Three C's and a Katie

Hey everyone, great news! My dad has put anti-virus on the computer which now connects to internet. Which means I will finally be able to blog more. Yay! Starting today :) Which hopefully means less "bla" posts. Anyway, on to this one -

So the other day I was sitting at my dresser plucking my eyebrows and I had to stop and wonder, what had become of me? I mean me, WILLINGLY plucking my eyebrows. That is not something that I would have done before. Add that to the fact that cluttered around my mirror and fishtank and littering the desk next to the dresser was make-up and hair accessories and other such girly prettiness that old me would have balked at. Would have criticized me for. Old me would be leerly of my dresser and desk. And really there are four contributing factors to this, whether they really knew it or not. I shall call them, the Three C's and a Katie.

The first C would be my Cousin Kelli. Kelli was the cousin I lived with for a few months when I was eleven. I'm now a now the same age she was when I lived with her and for one I don't think I could be responsible for a  pre-teen. But that's besides the point. Anyways Kelli was like a really cool big sister. She would take me shopping, talk about clothes, make-up, girl issues, boy issues, friend issues.

(this is a girl related issue/clothing store/paragraph)
I remember one time she took me and my best friend at the time to La Senza Girls when we were both somewhere between 11 and 12. And we both, (this friend and me) found the underclothes equivalent of Best Friend Necklaces. We were both still pretty new to the whole thing let alone that they came in designs! Kelli was the one who explained the importance of designed understuffs even if/though no one but ourself was going to see it. Just because it would make you feel pretty, and cool, and older (we were still to young for sexy)
(aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand safe)

This was important just for the reminder to feel pretty for myself, not for someone else. Whether she knew it or not Kelli had planted a good seed of feminine/girly/self esteem stuff that didn't really grow until I was older - with help from the other C's.

Definitively NOT Old Me

The second C would be my Cousin Kim. All through my teenage-hood my Cousin Kim would take me for hair cuts, take me shopping for clothes, trying to get me to wear make-up. Really out of all the three C's Cousin Kim was probably the one that pushed the hardest. Remember, I was that weird kid that hid behind her hair, and ill fitting clothes, and books. The biggest thing that Cousin Kim pushed for as I got older was for me to pluck my eyebrows. Just to shape them, and clean up the look a bit. Just to do something. ANYTHING.

That wasn't the only thing Cousin Kim tried to help me with, but it's the example I'm going to use. She even helped me get ready for prom. Although I didn't have my eyebrows taken care of (like she wanted) she did get me in make up (which I didn't want)

Cousin Kim took the seed that Kelli had planted and nurtured it. Watered it. Fed it. Begged it to grow.

The third C would be my Cousin Cynthia. Cynthia and Cousin Kim worked together it seemed. But Cynthia was the one who would try to do my make-up. Or get me into make-up. Or really, just try to bring home what Cousin Kim was trying to teach me.

So really Cynthia was like another gardener into this "Pretty Seed"

But really despite all their efforts nothing really happened. Until a Katie came along. And really I don't understand what Katie does, but she does it so well. Maybe it's because I already had this pressurized, watered, fed, ready to grow seed planted in me - but Katie managed to turn their efforts into a success. I can't really explain it. God just orchestrated it so well.

But as we know, I know wear make-up, pluck my eyebrows (not consistently, only when they look bad), and wear pretty clothes (just for me). And none of it would have happened without Three C's and a Katie.

And why is this relevant you ask? Well let me tell you. I was thinking lately. Lots of times when 'spreading the gospel' its called "Planting Seeds" and lots of people get discouraged because they're one of the C's. They either just plant a seed without really knowing what will happen. Or they'll be the ones really investing into the seed crying over it, begging it, praying for it to grow. Or they could be the one that helps the second. But then a Katie comes along and makes it look like childsplay.

But really I wouldn't be who I am if it wasn't for Kelli, Kim, or Cynthia investing into me. And it wouldn't have been that easy for Katie if they hadn't invested into me either.

36Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37For it this case the saying is true, "One sows and another reaps." 38I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor.

John 4:36-38

So really my three C's and a Katie were just putting a spiritual reality into a physical workings. So just keep planting those seeds of faith if your planting. Or tending to them if your a tender. Or crying and begging and praying if your a cryer/begger/pray...er person. And don't begrudge the Katie's. They're all important.

Hollie.