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Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Shared DNA, Not a Shared Soul



 One of the most common questions I'm asked about my identical twins is, "Isn't it amazing that they have such different personalities?"  People who only know the science behind twins, but have never truly known identical twins, are the ones who ask this question.

My snarky Mama response wants to be, "NO, they are two different people so of course they are different!" But that is unhelpful.  I know them, and see identical twins everyday.

 Identical twins are rare, so they are a mystery too many. Maybe you've grown up hearing stories (or seen movies) of identical twins who know when the other is wounded from 1,000 of miles away. I can then see how this adds mystery and confusion.  You  think they are just clones of the same person.

 Twins are not clones. Twins are physically, and spiritually linked, just as you and your siblings are connected, but are not the same person.  Identical twins get the added bonus of spending their entire lives together, going through the same stages together. I am a twin (I have a fraternal twin brother), but my identical twins have a special bond I will never truly understand. But this bond is not make them the same person.

 Identical twins share DNA, they do not share a soul.

Yes, identical twins are one egg split in half. The science is quite fascinating.  But here is the most important &  ineffable aspect of twins,  they are not a soul split in half.

I believe our God is sovereign and powerful enough to create two identical bodies with two different souls. He knit their hearts and minds together in my womb, each of them...separately. One twin  is not an accident or afterthought once the first one was knit.  He knew them both separately, before their zygote split.  He uniquely gifted them with their own talents, souls, and spiritual gifts. I see this as a similar miracle to when God took my mother and father's DNA and miraculously made different combinations of different people between me and my siblings.


I am no scientist, and I may be wrong in how I view this, but I have watched my two boys for ten+ years now. I have witnessed two children, who technically are suppose to be the "same person'" according to their DNA, born as two unique and different people. As they grew, they have different personalities. They are quite similar in many ways, which is to be expected of course.  But they are not the exactly the same, and they are not opposites.  They are uniquely themselves. They are each who God knit them to be.

So I will amend my snarky answer with, "Yes, it is amazing that they have two different personalities, because the God who made them is Amazing."

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:13-14




You may also be interested in:
Identical and Individual, What NOT to say to a Twin Mom


Wednesday, January 1, 2014

New Year 2014

It has been awhile since I have time to blog.  Thought I would start off 2014 with a reflection on the past few years' life lessons.

In 2012 I learned how to loose weight in a healthy way. I worked hard to loose 40lbs the old fashioned way, by eating less and moving more.  There was no secret quick weight lost plan.  Consistent decisions in small choices every led to big results.

 In 2013, I learned that I had to work on a different level to fix my insecurities & being 40 lbs lighters wasn't magically going to correct all the lies I believed about myself. Loosing the weight is honestly easier than loosing the lies.   There was no secret quick way to suddenly loose insecurities I had built my entire lifeConsistent decisions in small choices to choose truth over lies every led to big results.

In 2014, I will have to work again to loose the 15 pounds I gained back during this emotionally hard year, but remembering my worth is not in my jean size; my worth is found in the one who asks my obedience to keep learning what He has to teach me year by year. 

"The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us. — C.S. Lewis."