Callouses in the Creator's Hands

So today, when we were riding around town, Hannah asked me why animals don't have to wear shoes.  I told her that God gave them "built in" shoes by creating them with paws, hooves, talons (and yes, I actually said "talons" which gave me a flashback to Napoleon Dynamite).  I said, "Their feet are hard already, so they don't need to wear shoes."  Harry pipes up, "Yeah, like me!".  Harry seriously has the nastiest feet I have ever seen on a man this side of 70.  I've had to take a pumice to them several times all ready.  Ken has nick-named him "hammer toe", it's just that bad.  Well, I'm happy that his massive callouses are seen by him as a special gift from his Creator!  Now he has another reason why he won't want to wear shoes when we go outside. :)

All this makes me think...what things in my life do I see as hindrances, ugliness, defectiveness, that my Creator had given me?  What brokenness is their in my life, that I think is holding me back?  Could my "callouses" actually be assets?  In God's hands, they can be!  What an encouraging thought.  Left to myself, my weaknesses will always be just that.  Weaknesses.  Given to God, to His purposes, my weaknesses can become a venue for His strength!  What a crazy thought, that God can actually be MORE glorified, BETTER served, more PURELY loved when I bring my weaknesses to Him, rather than trying to be strong on my own!  After all, HIS power is made perfect through MY weakness!  So, cheers to my weaknesses, my frailties, my ugliness!  May God take them and make them a place where other's see His beauty in me.