The Velveteen Woman

...Real Transparency Real Intimacy With The Savior. And Yes Real Pain. That'S Where We All Live Isn'T It? Are You Willing To Risk Being Loved Really Loved In Order To Shed The Fake Fur Of 'Easily Broken Religion' For The Warm Reality Of Intimacy With God? Take The Risk. It'S Worth It. Most Of Us Are Familiar With The Velveteen Rabbit The Children'S Classic By Margery Williams. Perhaps You First Heard The Story About The Velvety Bunny While Sitting On Your Mother'S Lap Or Just Before Getting Tucked In With Bedtime Kisses And Good-Night Hugs. The Story Begins On Christmas Morning. The Velveteen Rabbit Plush And New Is Stuffed Inside A Boy'S Christmas Stocking. The Boy Is Delighted With His New Bunny And Loves Him For All Of Two Hours Before Getting Side-Tracked By Other New Toys And Gifts. Out Of The Bright Paper Wrappings Shiny Toys With Bells And Whistles And Fancy Clockwork Appear. In The Holiday Excitement The Little Rabbit Is Set Aside On A Shelf In The Boy'S Playroom. At Night When Nursery Magic Happens The Toys Begin To Move And Talk. Although Some Of The More Expensive Toys In The Nursery Snub The Rabbit The Old And Wise Skin Horse Is Kind To Him. One Day The Rabbit Asks His Friend What Is Real? The Wizened Overseer Of The Nursery Who Has Seen Fads Come And Go Knows Of Such Mysterious Things. Real Isn'T How You Are Made Replies The Skin Horse. It'S A Thing That Happens To You. When A Child Loves You For A Long Long Time Not Just To Play With But Really Loves You Then You Become Real. The Rabbit Asks If It Hurts To Become Real. Sometimes The Skin Horse Answers Since He Is Always Truthful. He Goes On To Explain That Becoming Real Doesn'T Often Happen To Those Who Break Easily Or Have Sharp Edges Or Have To Be Carefully Kept. Bit By Bit The Skin Horse Has Learned To Rest In The Transforming Love Of His Master Knowing This Is What He Was Made For. As Women We Will Have A Myriad Of Experiences--Some Pleasant And Some Painful-