The Fact is, We Have Good Parts and Bad Parts. Are We OK with That?

We Have Good Parts and Bad Parts. Are We OK With That?

I recently heard an analogy that goes like this:

You have a beach ball. It represents the real you. You go to the beach with your beach ball and you see all these other people playing with their beach balls. You wonder if your beach ball is as good as their beach balls. You decide it isn’t. You are ashamed of it, so you purchase another beach ball that you think looks better and will perform better, and you run into the water, sit on your real beach ball so it stays under the water, and play with the new one you bought.

On the surface it appears that you are just like everyone else. Playing with your own beach ball. A nice enough beach ball. But they don’t know that your real beach ball is under your derriere. You have to struggle to keep it under there. It wants to come to the surface, and you have to keep wiggling and finagling to keep it down.  You can’t swim with freedom because if you did, your beach ball would do what it wants to do—what Reality says it should do—and bounce up and out. It would be exposed for all to see. How embarrassing. You can’t have that.

You notice that others are swimming freely. They like their beach balls and seem comfortable exposing them. But you feel you are a special case. You can’t expose your beach ball. You don’t even know for sure why, but it’s what you’ve always believed, so you stifle your urges to let go and be free, and you continue to hide your beach ball.

I can relate to this story. It was eye opening for me to learn that I am a complex human being with some strengths and some weaknesses. (I know – I’m a little slow on the uptake.) And that’s OK. Oh, I knew it was OK to have strengths. But weaknesses? Only OK if you were overcoming them. Sitting on them. Making sure they didn’t show.

This past year I’ve been learning how to accept who God made me. The good and the bad. I’m not perfect, but I’m loved. And if I let my beach ball come to the surface and someone points at me and says, “WEIRD UGLY BEACH BALL GIRL WITH PROBLEMS!” I don’t have to be ashamed or get mad. I can smile and glide freely away. They can’t follow me. They can’t follow you.

Because if they’re saying that kind of stuff – I guarantee they’ve got a beach ball under their butt.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39)

A mother of nine, homemaker, business owner (Apple Valley Natural Soap), and most importantly, a Wemmick loved by the Woodcarver.

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Categories: Be Brave, Be Balanced
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6 thoughts on “The Fact is, We Have Good Parts and Bad Parts. Are We OK with That?”

  1. A great analogy and I can so relate to it. After many years of struggling I no longer hide that “beach ball”. It almost lost me my family. It wasn’t any sort of addiction but trying to be what I’m not. Im a classic introvert not an extrovert. I’m ok with what others think are my weaknesses and I now understand why I do what I do and it helps me balance things with the extroverts in my family and with friends.
    As a side note, I’m so sorry you are going through a difficult time. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
    Lorette

  2. sometimes I think it may be OK for my beach ball to pop to the surface so someone else may say, “hey, mine looks like that too!” just a thought.
    Love your word picture today.

  4. Is this analogy from the Ultimate Journey? I went through it a couple years ago and it was so helpful for me. I learned to let down the mask and performance and be ok with being human, with making mistakes.

    I was homeschooled k-12 in a very conservative/legalistic culture and it’s taken a lot of work to let go of the lies and truly understand what grace and the gospel really mean. I feel so much freer now! I discovered your blog a couple days ago and have read through many of your posts. I resonate strongly with the things you share. Thanks for writing.

    • Yes! I’m in the middle of UJ right now. Wow, has it been healing for me. I am a lot like you, Elyssa. Probably why the things I write resonate with you. :) I’m glad we can connect here!

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