The barren trees pronounce the wintry season.
This is my favorite time of year . . . when it’s cooler.
The sun’s rays aren’t too kind to those of us who belong to the redheaded clan. Avoiding direct sunlight is difficult, though, when you live in the golden state of California.
When we took our family to Disneyland, the security guy at the entrance gate pointed to the large umbrella in my hand and asked, “Are we expecting rain?”
There wasn’t a cloud in the sky. And I detected just a hint of either sarcasm or confusion in his tone.
So I replied, “No, we’re expecting sun.”
It’s a lifestyle. Keeping covered.
You won’t ever find me lying bikini-bare on a beach anywhere. For purely practical reasons you see.
I don’t do bare.
My fair skin won’t allow it.
My dermatologist won’t allow it either. And frankly, I’m tired of the skin cancer treatments. So I gladly oblige my doctor and shun any activity in the sun.
But this has also led me to become a hermit of sorts. I prefer the indoors. And I’ve developed a slight fear of sunlight. Because it really could kill me. My biopsies have told me so.
Yet, for all my efforts with hats and scarves and umbrellas — even during the summer — most of the real damage was done when I was young.
And there isn’t anything I can do about that.
So with each new day, I lay all my bare fears at the feet of Him who is the Way, the Truth, and . . . the Light.
Only the Light can protect me from the light.
Is there something you need to lay bare at His feet?
Linking today with LisaJo, taking five minutes to write about “bare.”
This is beautiful. The way “bare” flows throughout is beautiful.
A touching insight, written so simply that you need to go back and read again to take in what you have read and the emotions it has stirred. I will carry the economy of words and the depth of its message with me for a while.
‘Only the Light can protect me from the light.’ What a fantastic line and a wonderful post. I’m glad I stopped by from FMF. Thank-you for sharing. Mine would be worry. I desperately want to lay my worry at his feet but it’s stuck on pretty tight and I’ve only just begun to chip away at it with His help.
Denise – I feel your angst over the need for the umbrella and the sunshirts and sunscreen. As a former Floridian, my own skin is ravaged by some silly youthful choices. But, I love the verse that you started with. God is such a trustworthy umbrella. I so enjoyed your post!
Hi Denise
When you mentioned all the damage that has been done to your skin when you were young and you cannot do anything about it now, I thought of all our sins and faults also being done before we came to our Lord Jesus. It with Him we can lie each and everyone bare at His feet knowi g tat He forgives.
Happy FMF
Mia
Hi Denise,
Sorry to hear that you are having to deal with skin cancer…Thank you for being honest and bare about it…what a profound statement you wrote at the end about “the Light”….I am daily having to ask Him to clean me up when I stand in the light of His word and Holy Spirit…and I am grateful He does…blessings
My son has very very fair skin and as a baby had to be doused with sunscreen and constantly covered or he’d completely fry. Even a little bit of time outside riding in the car would bring a pink flush to his skin. It was so odd that he was so fair with blonde hair and blue eyes. I had never thought of the sun that way until I had him. I’m liberal with the sunscreen now but have seldom burned and everyone else in our family has olive skin. I can see now as his mother how I worry about him getting exposed and his chances at skin problems as he grows up. Be cautious and then let it go into Jesus’s care. You have gorgeous skin, by the way. And hair. You’re just all around gorgeous!
Oo, I never knew you went through all that. So that is what we’d have to call a reasonable fear. I have always had fair skin, so try to avoid a lot of sun myself (although I didn’t when I was young… ) But now I spend a lot more time in His light than I did back then — most beneficial and healing light,,, and no sunburn!
So refreshing to read your story. Having received my mom’s red headed skin, and growing up in Santa Barbara were not a good mix for me. (I do believe my legs glow in the dark!) I always hid from the sun and welcomed the cooler weather. Still do =0)
What a wonderful correlation you’ve made with avoiding being bare in the sun to the embracing of being bare in the Son!
I use to soak up the sun so much when I was younger, that my skin would get darker (extreme sun tan). I’ve wised up in my older years and manage to use sunscreen almost daily. I am sorry about the skin cancer, but what a perfect reminder to lay our cares and fears at His feet, exposed to the light.