Reflections in Blue...{Finding Sanctuary - Part 19}

I saw a tattoo similar to this and the art just captured me...I thought it would be the perfect ending to my blue feather series!

The final "reflection" from my mind map work...
Reflections from the Blue highlights of the mind-map:

• need a new plan (a new "go to")
• 1 John 4:4 again (yellow + blue connections)
• fear: a) fear of punishment; b) fear of unknown 

Embrace: Definition - clasp, cherish, encircle, enclose
                               a) to take up - especially readily or gladly
                               b) to avail oneself of, welcome
                               c) to take in or include as a part, item, or element of a more inclusive whole
                               d) hold close, encompass, enfold, include, clasp

Imperfection: Definition - a fault, blemish, or undesirable feature; incomplete...

I think this indicates I need to finish a developmental task -
I need to find the line:  discernment vs. fear
                                      fear of God vs. carnal fear (False Evidence Appearing Real)

To "embrace imperfection" means to encircle, clasp hold of, encompass...my blemishes; my incompleteness; my weakness...this is where I meet Jesus- no, rather He meets me - He completes me, covers my imperfections...

When I push away my "imperfections", I refuse my need for Him, and miss opportunities to invite Him into my messiness.  Those who still fear have not received mature love the scripture says...they are still living in an immature mindset - perhaps that is why there is such a feeling of immaturity inside?

Fear vs. discernment
trust vs. fear? - when my needs aren't met, I feel abandoned, less than, like somehow "It's my fault" - the ways a child thinks* - perhaps another reason for the immaturity of feelings?

I could think different thoughts... 

*this connected to a developmental model outlined by Erik Erickson - the Eight Stages of Life that describes tasks that are normally "mastered" throughout the lifespan.  I liked this when I read it during my graduate days as I thought it nicely correlated with the breakdown of the Jewish stages of life  (perhaps I will write about that more later, ??).  Also, there is a wonderful, Christian based book - tho' older - that I would recommend you read if you are interested in exploring this topic further..."Healing the Eight Stages of Life" by Matthew Linn, Sheila Fabricant, and Dennis Linn.

What was really amazing is when I connected to the child like thinking...it also connected to truth such as children are blameless, but not faultless...meaning that children don't do things perfectly - only with the level of understanding that they have and thus are blameless...
...and it also connected children's natural egocentricity, you know, how children tend to think that negative things in their lives are due to the fact that they have done something wrong that has caused that thing to happen...i.e., a six year old can believe that they are responsible for their parents' divorce...I know my family had some trying times during this stage of my development...and somehow it affected this area of my life...coupled with the unhealthy anger...wow.  For this particular issue, as soon as the connection was made, the issue disappeared!  And the Lord has been faithful to allow some situations to test me, so that I can "see" that the old has truly been done away with and the new has come - almost instantaneously (that is after the work of the mind map + years of experience, learning His ways, and graduate school!)...but I think you get the idea of how come it "feels" instantaneous...

Now there is still more "walking out" of other portions of the issue, but this one little thread has been taken care of - I am "free to fly..." 

Till tomorrow...

Other posts in this series can be found by clicking the button below...