Discover life: Ants and kings
Was I alive today?
Yes!
What new things have I learnt about life?
From a report on a TV programme about „female beauty“: Lebanese women are considered the most beautiful in the Middle East because of their facial features and figure – that’s what my German-Lebanese friend told me, of course. They devote an enormous amount of time and energy to caring for and maintaining their beauty – going – if they can afford it – to the hairdresser about three times a week. In a society where there are three women for every man (many young men work abroad), competition is also incredibly fierce. 90% of all women choose a caesarean section as their method of delivery, because they consider it safer and less of a threat to their beauty than a natural birth. Younger, educated women in particular find themselves torn as to whether they want to continue playing this „game“… but often have no choice.
What new things have I learnt about myself?
Sometimes it bothers me a bit when I compare myself to how things are supposed to be done – and I love it when God reassures me: ‘You’re fine.’ There are people who can plan everything down to the last detail – I’m not one of them. I can only tackle things in stages, bit by bit.
Every now and then, people criticise me for the way I’m going about the boat project: „Kerstin, you should first hire an engineering firm to draw up a full plan before you carry on.“ „You should hire a naval architect…“ and so on.
My good friend, with whom I am currently enjoying a few relaxing days, prayed this morning and asked God what He wanted to say to me. She felt she should read Proverbs 6. Among other things, it says: „The ants are self-organised, have no king, and yet they fill their storehouses!“
She felt that God was trying to tell me: „Kerstin, there are work teams that have a leader who calls the shots. In your shipbuilding, it’s more a case of teams that organise themselves to a certain extent. And that’s fine! That’s also a possibility. And you’ll reach your goal and „fill your barns“ too.”
That was a great comfort to me. I don’t need to be any different from who I am… I am allowed to be just as I am… and my God acts and works with me in my own way. How incredibly comforting!
