Hello Family!
I collect children’s books. Not just any, but my favorites that have great pictures, cool heroes and magnificent endings. Today I want to start off with one of my favorite kids stories. Re-inspired by our squad parent Tim.
There is a storybook named “You Are Special” about manikin doll named Punchinelo and his carpenter Eli. Punchinelo, “Punch” for short, lived in a world of stickers. Each day he and his friends gave stickers to every manikin they saw. Two types of stickers to be exact. Bright colored shiny star stickers were given to those who were talented or good looking. Ugly dot stickers were given to those who were below average, not talented and not pleasant to look at.
Punch received A LOT of dots. He dreamed of getting a star, but no matter how hard he tried he ALWAYS received dots. This made Punch very sad. He longed to be one of the special dolls, the ones who seemed to have an outfit made of stars.
One day his stars began to change. Punch met a girl doll named Bri who didn’t have any stars, but just when he thought he could finally relate to somebody, he realized she didn’t have any dots either. He was confused, maybe she was new, she didn’t look new, by maybe. He gave her a star for not having any dots, but oddly the star didn’t stick. A friend of Punch’s walked by and have her a dot for not having any stars, but the dot fell off too.
Punch asked Bri, “Why don’t you have any stickers?”
The girl replied, “Oh Punch, don’t you know that the stickers only stick if you let them?”
Taken a back, Punch asked more questions only to find out that this manikin had gradually lost all I her stickers until even new ones slipped off. Bri told Punch that her secret lied with her maker, the carpenter Eli. She went on to say that she spent time with Eli everyday.
Punch was desperate to try anything that would remove his dots and regain his status with the other manikins. He decided the next day he would make the long trek to the top of the hill to meet with Eli.
~~
Out of breath, Punch knocked on Eli’s door, “Hello?”
A deep resounding voice came from inside, “Punchinelo? Is that you? I’ve been waiting for you, come on in.”
Punch was shocked, how did Eli know he was coming? And how did he know his full name, nobody but Punch’s mom called him by his first name.
Curious, punch stepped in. Everything was huge, the chair was three times his size. Eli picked Punch up with his huge hands, looked at him straight in the eyes and smiled.
Eli welcomed Punch warmly. They spent the rest of the afternoon chatting about life. Eventually Punch got up the nerve to ask about Bri and the stickers.
Eli replied, “Punch I made you so special. I spent time intricately designing every part of you just the way I wanted to. I love you. I made you perfect for this world.”
Punch was overwhelmed, he had never heard he was special before. His life sticker count always suggested otherwise. Something deep down wanted to believe Eli though.
It was getting late, Punch said his good byes, but first made plans to visit Eli again the next day. As he was walking back down the hill the moonlight caught something shiny. He picked it up, quickly realizing it was one of his dots. It was happening, his stickers were getting oh so slightly less sticky. He smiled and thought of everything Eli had said, he became a little more secure in who he was because of Eli’s loving words. He became excited to see Eli in the morning.
~~
I too once lived in a world that gave me stickers. I loved it and hated it. I strived to be noticed, to hear people say my name among the stars. I tried to hide all my dots with an exterior smile.
Basketball, grades, girls, family and friends defined who I was A lot of what they said was good, I got plenty of stars as I loved it. I thought it was good as long as my stars shined brighter than the dots I received. Even with the stars, I was a people pleaser, and was still shattered every time I received a dot.
Over time these stickers not only defined me but chained me. I was a slave to their whims. However they went I went. It got exhausting.
Then I started to grasp just how good God is, how outstanding and unconditional his love is or me, and how perfectly he created me. He didn’t create me to rack up stars, but to fall in Love with him.
The day I figured that out was the day stickers fell off. I spend time with God everyday, just basking in his presence, dancing with joy. I don’t make it about rules or routines, I dance. Every morning I start out by smiling while I literally dance and spread my hands in worship with God. Freedom.
Now, when people throw dots my way, I smile and say that’s funny it’s not what our creator thinks. They don’t stick. When stars are plastered on my life report card, I say thank you and move on, knowing that my life is defined by greater things than stars. They don’t stick either.
If you haven’t met up with Eli in a while, no worries, his doors always welcome. You don’t need to schedule a months worth appointments. Just stop by and check it out. Look up Psalm 139 to see just how special God thinks you are 🙂
Life’s much smoother on Eli’s dance floor. Come dance. Come sing. Come be.
Love,
Jacob
