LAYERS

I LOVE this time of the year.  Fresh crisp mornings with the nip of cold in the air are a wonderful way to start my day.  The Wonder Dog and I have more zip in our step when the temperatures finally begin to moderate.  Somewhere back in the summer I vowed to NOT complain when the thermometer began to fall.  I promised myself to put on more clothes and not complain.  Our hot and humid summers are brutal and it is a documented fact that you cannot take off enough clothes to be cool in the deep choke hold of August. (Besides who wants to see a 70+ year old woman with few clothes on???)

As the temperatures continue to drop in the winter, I begin to look like this.  I soon have on so many layers I begin to resemble a round and fluffy snowman.  It is a proven scientific fact that layers keep us warm.  (DO NOT ask for that explanation --it is long and boring)  At any rate, at some point this winter I may  have on 2-3 pairs of gloves--wool socks--more than one pair--snow boots--3 layers of clothing starting with my silk long john suit---AND I even will have on a hat which I SELDOM wear because it makes me hot.  (ANOTHER LONG EXPLANATION which would bore you to tears).  Invariably I get ALL this on and immediately have a nature call---SIGH!    I DIGRESS~

When I put all these layers on and top it all off with a thermal coat and pants, I lose my identity.  You would never know it is me.  I have cleverly disguised myself in an effort to beat the brutal elements.  It works-BUT~ it comes with its own downfalls.  It is NOT easy to put on all these layers and probably more cumbersome to strip them all off.  We felt the need to protect ourselves by layering up--but at what cost?

When we begin to add layers to who we are by listening to the wrong sources, we are in danger of becoming unrecognizable.  One thing I noticed at my 50 year class reunion were a couple of people that I not only did not recognize  physically, but their personalities seemed to have changed also.  We are influenced by not only those we surround ourselves with, but also the information we use as a resource.  We begin to layer our personality when we stop thinking for ourselves and accept all we hear as truth without investigating for ourselves.  If we are not careful, we soon no longer recognize the real us--we have added too many layers from external sources.  What is that old saying  from the bard ~

SO careful with those layers--- it is always best to be true to the One who loves us best.

"I can do nothing on my own.

 I judge as God tells me.

Therefore my judgement is just,

because I carry out the will

of the one who sent me,

not my own will."

John 5:30