Monday 25 February 2013

When Your Hair Needs Taming....

My hair has a mind of it's own. I'm sure of this. God knew I was going to be a low maintenance girl because he designed me, however, I'm also pretty sure God has a sense of humor, and so decided to give me unruly hair to match my personality some days. Now most days this doesn't bother me, but every once in a while I want to beat my hair into submission. Last Tuesday was one of those days. Thursday I got it cut. This got me thinking about life, attitudes, and obedience.

A little background here. When my hair grows out all crazy like, it resembles a Christmas tree. Not a nice groomed Fir Christmas tree, but the kind that my boys used to like to find when we lived in Sointula. The basic shape of a Christmas tree, but with oodles of "spunk and character" we'll call it. This is my hair.

So last Tuesday when my hair disobeyed to the point that it ended up, yet again, in braids, under a touque, I knew it was time to deal with it. Enter the hair appointment. Time to tame the beast. After 45 minutes of cutting, drying, smoothing, and straightening, my hair had submitted itself to the inevitable. It was conquered. Or so I thought.

The next day, a friend wanted to see my hair before I washed it, and so she stopped over quickly to see. She loved it and was really impressed. I then looked at her hesitantly, knowing we both had a function to be at that evening, and asked;

"Well, should I wash it and see what happens?"

She looked at me, smiled, and responded with;

"Yes! We need to know if it's the cut or the product she used." 

Me; "If it's the product should we go halfers?"

Her; "I'll bring the Tupperware!"

To this we laughed, she left, and I jumped into the shower and washed away any evidence that I had a professional style my hair. When I was out and towel drying my hair I looked in the mirror and actually said out loud;

"Well, here goes nuthin'!"

And this is where it hit me. How often must God look at the unruly Ellerie and realize that some stuff in my life needs to be cut off, (like dry un-healthy hair) re-shaped, (to bring back life and vitality) smoothed, (to calm down) and molded into obedience. My hair needs maintenance and so does my life. It's not easy, and some stuff needs to be permanently cut out, but as I watched my hair dry to it's natural wavy, slightly out of control self, I realized that it looked healthy and full of life. Maybe even pretty. Could my heart be the same way?

Yes, I think so. I need to allow my heart to embrace my hair and my God designed self. Why do I try to make my hair do something it wasn't made to do? Why do I expect myself to be someone I was not designed to be? Why do I expect my hair to be thinner and straight, when God wanted it thicker and with character? God designed my hair and my personality to match. Spunky and full of life. I need to stop fighting both. However, accepting who I naturally am, and what my God given talents naturally are, and what my hair naturally wants to do, doesn't mean I'm free to be unruly. Daily care, taming, and discipline need to be regular. Time with God should be daily.

And like the hair dresser said;

"Regular maintenance is the key."












 



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