I was ordinary in so many ways
not the best or brightest
not the worst or dullest
not the oldest
not the youngest
my composition so much working class
and small-town somebodies
Born a girl
raised fatherless
but not an orphan
penny pinching but not penniless
clothes from catalogues
before that was a thing
My gifts I squandered,
tossing my pearls before so many swine
not considering their value
not considering my value
not knowing my purpose
not knowing His purpose
not comprehending His plans
I was someplace
not a bad place
but not my place
I had a someone
not a bad one
but not the right one
I was encouraged to take credit
self-made
self-supporting
self-reliant
self-focused
eyes on self
I did
I got
I wanted
I became
An “I”-problem stole my life
a life of glory thievery
nearly kept me from the King of glory
from whole life
healed life
abundant life
God-driven life
God-centered life
God-filled future
I stole His glory
I stole from myself
I stole my chance to bring glory
to be a glory giver
not a glory thief
to know the glorious One
to serve the King of glory
**Glory thief – one who steals for himself the glory that belongs to God
I am the Lord, that is My Name; My glory I will not give to another.
Isaiah 42:8a
Rooted and Grounded 