Things I wish I knew at 15... [Part 3]

"Before you were born I set you apart"I know you have all been hanging on the edge of your seats wondering what my 3rd and final topic would be in my series [or not]. But actually, this one has been more difficult for me to choose. [Read Part 1 and Part 2]  You learn so many things in a decade. That is the whole reason we think GLAM is important! Having a mentor who is dozens of laps ahead of us can make all the difference in our complicated lives.

 So what is the 3^rd thing I would tell 15-year-old me? I suppose it would be to… BE DIFFERENT. BE FREE. 

As I have seen it, most children start out being spontaneous, fun, unique and free. However, somewhere around puberty everyone merges into this blob of conformity, trends and labels [designer labels as well as stereotype labels]. Then, some individuals might branch out in to indie, punk, artsy, intellectual, “anti-conformist” groups.

The problem is, even the kids taking pride in being “different” start to fit into another mold sometimes. I did this with my lip piercing, firey-red hair, custom-made vans, thrifted clothes, etc. I burst out of the “norm”, but I still wanted to be accepted and thought of as cool. No teenager loses that desire. So all of my artsy scene friends grouped together to affirm our uniqueness… and we didn’t all look the same or anything! [ha!]

So this is where I get to my point: Be careful to not just be different to be different... but actually be FREE.

• First -- BE FREE to embrace the things that are uniquely YOU. We all have differences in appearance, talents, tastes and opinions. As I already said in my first blog “You were born an original. Don’t die a copy.” As you mature, have fun being free to embrace whatever you love. For me it is: the color green, plaid, things made of wood and wool, antiques, comfortable boots, old music, Anne of Green Gables, elves and fairies, baby animals, musicals, health food, recycling, the fall season, Alabama football, singer-songwriters, African orphanages, dancing, acting silly, roller coasters, guitars, adventures, brown paper packages tied up with string… (Anyone else singing “My Favorite Things” in your head? Maybe it’s just me.) I could go on for days adding to my pinterest boards.

• Second -- BE FREE to embrace things that might not even be that unique. So what if I love a good chick flick? Yeah, it is so typically girly, but God happened to make me very tender-hearted and emotional… so deal with it. And so what if I sometimes drive around listening to Top-40 hits and singing at the top of my lungs? It’s fun. And so what if I go to Target and buy the same cardigan that everyone has? We don’t have to be held into “individuality” bondage either.

• Mostly -- BE FREE to go against the grain with your standards. Even around people who are Christians, doing what is right is always going to go against the grain. Why? Because we have to deal with our human nature, personal imperfection, and weakness. It takes God’s power in us to strengthen us to stand up for what is right, and it will never be easy. So, dare to be different and go beyond the standards of the world.

The 10-years-later benefit? There are too many to list! Your career, life decisions, personal happiness and relationships will all be affected.

Jeremiah 1:5 “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.
 Before you were born I set you apart
…”

Galatians 5:1 "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

 

Comments

[Sarah]

Very good one, Geenger!

[Ginger]

Sarah, I almost tried to find pictures of us with scene hair and 4 layered tank tops.

[Nicole]

So good! I can definitely relate. :) I liked the part, it takes God's power in us, to strengthen us to stand up for what's right. So true, have to remember that.