Borders had a Labor Day Sale and gave me a 40% off coupon. So an hour before my company was due I was there. I knew exactly what I was looking for. It was my childhood favorite .... The Big Golden Book of Fairy Tales. I had come across it in the store a year ago and been excited to buy it for Lauren's birthday. I was so happy that it was still in print!
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The book itself has beautiful full page illustrations that fascinated me as a child. The stories are from Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Anderson. I wanted this book for Samura. But I was also there to scout out books that would feature African American children. I did a quick hunt and peck before asking the sales help. The only book they came up with was Corduroy ... which I still have from when my boys were very young. I also have Frog & Toad ... Frances, Little Bear as well as other talking critter books and some beautiful Bible Story Books.
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Oddly enough I felt annoyed. I walked past a blond family and thought to myself, "I guess they can find all the books they are looking for." I passed a black mother and daughter and wondered if they thought the same sort of thing about me. I suppose the market favors those who have the money. But as they say, "It is better to light a candle then to curse the darkness." .... I do have plans to write a children's book ....
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While on the bus in Haiti, Patti told me about how as a small child she used to try and scrub her skin white. The message that she got from the media and the culture was that white is beautiful. I guess she was surprised when I told her that I knew where she was coming from because the same media and culture also say that thin is beautiful. Not to stage a pity party .... I dare say everyone feels areas of inadequacy.
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Yesterday in Borders, God had a special message for me. While I was busy trying to make sure that my daughter would know she was beautiful I realized that God wanted me to stop and realize the very same about myself. My attractions may falls short of what is validated by my culture so I need for God to teach me. I need his view of me and others. His perspective is the one that matters. It is the one we should be conforming to.
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Surely we are not blessed regardless of our poor choices and the resulting consequences .... but if we are living the life of the godly and find ourselves suffering rejection and reproach from this present evil age we are to rejoice that this world does not recognize us as it's own, but that we belong to the Gentle Shepherd King.
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Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
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