Sometimes I think God had a sense of humor when He gave me curly hair.

Curly hair doesn’t blend in. Its unruly and unpredictable and quite honestly messy at times.

That’s where I think God must have chuckled. He created this girl with a desire to blend in, to control my environment, to plan -with hair that doesn’t. In a world where thick straight or at least tame–able hair is desired, I am different.

I straighten my hair. I try to control it. But it doesn’t change the fact that at its root my hair is curly. Its different.

Maybe my heavenly Father has a sense of humor or maybe He was just trying to prepare me for the life he has laid out for me.

This girl who wants to blend in, to control, to plan, to not go against the current is called to over and over again.

Allow me to illustrate:

At this point, I have been called to homeschool. I don’t think I have to elaborate on the various looks and reactions I get from people.  Honestly, sometimes I share them and wonder what in the world I am doing.  Homeschooling is like big curly hair in the world of straight.

I don’t work outside the home right now- we couldn’t keep up with Joneses even if we wanted to at this stage of life.   I don’t know when God will call me back to work, but for now we live differently. Don’t get me wrong, we live a good life, but we live on a budget and must be very thoughtful and intentional.  Our freedom isn’t found in financial freedom, but it is founded in freedom found in Christ.

I have moved through childhood and now my adult life. I always think the stories of families who grow up next door to each other or went to the same church their whole life are so special.  That’s not the life we are leading.   My base of friends and ‘family’ is wide and varied, spread out over different states, and while ultimately it’s a fabulous blessing,  sometimes, especially the beginnings, its hard and can make one feel out of place, different.

I have 3 amazing children, none of which came when I planned and all of which are loud, energetic amazing beings who could not care less about blending in. 3 heads of (figurativiely) big ole’ curly hair in a world of straight. ( and I love them all the more for it)

Do you see a pattern?

I am married to the love of my life, my best friend, a man whose life calling is to serve and proclaim the gospel message in a world that rebels against it. And its that gospel message that changes my perspective, that shapes my decisions.

For that gospel message, is unruly and unpredictable and messy.

And its absolutely beautiful.

The King came as a baby in a dirty stable, the Creator sleeping among his Creation.

And this baby grew into a man. I like to think He had messy curly hair, but maybe not. Either way He lived a life that was different, set apart, and unpredictable.

He died a messy, terrible death because He wanted us to not blend in with a world that was dying.

He conquered death so we could be sanctified. Set Apart.

Different.

(1 Corinithians 6:11)

We are not called to blend in with this world.

We are called to be lights in the darkness. (Matthew 5:14)

We are not called to control our destiny.

We are called to be controlled by the love of Christ.

                                                                                                               (2 Corinthians 5:14)

We are not called to plan out our story.

                                         We are called to trust and rest in His plans. (Jeremiah 29:11-14)

We are called to be different.

Set Apart.

Unpredictable.

And sometimes it’s going to get messy.

All of us, as followers of the gospel, are called to be, to live differently.   We are called to stand out like curls in a sea of straight. Your curly hair moments, may not look like mine, in fact they probably don’t. We aren’t all called to homeschool or move or marry a man called to pastoral ministry, and that’s ok. For while there is ONE gospel, there are many ways in which the Lord calls us individually to stand up and out. But the fact is, that if we are His, we are set apart, and whether its how we manage our finances or serve others, how we meet new people or how we treat our enemies, how we respect authority, or any number of everyday occurrences we are called to live as such.

We are to spread the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. ( 2 Cor 2:14-17)

I’ve been wearing my hairy curly more often these days for a variety of reasons-none of which are spiritual. I hope though, that on the curly hair days, I will be reminded of these spiritual truths when I look in the mirror. On those days that I will still l look in the mirror and wish to be different, I hope I will also remember to be thankful that God has given me a reminder that I am different.

So I try to embrace the curls.

God may have a sense of humor.

I know He has a purpose.