Normal is just a setting on your dryer
by Patsy Clairmont

I was browsing through the Family Christian Bookstore near my home one day last year, and came across their discount bookshelf. There were three books that caught my eye, all by Patsy Clairmont. You'll be seeing the other two books here in the coming months. But today, I'm going to key you into the little treasure that is "Normal is just a seeing on your dryer".

I know that many times in my life, I've not felt "normal". Like I was somehow not the same as my friends, either in my love life or my work life or my spiritual life. And it seems only human to wonder what is wrong with you, when you don't see yourself as normal.

From chapters such as 'Jumpin' Jehosaphat' to 'Risky Business', Patsy shares funny, embarrassing and certainly ab-normal occurrences in her life, all compiling to help make her the person she is today.

One of the chapters that especially drew me was 'Blue Light Special'. It's a story of how Patsy and Les were shopping for a new house and Patsy made a list of everything she wanted. When Les found a house and fell in love with it, she just wasn't sure. But as she checked her list, she realized that even though the house didn't "look" the way she wanted it to, God had given her exactly what she asked for. I too, can relate to this, being a recent homeowner. I'm sure I drove my realtor crazy with the houses I "loved" that didn't pan out. But in the end, I found the perfect home, with the features I love as well.

Granted, Patsy probably lives a much more exciting, story filled life than you or I do. Or maybe not. Perhaps, being something other than normal gives us all an exciting life in someone else's eyes. Either way, God made each of us in his own image, and not one of us can ever be called normal!