, right Amy? Makes for a great metaphor. Love you, friend!

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  11. We love our greens, don't we T? I think of all those times we've wandered through the Yellow House looking at the possibilities, and somehow, we keep coming back to shades of leaf and grass. But we love others too, don't we?

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  12. Loved your post on red today. Love how the red blazed into your blackness and afforded you a step into a more colorful and more meaningful life as you have grown in your awareness of Him in you. Simply beautiful!

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    1. Thank you Amy. I love my journey of discovery. This is one part. God taking the goth girl into the light. Got to love that!

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  13. I love the stories that are pouring out from the hearts of my five minute Friday friends! I think we have all felt like hiding at times. Thank you for sharing your story of embracing colors, and I will try to remember this next time I am tempted to hide. I hope you have a lovely weekend!

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    1. And I love making new FMF friends - I'm so glad you stopped by! Thank you for your kind words and encouragement. I hope they'll come to mind in a time when you need to shine. He is with you.

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  14. Rebekah, I loved reading of your transformation and could so relate...but dont' think I could ever share as you have. Truly beautiful!! I got goosebumps. I'm sorry I don't stop in all the time but please know how much I do enjoy coming here. {Hugs}

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    1. Sweet Beth - thank you. You know, some times I just grit my teeth and write into the storm of it. When it's about what God is doing in my life, then ultimately it will be for His purpose. I have to trust that! So glad to see you here!

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  15. Beautiful! This is a transformation I can relate to as well! I do like Red, but I started wearing bright blues, greens and purples as I transitioned away from black. Great imagery!

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    1. AJ - you're talking all my other favorite colors. It's amazing what happens when you open your world up to more color!

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  16. Sounds like you jumped from blending in to vividly standing out. :) Seems to fit with what little I saw in the chat last night.

    Seriously though I had my times of needing to be hidden and years where I battled with depression, and feelings of unworthiness and wanting to disappear. So I can relate, as I found freedom in Christ and found my worth in Him, I found confidence and totally transformed.

    Loved how you described this.

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    1. Hi Deanna, thanks so much for visiting from the FMF. You'll have to realize that I'm still much more bold in print than I am in person. But I try. All for Him. Glad you found something to connect to here!

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  17. I enjoyed this post! I am a little afraid of red, in all of it's boldness! You, I am sure, ROCK it!

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    1. And yet when I see your pictures, I'm betting you'd look amazing in red. For all of it's boldness. You have such welcoming confidence in your beautiful smile. Thanks Barbie!

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