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DOUBLE EXPOSURE

DOUBLE EXPOSURE

Hi Garden Guys and Girls,

Well I gotta’ be honest! This time around, I struggled to push this particular blog post out, primarily because I had a plethora of thoughts swirling in my head on how best to convey my analogy for what I would share in this next piece. And it doesn’t help that I got about a third of the way in to writing this post today [now yesterday], and then inadvertently hit the “do not save” button when I closed my computer – only to labor a little while longer to gather my direction again. As an aside, I definitely think my first intro was much better than this one here, but I’m sure its writer’s bias! Plus, since there’s no evidence to dispute this otherwise, you’ll just have to take my word for it (wink). As true as the case may be for those who follow along and read them, I know it seems that my blogs on nuggets learned from my life’s journey are rather intermittent anyway (Thank you so much, by the way!). But the way my writings are set up, I normally have to let them steep like tea (sometimes longer, sometimes shorter) before I am released to share them on a public platform. Typically before I even take to paper though, my thoughts about my next blog usually dance in my head like two intimate lovers who understand the other’s language and can readily anticipate one another’s next move. Usually, my focus is single; my intent is clear; my path is in view. Well this time, let’s just say that while although my focus was single, and my intent clear, it seemed like my dance partner, a.k.a. Path, insisted on doing the Cupid Shuffle with me, which is NOT at all what I desired! Nevertheless, I was reminded of how it seems that a “watched pot never boils.” So instead of wondering if I would deflect the intent of this blog post somehow with my chosen analogy, I stopped stewing over it…and started typing! So, here goes…

I think the above example of the two lovers dancing gracefully together, seemingly in sync, is analogous of this couple who has chosen to be very intentional about their “Spread the Love Campaigns.” (I encourage you to stop and check out any of the different hyperlinks in color, or come back later to watch if you like). If you’ve been on social media for any amount of time, you’ve probably stumbled upon The Brumfield’s video uploads at least once or twice on YouTube or Facebook, which is where I saw them first. I can certainly appreciate this couple’s chemistry for one another in their videos. I love their transparency and vulnerability to one another and to their “universal family,” as they call it. I love how they choose to raise awareness to promote the message of love, but also highlight the importance of Breast Cancer Awareness in their videos (Maria normally has on pink house slippers, socks, or some form of pink with her costumes). I love how she unashamedly highlights her survivor story by occasionally taking selfies, revealing the inner confidence of her barechested-ness and scars for the world to see. I love people who love what they are passionate about. I love people who are in love with the one that they love. Heck, I’m just a lover of love! Why? Because love looks darn good, no matter the case. I probably can hear some of your thoughts now. “Oh goodness! Sounds like she’s about to talk about the message of love again!” “Didn’t she just complete a #LoveisAVerb Campaign a couple of months ago?!” Well yes I did just finish a campaign, and yes I’m going to talk about it again! This is fair warning for those who wish to stop here. But for the rest of you, today’s post is more of a gateway conversation to experiencing a type of love that removes all prerequisites and barricades that serve ill purposes.

A few weeks ago, I posted a Facebook status that read as follows: “There are some amazing things waiting to happen on the other side of exposing your vulnerabilities. Another blog post coming soon on my site from Living Life His Way.” Then, I further hashtagged it with things that only are relevant to the hashtag user of course {namely me}, because I know NO ONE will ever find any related content or theme about #ItsStillBrewingRightNow! But for the rest of us who does this nonsensical, “it’s probably here to stay,” kind of thing, we know our intent is to convey to our audience some additional information in our status that could have easily been made into a complete sentence. But that’s too easy, right?

Anyway, these words from that particular Facebook status rang true for me when I recalled a time that I had developed a school girl crush on the sweetest guy who I had a few classes with in high school. (Sorry guys, that’s what us teen girls used to call y’all when we thought you were “cute” or “fine” back in the day, or maybe it was just me, LOL!). In fact, I took to social media to find out what the current reference of the day is, and I received some very interesting comments. So much so, that I just couldn’t seem to quite squeeze them into this post :-). Okay, focus Keshia! So yeah! It was my senior year; I was about to graduate in a couple of months, and my little “fast” self (that’s what my aunt used to call all of us young girls) took the initiative to make my interests known because I wanted to know more about “that guy.” Normally, I wouldn’t have done this (the “approaching first” thing, that is), mainly because I was scared of my grandma and I didn’t want to get caught with anyone that she didn’t know about or approve of, but I went for it anyway. Ha! Secretly though, I was nervous and wondered what would happen if I “put myself out there” only to receive a response that countered what I was hoping for. Was I willing to risk seeming rejection from the guy that I wanted to know more about at that time? What would he think about me being the apparently forward one? And let me be clear. This post isn’t so much about “that guy”, as it is about a couple of recent events that caused me to retreat back to a place of exposure, prompting me to once again consider how we choose to relate to people – namely in areas of our vulnerability towards one another.

During these last few weeks, I reflected on how our Heavenly Father longs for a “double exposure” type of relationship and exchange with us – despite our best efforts to stay protected and hide those things we deem too taboo to “discuss” with Him, much less confide in others about. Of course, exercising wisdom to guard your heart goes without saying in interpersonal relationships (Don’t miss my overall point here, though). But what I AM saying is that I’m sure most, if not all, of us wish for someone to really know us – our present, our potential, and our promise. More so, we desire for them to know our fears, our frailties, and our faults, while embracing us that much greater. I thought about how we potentially render ourselves a disservice when we do enter into God-appointed relationships, whether it be intimate or platonic, but still selectively choose what we’re willing to share with the other person. As a result, we forfeit amazing and unlimited possibilities to experience intimacy on a deeper level to grow and groom what could be an awesomely-anointed Godly relationship. After all, they may see us differently, we erroneously conclude. So, while we’re over in one place making sure we have fortified our City of Defense and False Refuge, we allow other boundless benefits to slip from our hands.

It was not until my intimacy with God grew over these last few years, and I had strangled out and booted religion, that I became even more thankful that I could come to Him and tell it like it was. Even now, the more I am willing to become naked and vulnerable to Him, the more I find that He makes Himself vulnerable to me exclusively. I found that my conversations with Him changed. I could then be OK with saying stuff to Him like “Okay God, you’re gonna have to help me out right through here! See, you know I love you Lord, but as it turns out, I really like this too!” When I grew to this place of exposure with Him, I recalled a particular line from an old church hymnal that states, “O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.” When someone who loves me like The Father does and is willing to become even more vulnerable to me as I share with Him, it only attracts me greater to the Lover of my Soul. It quickens in me a desire to become even more transparent with Him. It’s kind of like the concept of “double exposure” in photography. By the way, I got the title for this blog a few weeks ago as I was getting dressed one morning for work. So when He spoke those two words to me, I said out loud,  “That’s It!” I knew it was the title for this blog!  And since I’m not that smart, I had to google and research the concept of double exposure. Interestingly, what I learned about double exposure is that it’s a photography technique that combines two different images into a single image. The article goes on to read that “the reasons for using this technique may vary by photographer, but they are surely created for the same purposes – beauty and uniqueness.” Wow! How amazing is that? It made me think about Romans, Chapter 8, where we learn that we are being conformed into the image of Jesus as we walk out His plans for our life! If only we would take a lesson from the pages of love from the Author of Love! If only we would seek to model in our interpersonal relationships a safe haven for our vulnerabilities, then surely we could reap some amazing fruit together with those assigned to our lives.

So, what happened to the guy in high school after I told him that I liked him? Well, just in case you’re wondering, I did tell him. As it turns out, he was cool people! And me “exposing” myself wasn’t nearly as bad as I anticipated! We chatted. We hung out. We had rap battles against each other often (I was pretty good at it too :-)!). We had fun. I think it even lasted a few more months here and there, heading into my freshmen year in college. But it didn’t survive. We were in high school for crying out loud! We were just kids! LOL (Shoutout to the high school sweethearts who are still writing their stories, though. And Bravo to you!). As with The Brumfields, they, too, were willing to take a risk. And now they are publically choosing to share glimpses of their life story with the masses. As much as I enjoy their dance routines and their message of love, I’m not naïve to think that their “in sync-ness” was an overnight process. If you follow their story, they share their growing pains to the extent that they are willing to help someone else. I honestly believe that they concluded that often times, nothing magical happens without risk!

Then again, I can do you one even better than that! I know firsthand of One whom there’s no risk involved. For those of you who may still choose to play it safe, and declare my meager ramblings as hogwash, I’m here to tell you to try Jesus. There are no gambles or losses in Him. When I became vulnerable to Him, He covered me all the more. Then He was doubly ready to become as vulnerable to me as I needed Him to be for me. Double Exposure creates beautiful things. I think those are some amazing odds!  He is jealous JUST for me! And to that, I’d say makes him pretty darn hot in my book!  Yup, I can confidently say that, because He’s MY friend! What a friend I have in Jesus, all my sins and griefs to bear! What an awesome privilege to carry EVERYTHING to MY Friend in prayer.  He totally “gets” me. That guy rocks!

Until next time, I am reminded that I am simply Godzgurl, Made in His Image, and Living Life His Way.

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origins

Comments ( 2 )

  • Rickey Pam

    Double Exposure. .. Being open before God is the key… doing away with religion, so many golden nuggets within this blog.

    • Origins

      Yes Rickey, it’s definitely key! Thank God for relationship. And thanks for taking the time to pop in and read/respond. Appreciate your comments!

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