"Labeled"
From a dear friend's 8 year-old son:
LABELED
by Solomon John Groothuis age 8
Hello. My name is Solomon Groothuis and I am going to tell you what
it feels like to be labeled. You feel like either you're a piece of
junk or you are on top of the world. I will tell you about a time I
was labeled good and a time that I was labeled bad.
I was at a nursing home for a harvest celebration and this one
elderly lady said, "You are such a joy in my life." I felt like I
was bouncing high into the air, I felt like I was spinning around
with joy.
Another time I was playing soccer. This kid who was pretty mean said
I had a weird name. I felt droop-ish and sad-ish. I felt like the
earth was going to part and I would sink into the bottom.
A label feels like you've been stamped or someone stuck a big sticker
on you. Whether I have a good or bad label it reminds me of the Max
Lucado story, "You are Special." When I'm sad, this story makes me
feel better. When I'm happy it makes me feel even better than
better.
I just want to tell you that labels don't mean what you are. God
knows who you are and He has a big painted picture of who you are in
His art gallery.
THE END
Love, Solomon
(Out of the mouths of babes...!)
LABELED
by Solomon John Groothuis age 8
Hello. My name is Solomon Groothuis and I am going to tell you what
it feels like to be labeled. You feel like either you're a piece of
junk or you are on top of the world. I will tell you about a time I
was labeled good and a time that I was labeled bad.
I was at a nursing home for a harvest celebration and this one
elderly lady said, "You are such a joy in my life." I felt like I
was bouncing high into the air, I felt like I was spinning around
with joy.
Another time I was playing soccer. This kid who was pretty mean said
I had a weird name. I felt droop-ish and sad-ish. I felt like the
earth was going to part and I would sink into the bottom.
A label feels like you've been stamped or someone stuck a big sticker
on you. Whether I have a good or bad label it reminds me of the Max
Lucado story, "You are Special." When I'm sad, this story makes me
feel better. When I'm happy it makes me feel even better than
better.
I just want to tell you that labels don't mean what you are. God
knows who you are and He has a big painted picture of who you are in
His art gallery.
THE END
Love, Solomon
(Out of the mouths of babes...!)
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Dena Brehm on -
Isn't he amazing?
This friend of mine had 5 boys, stairstepped ... wanted to adopt a Liberian baby, and ended up with four little Liberian girls (two were infants) ... then had a baby girl ... adopted an 18 yo girl who stole from her and ended up in jail ... then adopted 3 more Liberian children. She's got four 3 year olds now, and a 1 year old. 13 kids altogether, and she lives on the edge of a project, reaching out to people continuously, with the most amazing attitude! And *none* of that "look how good I am" attitude. She wears no lables, sees no labels. She's refreshingly real.
If I ever grow up, I want to be like her...! ;)
(nah, I just want to be me - I finally like me... and that's a miracle!)
Shalom, Dena
Paige said:Beautifully expressed! (clap)
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Permalink Reply by Dena Brehm on
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Precisely, Aida ...
It's not bragging at all, for I see my all-too-obvious flaws.
It's just that I'm acknowleging being a living miracle, due to His doing ... that I'm not who I was, where I was. He does amazing work, and we're all a work in progress -- every single one. We can celebrate that, and trust Him mid-process, loving what He loves.
Shalom, Dena
Aida said:Dena Brehm said:
If I ever grow up, I want to be like her...! ;)
(nah, I just want to be me - I finally like me... and that's a miracle!)
Beautiful post, Dena, and I love your comment. It's taken me a long time to accept myself the way I am and I'm finally starting to like me. Actually, I think I'm a pretty neat person. That's not pride. It's just accepting the fact that Father doesn't make any junk and he's handcrafting me just the way he wants me to be. He hasn't finished with me yet but he's pleased with what he sees so far.
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