Studying To Be a Woman

      "Why won't you let me be a woman?"  Words I've said many times over the last however many years.  My daughter and some friends of hers were making a video for her YouTube channel last week and I was having such a good time watching them.  She was quizzing them about which one knew her best and asked them to write down her major in college.  (I happen to know it is Family and Consumer Science but I didn't get a point because I wasn't in the game.)  After they revealed their answers, Amy stated "I'm studying to be a woman".  Once again, that got me thinking about all the times I have asked "why won't you let me be a woman?"
     I could go into all kinds of details here.  But would that do any good?   The point is, being a woman is actually something pretty special.  Yeah I know Shania Twain sang about feeling like a woman.   And I love Proverbs  31 where we are told how to be a godly woman.  But what is it to get to be a woman?
     God had someone absolutely amazing in mind when He created woman. God did not create women for men to use.  His design of one man and one woman for life was for real. And for a woman to get to be a woman, a man has to be a man. He must be faithful, caring, loving, a leader, a provider, and present.  When a man is a man, the woman God created for him gets to shine in every possible way.  And that should make that man very proud.
     A woman needs security. She needs to know he will answer the phone. He will be home.  He won’t lie. He won’t cheat. He won’t hide things from her and then blame her when he gets caught.  Being a woman means being able to feel secure.  Being able to trust.
     Women have emotions. For many years I was asked, told and sometimes ordered to not allow emotions. That was tough.  So I tried to hide them most of the time. Sometimes they choked me.  Sometimes they weighted me down. And when I was alone and could let them out, well I just didn’t really know how. That’s not right.  But I’m learning.
     So what does all this mean?  Well, like my daughter, I’m studying to be a woman. Finally. I find myself letting go and trusting others with my heart. I haven’t done that in such a long time.  I’m testing out emotions more and more. I’m learning to feel secure in the love of my family and friends. While my life may not be ideal from the outside looking in, this finally getting to be a woman is a pretty cool deal. There are ups and downs and I am free to experience all of them now. I’m learning to be the me God created me to be. And that’s a good thing!