“A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY YOU KNOW YOUR GETTING OLD WHEN EVERYONE IN COLLEGE LOOKS LIKE THEY’RE IN JUNIOR HIGH.“But the true reality check is when the things that you wore in high school start to be retro-trendy and the bands that you listened to back in the day start doing “reunion” tours.
Back in the big hair days of the late 80s and early 90s, I was known for my big hair. Everyone at school all-so-warmingly referred to me as da’ boof. You see back in the day, even though I am a close to 6 feet tall, I felt it necessary to add another foot and a half of hair height.
Each morning, I spent countless hours carefully crafting my hair helmet. I would tease it, spray it, singe it with a hot iron and caringly use the prongs of a table fork to make sure it was in perfect spherical harmony with the universe.
As a bonus, after I was finished the crispy bang-age provided complete frontal lobe impact protection. Besides “da’boof ” and a few other high school “sound bytes” my mind tends to draw a blank, especially when it comes to Algebra. All I can say is that Aqua- Net use in high concentrations must seriously destroy brain cells.
Even though styles have change, my do has completely deflated. Especially since motherhood has warranted
reduction in getting ready time to 15 minutes or less. However, once in a while when I’m out and about I’ll
hear a familiar voice calling out to me, “Hey da’boof, what happened to your hair?”
When I look back on my growing up experience, it’s amazing to see how certain things from your teen years just stick with you for the rest of your life. When does the grown up feeling come along, where you are not second guessing your outfit or feeling like you have to call in sick because of a bad hair day?
As women following God’s call to leadership, it’s so easy to get caught up in constructing our boofs—the things that make us stand out in the crowd. But true confidence doesn’t come from knowing the right people, getting on a best-seller list or having the ability to dazzle a crowd.
Confidence is found in our identity in Christ and the assurance that He will be with us always—if we put our trust in Him, and move confidently forward in that knowledge.
Ephesians 1:3 assures us that we have what it takes, “Praise be to the God...who has blessed us in the heavenly
realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (NIV).
On the days I find myself popping a piece of mint gum as a toothbrush substitute or eating ice cream as a meal replacement, it’s hard to remember I’m in my 40-somethings. I should know better...but inside I still have that inner-teen, that longs for acceptance, affirmation and the impulsive desire to do it my way just dying to get out.
But at the end of the day what are we sacrificing for the sake of a bit of fluff? Let’s make the difference in
eternity.
FROM THE EDITOR LEADINGHEARTS.COM