Work Socks and a Sharpie

I love watching my grandson, and by watching I mean sitting back and watching him as one does a funny television show. Basically, he is a funny show. He lives life his own way. He charts his own path, whether it be drawing shoes on his feet with a Sharpie permanent marker along with a matching "fattoon sleeve" (translated, full sleeve tattoo) or chasing birds out of the garden, wagging his finger with his hand on his hip. My three-year-old grandson's name is Asher and Asher makes his own path, always. The Asher show consists of funny remarks like, "Hey, Mom, I got you a beard and a snack!" We think he meant root beer but either way he wasn't sharing the "beard" he was drinking which WAS root beer. Or you may see him  dressing himself in shorts, dinosaur rain boots and a pink dinosaur shirt on this comedy.  Asher often doesn't do things "right." By right I mean, conventional; the way society expects. The cool thing about Asher is he doesn't let that stop him. Asher goes and lives life and trying to make it work for him. Prayers to his preschool teachers in the Fall.

Sharpie shoes

Fashionista

Full sleeve "Fattoon"

The other day Asher was working on his truck. He was on a mission to remove a basket off of the side of his toy truck. With swimming goggles for eye protection, socks as work gloves and a licorice scented colored pencil as his tool sets about his work atop his workbench covered with his blankie. He shucked his shoes to get to his "work gloves" and is working barefoot. Truthfully it is a miracle he is wearing clothes at all. 

Asher may not have all the skills yet to achieve his intended goals. He may be too weak to forcefully conquer tasks and he may just be going about some of them all wrong but its all good. He lives in his own entertaining show and he is the star. Asher is quite happy with life. The name Asher is actually from the Bible and it means "happy" or "full of joy." Asher has the key to happiness and joy. He allows himself to be who he is and doesn't really try to be someone he is not. In that he has power. For many of us that would be a sign of weakness. As we mature, we realize that there is a lot we cannot do and maybe even shouldn't do, as it would be weird or embarrassing. Asher is fine with who he is, where he is and what he is wearing, even if it isn't "correct." 

As I Study, I am led to 2 Corinthians. Paul is closing out his letter to the church on Colossia, a church that struggled with getting going, staying on course and weak faith sometimes. Paul is telling them, (from the MST, Monica's Simple translation version) that he thought he had been powerful once upon a time. Paul had started his connection with Christ and his followers by being a persecutor of the faith. And some may think he is powerful now, chief church planter and number one Apostle, but he is saying, "I am weak. The power I have is from Christ. I could brag about that, but it isn't me, it's Christ in me. In fact, if there is any bragging to do, it will be in my weakness, my quirkiness, the times I have to be put in timeout, because in those times Christ makes those times perfect with His power. And I am happy with that."

Why do we try so hard to be someone we are not; someone different than Christ called us to be? Why do we put on a mask of competence instead of letting our inadequacies show? Maybe we lack the confidence that Christ will show up to the party and give us what we need. Where is our faith if we believe Christ would let us down when we are acting in his will. So throw those work socks on your hands, pick up that Sharpie, and get to work. Let Christ bring the power surge.

Today

• You do you
• Be happy in who you are and who you aren't
• Have a great fun day