The Beat that I Dance To

Ok. So most who know me will attest to the fact that I'm just "a little different".

I'd like to think that that's a good thing, but in the end I imagine that it's all a matter of opinion.

Yesterday I was reminded of just how "different" I can be sometimes.

I attended a function that I was actually very excited to go to. Had been looking forward to it for weeks. It commenced fairly early for a Saturday, at 7:30 a.m.

So I get up, shower, fix my face, my hair, throw on my jeans, one of my favorite tops, my sandals, and I was off.

When I arrived at the venue it became quite obvious to me that I was waaay under-dressed. The other attendees were all "doodied up" as I call it. Men in suits, women in slacks or dresses...and then there was me..."Casual Cathy". GREAT!

What was I gonna do?

So I park my car and sat. And I sat, and I sat, and I sat. For 20 minutes, I sat in my car and watched the people arrive. Seriously, what was I going to do? I lived too far to go home and change. And I didn't want to just go home altogether and not come back. I'd been looking forward to this event and I planned on attending.

After 20 minutes and a lot of "self-talk", and evaluating the situation, I had to ask myself a few questions:

Q: Why was I there?
A: I was there because this is an organization that I want to become a part of and I'm interested in hearing more about it.

Q: Why do I want to be a part of the organization?
A: Because I have a heart for service and this organization is all about serving our youth who so greatly need help.

Q: What's more important...your heart and the desire inside to serve others, or your outfit?

That was the clincher. I took the keys out of the ignition, got out of the car and walked in.

The bottom line is this: My outward appearance should not be a factor. My heart is the only thing that should be considered as I am reminded of in 1 Samuel 16:7

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

I realized that God was looking at my heart, so what I had on was okay, and if it was okay to Him, then I was goin' in...and I'm so glad that I did. Had I not gone in I would have missed so many blessings that were to be had that day. So so many.

Yeah, people probably talked about me while I was there, or maybe after I left...but you know what...I don't care.

I am who I am and I'm not changing...because I don't want to, nor do I need to.

Mary J. Blige sums it up best in her song Take Me As I Am:

"Now she's older now
Yes, she's wiser now
Can't disguise her now
She don't need
No one tellin her
What to do and say
No one tellin her
Who to be
She's on solid ground
She's been lost and found
Now, she answers to G-O-D
And she's confident
This is not the end
Ask me how I know
Cause she is me."

Let the DIALOGUE begin: Do you dance to the beat of your own drum? If not, why not? What's holding you back?

Talk to me!

Til next time...