Living Vitiligo

One of my most favorite things in life is sitting with my girl (almost 6yr old going on 30!) chatting about life and such. Last night as we were planning the days ahead, I wanted to ask her if people at school ask about the white patches on her knees, hands and face – also known as Vitiligo. (Vitiligo is a condition in which the pigment is lost from areas of the skin, causing whitish patches, often with no clear cause.)

As always in my parenting journey with this very strong willed child, I quickly threw up a prayer asking God if I should address the issue with her or just leave it alone.  It was then I was reminded of how some think if we just don’t talk about “it”, “it” will simply go away.  Knowing this is simply not true and feeling the go ahead – the discussion began. When I first asked her she said no one speaks of it.  Then pressing just a little deeper, she announced that they ask her “every single day and it makes me so mad”!  Tuff stuff for my baby girl to process and deal with I would say.  And so, taking her close and looking deep in her precious eyes, I told her it was OK that they ask.  It is OK!  We/she will educate them, giving them the information about it and then it is up to them to do with it what they will.

What is not OK is that my girl would shame herself for the condition she has or run in fear of what others think of her while missing out on her opportunity of an abundant life promised by God through Jesus in John 10:10.  She is to teach others how to treat her while standing strong in who she is, fearfully and wonderfully made by God. ~Psalm 139:14.

God made her, loves her and accepts her.

For the first few years we thought her skin was having a reaction to the eczema she had.  But one summer after being at the beach, there were patches that caused some concern.  Then 1yr later they began to spread during the winter and that’s when we saw a dermatologist who diagnosed her.  It was not easy for me as I had to deal with my own vanity issues.  I wanted things to look/be “normal” and her to live a pain free life.  But what is “normal”?  Does anyone live an easy life?  To some being normal is being tall, being a twin, having curly hair, having a sibling, having 1 parent, having 2 parents of the same gender, being home schooled, never attending church.  I mean, where do we get what is normal viewing things going on around us in our crazy world?

And that is what I desire to teach my girl.  I want to teach her God’s ways are what sets the bar for our lives.  We are not here to judge others on skin, hair, size, what they have/don’t have.  We are simply called by God to extend love and give graciously what he has already given us while following His direction each day.

I truly understand this to be so true.  “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.” ~ Proverbs 31:30.  Beauty truly is on the inside.

A journey is ahead but what an amazing journey of learning to love and accept ourselves and others just as we are.  We must embrace God and what HE says about us rather than what the world would have us believe is a battle we must eagerly fight.

Rest in His goodness today……

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

~Matthew 5:8

“Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”

~John 7:24

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” ~Ephesians 2:10

XOXO

Amanda