2-14-09 "let me get this straight-- you only want me at your b-day party if I own an ipod nano and a flat-iron?"

Status quo? No, thank you. Fit in? Who, me? 

Are you kidding? I'll never "fit in" . I am called to stand out.  Romans 2:12: "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will. "    You know, its hard to walk down the street and pass a couple of girls your age who obviously spend their lives trying to fit in, and be given "the judgemental glance". You know the one, the girls (or guys, whatever) stop chatting to eachother as if by agreement, scan you with their eyes from head to toe, checking to see if you have the "cool"  haircut, the "in" clothes and the "right" brand of shoes. If you don't pass their "stylish test", they avoid eye contact, pretend they don't even see you, and walk on by. I usually fail. They can live with my hair, even though it only has a simple cut and no side bangs. Its naturally straight, after all. Even if its still (gasp!) my natural hair color without fake highlights.  Its the make-up-free-and-modest look that gets them. Seriously, though, even though being shunned does hurt a little, I really don't care. Somebody who is going to judge me by where I shop for clothes, how hip I dress, or where I go to school isn't worth having as a friend anyway. The kind of friend I want is a friend who likes me for who I am - whether my t-shirt says "Aeropostale" or not.   In any case, are the kind of people who are trying so hard to be accepted in our preverse culutre being a "city on a hill"?

Associate with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for it is better to be alone than in bad company. -George Washington 

 That quote kind of goes right along with with "he who walks witht the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm." (From Proverbs somewhere.)

Thanks so much to all of you who have decided not to "fit in" and who have acceptd people for who we are instead who makes our tennis shoes; who have chosen friends by their character and not their popularity.