It's Tough Being A Woman in Another Woman's Shadow

Kristy -- WOW! What a great group we had on Monday night! Just from the taste you had on Monday night through your daily Bible study this week, don't you think this study is going to be worth its weight in gold? I'm already excited and anticipating next Monday night. Have you ever bought someone the most perfect gift, and it's a gift they haven't even asked for, and you're going to give it to them? My husband has been known to buy a gift, knowing how perfect it would be, but then he can't wait to give it, so he gives it and goes to buy another one for the occasion. I am not complaining, mind you, but that is how I feel about this study. I don't want to reveal too much in these blogs because I want you to be surprised Monday night, so I'll try my best not to give too much away.

Now on to the meat of the matter, something I've been thinking about this week is the question, "Have I ever felt like I was in the shadow of another woman?" The answer is "yes," and to be transparent, I still find myself in her shadow but sometimes it's because I put myself there. Do you realize that you are different? That would be an understatement for me. Some say I look and act like my mom, and others say I look and act like my daddy. Truth is, I'm a bit of each plus a warped mixture of the two and somewhere in there is me. I thought the only place I walked in her shadow was at church, but I realized I put myself in her shadow at home. God did not make us to be copies of another person, but the Bible says we were made in His image. We are to model Him. So, I struggle with wanting to be as good a mom to my ADD (attention deficit disorder) child as my mom was to me her ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder) child, and many times I fear I don't add up. I fall painfully short, and yet I know God wants my best and He'll do the rest. We are often more critical on ourselves than anyone else would be.

At church some people may put me in my mom's shadow, and while I fought years to be strikingly different in order to be an individual, I've resigned myself to the fact that "Yes, I favor my mom. Yes, I have mannerisms like her, and those aren't bad things." But if you ever see me or hear of me doing something totally off the wall, know that it's a part of me just busting to get loose and dying to let it all hang out. I'm not as nearly composed as my mother is. Being ADHD I have to rein in my impulses. Just think of Terry Young mixed with Steve Angel on Mountaindew...got the picture?

I can't wait to go over the things on the focal table. Put your thinking caps on, ladies. Can't wait to see what you come up with.

I invite you to share with us your thoughts about being in another woman's shadow. If you need some help getting logged in, please call me at 464-3679.

Sandra--And Tuesday's morning group was great also! The thing I really loved about it was the variety in the women. We had women from college age to, well, let's just say "70-ish."

Since Kristy was just talking about blogging, I'll tell you that she will be visiting in Tuesday's day group to explain and demonstrate blogging. You all probably know all about blogging, but those of us who are just a little "technologically challenged" may need a little help. I still have to ask Kristy "how" when it's time for me to write for the blog. We really want you to know how to do this so that you can "comment" on the blog and/or the class. There will be people reading the blog who aren't attending the classes, and it will be so much more interesting if you will all get involved. So--how about it! Who is going to be the first brave soul to comment?

Psalm 139:13-14 points out that God created us in the womb. At the moment of conception, He already had a plan for your life and for my life. He knew then what talents, abilities, gifts that you would need to be able to fulfill His plan, so He gave you those TAGs (talents, abilities, gifts) at conception. Now that amazes me! I am a planner, an organizer, but His planning puts me in the shade! He gave me the TAGs at conception that I would need to teach a Bible study 60-something years later. Talk about planning ahead!

If God put that much thought into our creation, we should never allow ourselves to be put in someone else's shadow unfavorably. Who has there been in your life who perhaps intimidated you just a little? Hopefully, you've gotten out of that position, but, if not, why not work on doing that? God took time and effort to creat a unique you; use your energy to be the best "unique you" that you can be, not on being someone else! Remember Jeremiah 29:11 from last week!

Next week is going to be great; you don't want to miss it! And the week after that is going to be so much fun--you really don't want to miss that either!