Reason 31 to fall for Autumn... Costumes (of sorts)!

It was a no brainer that this, our 31st day, 

would reveal the 31st Reason to Fall for Autumn:
Costumes! Dress up! Masks & Masquerades!
(Even if you are not into Halloween... keep reading!)

So - I must say, in full disclosure...

we do not so much 'celebrate' Halloween.

I mentioned in yesterdays' post

that our daughter has never really

experienced 'real' Halloween.

She has a best friend who was born on Halloween,

so for years when they were younger,

she would dress up for a Costume Birthday party.

She also had school parties & Harvest parties at church,

but we just didn't embrace Halloween as something to celebrate.

Personal choice! Even while I LOVE Autumn...

on Halloween, we settle in & spend it as a family.

We'd rather skip it (except for the candy!)

& go straight to Thanksgiving!

However, really - who doesn't LOVE to Dress up?

With aisles & aisles of Costumes,

it's easy to see everybody can grasp the fun

of pretending to be something or someone that you are not.

But these costumes, these masks,

this play-acting is supposed to last only for one night!

(This is where it gets a little non-Halloweenie!)

For years, the Lord has been calling for me to be real.

To take the time (& believe me, it DOES take time!)

to find out who I really am... 

& learn to step into the pieces of me

that are really authentically wholly (holy?) me!

Some days are easier than others,

but once you have been brave on your own,

in the safety of home & family

& small corners of Community,

you will find your true self starting to

peek out from behind the mask!

Stand taller.  Be Bolder.

Know that your God has

created you to be Awesome

(& you are!)

It's understandable to put up a wall... 

to hide behind a mask...

to say everything is fine...

but I beg of you -

don't you do it!
At least not ALL the time,

& with EVERY person!

Take a risk... 

Take a breath...

Be YOU!

You can do it

(& ONLY you can do it!)

There is no one else like you

...& let me tell you, looking out over my coffee mug,

I can say that I think you are pretty amazing!

Sometimes, in the midst of loneliness,

of losing our balance & bearings.

it can feel like there is no one who really knows us.

But HE does - and HE is trustworthy with you.

Be honest... ask for help... offer a hand, or a shoulder.

Connect - because if we are too busy hiding behind costumes & masks,

play-acting that we have it all together,

how is it that we are going to actually make a difference

& BE the Love that we are called to be?

I'm planning on pressing in, leaning forward,

stepping into more & more pieces of me!

It's risky, I know...

I will get hurt... someone will harshly judge me,

or worse yet (?) just not like me...

I will unintentionally make mistakes...

but the underlying reality

is that we were MADE for adventure

& I know that I know that I know

that the One Who made me

has me covered!

The fun & joy & excitement we got (or get?)

in dressing up for Halloween

just may be what we are supposed to feel

when we put Him on,

& see ourselves the way He sees us!

...& maybe not to everyone - 

but to SOME ONE - 

you really are a Super Hero;

a Princess; a Cheerleader!

                                                                                      My Girlie, Circa 1999

(Ha - you like that? Subtle, I know!)

I encourage you to take off the mask,

& learn how to be TrueFaced...

So there you have it... Day Reason 31 to fall for Autumn:

Costumes, Masks, Play-acting...

Putting them on, laying them down, & emerging into

Pieces of you!

~Karrilee~

PS - I do highly recommend the above referenced book, TrueFaced.

It was a part of the process for me...

I am still stretching into who I am...

but it is all about Trust & less about trying to please!

For in doing the one, you will do the other!