These are my parents, Lester and Kathy Henry, standing in front of their Custom 1948 Ford sedan. It's a beautiful car, customized exactly how my father wanted it to be. This car has significant body, engine, roof, paint, suspension, and interior customizations that my father desired. He started planning the restoration of this vehicle back in the mid 1990's when I was still in high school. My father's desire was for this car to be a custom reflection of its maker. |
I see my father's customizations of his 1948 Ford very similar to how God views each one of us. My father could have just restored this car to its original look from top to bottom, but that wasn't his hearts passion. Dad wanted it to be customized. He wanted it to be unique. One of a kind. I like to compare what my father has done with his Custom Car with how God sees each one of us and our customizations.
I have Marfan syndrome and to the world my health condition isn't "normal." But whose the authority of what is normal? I have no doubt that each one of us has Custom Scars in our lives, so what is normal? .
Psalm 139:13-16 says, " For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." (The Holy Bible : c1984, New International Version)
God knew and saw us when we were inside of our mother's womb. That is where my genetic abnormality happened causing me to have Marfan syndrome. So if God knew me when I was safe inside of my mother's womb and He had a plan for me regardless of my Custom Scars, then God knows all about my customizations. My Custom Scars don't disgust Him or make me inferior to Him. I am just as special and valuable to Him as the most "normal" person that has ever walked this earth.
Do I understand all the reasons why some things have happened in my life? No. Why did I have to be diagnosed at the age of 12 with Marfan's? Why did my mom die when I was 15? Why do two of my five children have Marfan's? You and I could ask those types of questions for the rest of our lives, or we can thank God for the life He has given us and know that He will use our Customs Scars for His glory if we will just allow Him.
My dad's 1948 Ford is exactly how he wanted it to be built. I am exactly how my heavenly Father wanted me to be built. I would not trade my Custom Scars for one day of "normal" because I am exactly how the great I AM wants me to be.
I have Marfan syndrome and to the world my health condition isn't "normal." But whose the authority of what is normal? I have no doubt that each one of us has Custom Scars in our lives, so what is normal? .
Psalm 139:13-16 says, " For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." (The Holy Bible : c1984, New International Version)
God knew and saw us when we were inside of our mother's womb. That is where my genetic abnormality happened causing me to have Marfan syndrome. So if God knew me when I was safe inside of my mother's womb and He had a plan for me regardless of my Custom Scars, then God knows all about my customizations. My Custom Scars don't disgust Him or make me inferior to Him. I am just as special and valuable to Him as the most "normal" person that has ever walked this earth.
Do I understand all the reasons why some things have happened in my life? No. Why did I have to be diagnosed at the age of 12 with Marfan's? Why did my mom die when I was 15? Why do two of my five children have Marfan's? You and I could ask those types of questions for the rest of our lives, or we can thank God for the life He has given us and know that He will use our Customs Scars for His glory if we will just allow Him.
My dad's 1948 Ford is exactly how he wanted it to be built. I am exactly how my heavenly Father wanted me to be built. I would not trade my Custom Scars for one day of "normal" because I am exactly how the great I AM wants me to be.