What a thought-provoking topic! My immediate reaction was, quite likely, not what most would expect. You see, my life, my lifestyle, my home, my finances, my vocation, my faith, and ultimately my heart has changed greatly in the fairly recent past. Change is good. Change is growth. Change can be scary, especially when one no longer fits the mold of familiarity that friends and family have grown accustomed to. Suddenly, this land I’ve been in for so long has become a strange land. Suddenly, I am a stranger to myself . . . or expressed more clearly, I have become my true self. What do I like best? Well, the food . . . I’m eating a mostly vegetarian diet and that’s good. People watching is fun but sometimes frustrating. People expect me to be the easily molded one I allowed myself to be in the past . . . architecture! That might be it! My favorite, that is!
What is architecture? When I think of that word, I envision two things. First, I see a framework from which a structure grows, and secondly I see changes made to change a weak structure into a strong one. Yes! In this strange land, I find the study of architecture the most profoundly interesting. The nucleus of what is Martha Shaw is unchanged yet fear, conformity, and being downright and entirely too sensible has led to so much external remodeling and redecorating that what I was originally meant to be . . . my purpose and the plan for my life which was set in place long before I was born . . . was not visible until fairly recently. The Great Architect is still doing a good work in me and the project is far from finished. It might take an eternity! That’s fine with me!
See also:
- Daily Prompt: Stranger in a Strange Land | flow of my soul
- Daily Prompt: Strange in a Strange Land « Mama Bear Musings
- Kashmir Art and Crafts | njoy every moment
- A Stranger in a strange land… | The Rider
- A Texan’s Safari in Ukraine. | luvsiesous
- Daily Prompt Wednesday July 17 2013 | it writes itself
- I like to take a seat and let it all sink in. | thoughtsofrkh
- It Can’t Fit the Frame: Romans 11:33 | The Photo Faith Challenge
- Stranger in a stranger land: living in America. | thewordpressghost
- Fish Guts (short fiction) | The Jittery Goat
- Stranger in a Strange Land | Geek Ergo Sum
- Stranger in a strange land | Nanuschka’s Blog
- Daily Prompt: Stranger in a Strange Land | Retired2Travel
- Daily Prompt: Stranger In A Strange Land | suzie81’s Blog
- Stranger in a Strange Land | Beats of Pieces
- Daily Prompt: Stranger in a Strange Land | A Stormy Girl
- I’d Like to be the Foreigner | Daily Prompt: Stranger in a Strange Land | likereadingontrains
- Daily Prompt: Stranger in a Strange Land | Being a Huntress
- Local Cuisine | My [redacted] Journey
- Exploration and Life Stories | downtownnokomis
- Daily Prompt: Stranger in a Strange Land | Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss
- Daily Prompt: Stranger in a Strange Land | That Chick Piggy
- Stranger in a Strange Land | bheehappy
- A New Beginning | Books, Music and Movies : my best friends
- Leveling Up [Daily Prompt: Stranger in a Strange Land] | unknowinglee
- THE SHOCK OF THE NEW | Standing Ovation, Seated
- Daily Prompt: Stranger in a Strange Land? | Under the Monkey Tree
- Getting to know you | I’m alive and that’s a lot
- Being a stranger | Books, Music and Movies : my best friends
- Pequeño – Daily Prompt: Stranger in a Strange Land | Babsje Heron
- A Day in the Life
- Seeking sanctuary. | My thoughts on a page.
- Specifically | Spunky Wayfarer
- Daily Prompt: Stranger in a Strange Land | The corner of my imagination
- Strangers on a Plane | A Day in the Life
- As a Newcomer | clarior e tenebris
- Stranger In A Strange Land | Tony’s Texts
- Departing, Arriving and in between | A beetle with earrings
- Stranger in a strange land: people watching | pencil pilot
- Traveling to Become Somebody Other Than Me | Iam Who Iam
- the PEEP SHOW: SOMETHING NEW | the TRASH BASH
- Strangers in a Strange Land | 20somethingsabroad
[…] Daily Prompt: Stranger in a Strange Land | In Love With The Lord Poetry and Prose […]
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Reblogged this on My Soul Dances Devotionals and commented:
Have you ever felt like a stranger to yourself?
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[…] Daily Prompt: Stranger in a Strange Land (inlovewiththelord.wordpress.com) […]
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Reblogged this on Trisha's Flying Meatballs and commented:
I, of course, really do think that the best part of travel is the food. However, Martha has a wonderful perspective in this blog, and it is worth reblogging. I hope you enjoy.
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Martha..you and I sound SO much alike in our dispositions…No wonder The Lord caused our paths to cross! I was always “the pliable one” too…and I am also in the process of emerging from my “cocoon”….I picture myself as a “butterfly” in The Hands of The Lord…and now I know there’s a “sister butterfly” right there with me !
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Thank you so much. You cannot imagine how badly I needed to hear this right now. There is something very troubling in my household just now and I can’t explain but pray for peace and healing please. I have always loved butterflies. A friend who did not know this just recently gave me a decoration of flying butterflies to remind me of His love. Here you are mentioning butterflies. Thank you. There are many good things from Him here and near but there is also something too big to handle and no solution yet. Time to look at the butterflies.
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