So, it seems that some believe that the label “Blems” is a negative viewpoint. I agree. It is a negative label that the world puts on us. A friend pointed out that hand crafted artwork often has irregularities that indicate that it is authentic and not machine reproduced. Often leather or knit items have a tag explaining the importance of such marks. But the truth is, there are many who do not want such items because they are not “perfect.” We have been trained to choose everything from fruit to cars based on outward appearances. We have bought into the world’s perspective and labeled ourselves as “defective” if we do not meet society’s current dictates. I am not going to try to change society. My aim is to work with people who have bought into this view of themselves and help them see that the truth is- NONE of us are perfect. I personally find many “perfect” items as undesirable and sometimes creepy. I often choose the “ugly” fruit because I have learned to identify the dark spots as evidence of ripeness and increased sweetness. It is this kind of understanding that I hope to bring to everyone who reads this blog. The people who are the healthiest emotionally are those who recognize irregularities as proof of genuineness. I have spent years learning to drop the mask I was hiding behind in order to be accepted. I believed people would not like me if they knew the real me. But , I longed to be accepted for who I truly was. God revealed to me, I had to accept myself for others to accept me. Jesus modeled this kind of acceptance. He associated with “sinners,” those rejected by “proper” society. But He also called them to a higher standard. So, I have to learn to accept myself. This does not mean that I do not hold myself to a high standard. It does not mean that I ignore things that are unhealthy in my life. It means my goal is to keep striving towards God’s best for me. Jesus loved the sinner and hated the sin. I need to love myself and change the unhealthy parts. But the first step is identifying what is unhealthy. Just as in choosing fruit, I have to determine if a mark means sweetness or decay. Sometimes, an apple has a bruise and often, I can cut out the decay and enjoy wonderful fruit. Sometimes though, I need to throw out the rotten fruit. I pray that I will help you to identify which of your own “irregularities” that are wonderful indicators of you uniqueness and which are wounds that need to be healed by cutting out unhealthy behavior and thoughts. So, I think I will keep the “Blems” label. I do not want to see myself as perfect or finished (that will only come in Heaven). I am proud of my scars. They indicate I am maturing and healing. How about you?
