A Dragonfrye Beginning: Bondage or Freedom

"Tina, keep your chin up and do not be ashamed of who you are and the place the Lord has put you at this or any moment in time."

I was struggling with that very thing today.

When I woke up.

As I was getting ready for the farmers market.

My walk there.

Sitting at my table.

Chatting with those around me.

Walking home.

Most of the day.

I was struggling to get my mind focused on being thankful for the person I am even with my zillions of quirks, oddities, dorkiness.

I was struggling to remember that I (me, Tina, the awkward, ugly duckling) was a person God handcrafted himself and thought valuable enough to die for.

It is easy to see why God has placed value on others.

Not always so easy to see it in myself.

It could be because I know my sin personally.

The ugly depth of my own sin.

I know the things that so easily entangle me.

I forget that Christ has set me free from my sin so I can love and follow Christ with wild abandon.

I forget that Christ has set me free from my sin so I could freely pour my life out as a drink offering to him.

Anyway, I am not sure if most noticed today but there was a war in my mind between bondage and freedom.

Bondage would be believing a lie.

Freedom is choosing to stand firmly on God's truth.

I would look at my over baked bread. My average sewing talent with average fabric. My very (I mean very) awkward communication style. My silly wagon. The outfit I wear almost every day because blue is my favorite color.

The war raged in my head.

My baked bread, my average sewing talent with average fabric, my awkward communication style, my silly wagon, even wearing my outfit...

This was my offering to my Lord today.

It was not much.

It was not fancy.

It was what I had to give.

I was embarrassed by what I had to offer.

The war was between bondage or freedom.

I have to say bondage won out in the end.

How quickly I make everything about me and my drama and insecurities.

Oh Tina, how quickly you forget and abandon the truth.

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

Galatians 5:1

So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.

John 8:36

The nice thing is although bondage won for the moment, the battle quickly turns.

I took a nap and wrestled with my thoughts, looked to the Lord for renewed encouragement.

The battle in my mind is turning quickly.

And then she adds pictures...

My snickerdoodles