The Beautiful Obsolete

Lately, I have been on a deep cleaning binge, not because I like it, but because it is just necessary.

Life has taken me down a somewhat arduous road these last few weeks, months, well....years actually. There have been many changes and there are many to come. More on that later.

But, as I was cleaning out an old tea tin, that was used for pens, pencils, etc., I came across the items pictured. To you, they have no significance. To be honest, they have no practical use for me.

That little pink hair clip? That was my youngest daughter's when she was about 3.
The key? It unlocked the door of a classroom where I used to work.
The shell? This is a cowrie shell. ( http://africaimports.com/cowrieshell.asp )

My now, 17 year old has hair almost to her waist that is thick and curly. This clip wouldn't hold a tendril on a good day.
That key? It was from my first classroom when I began teaching.
The shell was used to show my girls a visual aide when we read the story of Addy, an American Girl. It was her keepsake, to remember her homeland Africa, as she and her mother escaped slavery.
(http://amzn.to/2eum02Y)
To you and to anyone else, these items are insignificant. They serve no purpose. They are obsolete.

And,maybe you're right. As a person who comes from a family of borderline hoarders,( "Hey! Let's save that and use it for something later..." ) it would be easy to say let's just be done and move on.

But, as I continue to work through these changes that are occurring in my life, I was struck by the similarity of these items and the similarity of those we deem "cast-offs."

In his book, When Misfits Become Kings, (http://amzn.to/2elYplq ) Mark Casto states: " Being a misfit isn't necessarily a bad thing. Being discarded can actually be the catalyst that reshapes the unwanted into the very one chosen to reshape the world...Anyone who has ever accomplished anything has suffered through the growing pains of anonymity."

What do a few castoffs have to do with destiny? Well, for we creatives; everything. I look for symbolism and even for God's little nudges throughout my day. You see, I have experienced first hand the demise of the cast off. The rejected. The misfit. The obsolete.

Rejections have come in all forms, from jobs, relationships, employers, and even churches. And, although there have been times of devastation and despair, there have also been times of revelation and of clarity.

"Whether your alone time is in your private prayer closet or in the pasture you've been banished to, it is this personal private time with the creator that will prepare you for your eternal premiere." ( When Misfits Become Kings, p 14 )

In those moments when I have been deemed obsolete, such as an ignored Facebook message or an ignored email, or being replaced in a position of leadership, or even when my integrity is questioned, it would be easy to give in to the victimization this can bring.  I can't begin to understand how my current situation(s) can give God glory. I don't get how constant rejection serves a purpose. I can't fathom the isolation and obsolete status, many have given me. It hurts. Dear God, it hurts.

However, I am in good company. We can see over and over again throughout the Bible and even throughout history, those that are considered the "misfits" are the same ones we now admire, and/or long to emulate. Moses, David, Mary Magdalene, Job, Mother Theresa, Jim and Elizabeth Elliot, Martin Luther, Joan of Arc, and on and on the list goes.

Now, I am in no way comparing myself to these giants of faith, but I know there were days, when each of these heroes felt hurt, betrayed, and rejected. Some were even martyred.  Jesus himself, was a cast off. The very ones who sang his praises one day, screamed crucify the next.

The Beautiful Obsolete.

I kept all three items pictured and they now serve different purposes. The hair clip is being saved with a few keepsakes for future grandchildren. The key was added to a mobile I made of of funky found objects and hangs outside on my porch. Finally, the shell is added to a collection of seashells I have on my windowsill. Remnants of little girls, students, memories and divine appointments.

This time of uncertainty regarding my identity, my future, my relationships, my calling and even my purpose come down to this. I can either embrace the fact that I am not meant to be a carbon copy of "what's expected," or even what's judged, or fall into the victim mindset of never being hurt or rejected again: hmmm....not even worth a moment of pondering...

Obsolete? Beautifully so.


21Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. 22Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you and reject yourname as evil because of the Son of Man. 23Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For their fathers treated the prophets in the same way.…Luke 6:22