Mirrored Reflections

Grandpa John McCart and Me
*Notice: I am being ME

Today was not a normal day.  [But of course, normal for me is rather abnormal, but still i think you understand my point].  Alarm [Skillet's "I Need a Hero"].  Turn over.  8:40 a.m.  Too early.  Brain dead.  Want a shower.  Must get towels.  Informed that the hot water heater is broken.  Cue panic.  [Those of you who know me, would know that I am not one to rough it or go without showers...see males can have that whole rugged look, "I'm too manly to bathe attitude" and get away with it, but girls have to be clean and smell nice..this is quite an injustice].  So my mother gave me two options: take a cold shower or drive half an hour to my grandparents' house.  I chose the latter [I am notorious for taking looooong, hot showers].  When we arrived, Hannah (my sister) got to go first so I sat down with my Grandpa and ate my breakfast [yes, I braved McDonald's drive-thru line in my pj's].  We get along very well because we are very similar in personality and appearance [my laugh, skin tone, and sharp nose are directly inherited ;)].  When I was little, I loved my Grandfather and spending time with him, but I didn't realize how wonderful he was to talk to.  Now that I am an adult, I feel very comfortable sharing funny stories, talking about the Bible, or  bringing up controversial and political issues.  After laughing over various things, he said, "Michaela I want to tell you something..you are totally and completely Michaela.  God gave you that personality.  You don't want to change your personality ever.  If anything needs to be changed it's a person's character.  Your character should conform to God's character."  He has told me that in so many words before, but today it really stuck out.  God is such an amazing God.  He made each and every one of us unique individuals with our own awesome personality.  No one is exactly like you and that's the way it should be.  "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." (Gen. 1:27)  Because God created us in His image that means that we are beings designed to be imitators of Him and His character.  But you can also look at the numerous people in the Bible and see the various personalities that emerge.  You have the humble and gentle Mary, Moses who was too shy to speak, Deborah--who was one wise woman, [she's one of my heroes..so cool that "she used to sit under the palm of Deborah..and the people of Israel came up up to her for judgment" Judges 4:5] and Paul, an energetic and persevering man.  All these very different people conformed to God's standards and honored him, but each had a unique personality and various ways of doing things.  So if you ever wonder who you even are, know that you are God's child and that He made you just the way you are supposed to be.  I struggled with that many times, especially these past months.  I wanted so badly to be just what people wanted to see.  In several instances I became a mirror that reflected exactly what they wanted to see.  But you know what?  I'm tired of that, exhausted from lugging that full length mirror around.  What would happen if it slipped, if someone glimpsed the real me?  So I severed ties and let go.  I had to be Michaela.  No one else.  And being Michaela happens to be AWESOME, but I wouldn't wish it on you.  Being [Insert your name here] is awesome for [Insert appropriate pronoun here]. But the most wonderful part is that whoever you are, you have God for a Father, and He created you to be completely and totally YOU! :) 
P.S Just discovered the font color changer-thingy...ooo la la