Sunday, August 17, 2008

The Girl I Used To Be

Today I spent time with old family friends. We searched through a basket of photos taken over a twenty year time span. I came across many pictures of me as a girl and it was an odd feeling. I was instantly projected backward in time to the days the photos were taken. I could remember the settings, the people, and the season that each one represented. A few photos made me laugh. One in particular caught my eye because I look so ornery and mischievous in it! I remember that it was taken in my new school in Griffith, Indiana. I'm amazed by the openness and happiness I seem to be projecting because I have distinct memories of feeling scared and lonely in that school:

A few years later, I have a photo of me standing by a train station in Germany. I can remember feeling very insecure there...not exactly sure of myself, yet in the photo, I appear to be a confident hippie-chick:

One thing's for sure, the images we present are not always reflective of the way we feel inside. That's why I'm happy to read this verse:

"...the Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward, but the Lord looks at the heart."
1 Samuel 16:7

It's good to know that the Lord sees my heart...and understands my needs before I ask. I don't have to present a perfect facade for Him to accept me just the way I am: mischievous girl or hippie-chick, He knows me inside out!

3 comments:

Joanne Sher said...

LOVE that verse (and those pictures). And what an incredible application. I also went to Germany when I was a teen (about 14) - with my grandmother. You look like you were a bit older :)

Laury said...

Thank you for sharing those pictures of you when you were young. So very cute, Dee. It is easy to look and feel one way and not really look or feel that way on the inside.

Praying for you as you deal with your blood/sugar levels. So sorry.

Mari said...

Great pics, Dee. WOuld have been fun to sit and re-cap memories like that with a bunch of us. Wish we could all get to know each other a tiny bit better. Ok... a BIG bit better. : P