His Stamp of Approval

If I count the times I tried to seek approval of man,
The number would be too great for me to comprehend.

There I was running to and fro,
To only be seen during the show.

What show you may say?
You know, the one where everybody wants to be on display.

Spending all night wondering what to wear,
Cause I knew that those women would be there.

Looking at me up and down,
Would I get a nod or would I get a frown?

Yes, this is my little girl you see,
Wearing yet another "homemade" dress made by me.

But why do I bother you so?
Is it really my clothes or my nose?

I understand you're speechless while you think,
Your crossed eyed looks no longer made me sink.

Please take a closer look at me,
Your stamp of approval you will no longer see.

I'm not sure if you've heard what's being said,
But I've applied something from the Word of God that I read.

I had a choice to please God or you,
God I chose because He will always be true.

I can't believe I strive so hard to be a part of your clique,
All the while I felt guilty ignoring the new chic.

Now I free and a bond servant of Christ,
Wearing His stamp of approval feels so right.

~By: Sandra King

This poem is written after reading Galatians 1:10, "For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ."

As a woman, I can strive so hard to seek the approval of other women. In doing so, I'm not pleasing God because I can be so focused on pleasing other women. I want to be accepted. It's easy to feel like a chameleon.

If I tried to fit in with a group of ladies that looked down on women with more than two children, I would downplay my desire to have more. My heart would just ache because I was wrong. I remember "hanging out" with some women who bashed their husbands. I sat there and tried to conjure up things about my husband because I wanted to participate in the conversation. Only to have the Lord tap me on the shoulder and let me know that I wasn't honoring Him nor my husband.

I love to fellowship with other women. I'd be the first to hitch a ride and share in the breaking of bread. On one occasion when I did, I came home "tripping." My poor husband and kids didn't know what got into me. I came through the door demanding my rights. I had a right to go out when I wanted to. I had the right to go out and eat when I didn't feel like cooking. I had a right not to give my husband sex when he wanted it. I had no idea that I had a right to make him go months without it and dared him to get it from somewhere else. I had a right to go out and get an education in case Don left me. Not only did I have a right, I was entitled to it.....according to what I heard during the fellowship.

I knew in my heart that in order to please God, I couldn't please man. Trying to get a stamp of approval from others will cause you to live in bondage. Christ has come to set you free. When Christ sets you free, you are free indeed. Free from man pleasing. Get His stamp of approval and be free.

Hand Made Gifts and Rejection

On this past weekend I attended a baby shower for a precious sister that I've become so fond of since moving to Vancouver. I was a little nervous at first because this would be the first time I fellowshipped with the ladies at church. Our church has 2 campus' and we were joining in with our Portland campus to celebrate the mother and the new life that will be here any day now. Being around people didn't make me nervous, it was my gift.

Most of the gifts I make are handmade aka homemade. I really wasn't sure how my gift would be received. Some people like handmade gifts and some don't. From my experiences in the past, I was nervous though. I felt that there was something much deeper at work here than a "homemade" gift. Once again, it wasn't so much whether or not my gift would be received, but rather would I be rejected because of my gift.

Why in the world would I be rejected because of my gift? Is a question I kept asking myself. Well, if your a person who has dealt with rejection, you know what I'm talking about. Often times when rejection takes it ugly grip on us, we have to continue to fight as we dig up the root that planted itself there.

As I sat there as the gifts were being opened, I made sure I looked around for the nearest EXIT sign in big red letters. Often times when we are faced with rejection, we look for the nearest exit. Sometimes those around us who knows our weakness will push us to the exit sign only to grab us by the arm before walk out the door. It becomes a game they like to play, but there are the only ones having fun.

Then one day you get to that exit door and you walk outside. For the first time in years you smell fresh air and the freedom that comes with it. You turn around and face your rejector and tell them your free. You will no longer play the game. The game is over and you're the winner because standing behind your rejector are those who are exposing their weaknesses in secret.

I was so relieved when my handmade gift was received with great joy by the expecting mom. The gift was a beautiful crib quilt. I look forward to meeting the baby boy that will be added to the church family. But the thing I look forward to the most is bonding with the women at church and being vulnerable to them and not being afraid to expose my weaknesses out of fear of rejection.

I've learned in life that in my weaknesses, God's strength will prevail.