Each week, Sara, posts a blog based on one word. She writes about that word for only five minutes...no editing, and you can read her post here. This week's word is: beauty. Ready, set, go.
I seem to spend a lot of money on beauty. I buy makeup to accentuate my eyes and make my face presentable. I buy lots of hair styling gels to keep my natural curls from turning into an afro. I get my hair styled (and, yes, colored) regulary. I have a gym membership to help lose or, at minimum, maintain, my weight. I buy Bath and Body Works products to emote an aroma that is pleasing and sometimes appealing. All to achieve what I suppose is beauty. And I do this for what? Well, to make me feel good on some days, because looking pretty makes a girl feel good. But there are probably many other reasons with not the greatest of motives, such as doing it to hide the aging that takes place. Or to simply hear a man say "You are beautiful."
When I really think about beauty, my mind automatically goes to the outward. It's the outward that I suspect others see first in me, so I want that to be the best it can be. I'm quite thankful God did not give me the body of a supermodel for I am convinced living a holy and pure life would be tremendously more difficult. Yet, living a pure and holy life is really what beauty is all about, right? The world has it oh, so wrong. And on a daily basis, I buy into that. That being said, I'm all for presentability and very good hygiene, but keeping some of those indulgences in balance is a convicting thought to have.
"Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised." - Proverbs 31:30. I want a man who will say I'm beautiful, not just for my pretty eyes, or my curly hair, or my smile...but because he sees an inner beauty that will never fade with the passing of time and age, but will only grow me more beautiful.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Friday, August 05, 2011
Five Minutes: Whole
For quite a few months now, I've been reading Sara's blog. Thanks to Katrina, who linked to her in one of her posts, I've now become a faithful reader. Visit Sara's blog when you have time and read her story...then read her posts....then see God's Mercy and Faithfulness in her life. She is a true inspiration. After months of reading her blog, I've been enamoured by her Five Minute Fridays. She chooses a word (which she gets from another blog friend of hers) and sets the timer and writes what is on her heart about that word. In fact, one of her "five" posts inspired this post I wrote back in May. With my busy life, I have lots of blog ideas in my head, which are long and verbose (just like me) posts but little time to compose them. My goal was to at least write two posts a month. I've decided to remove that pressure by beginning to do "Friday Fives" to not only meet that goal, but surpass it and take off that pressure I put on my perfectionist self to write two posts a month. My self-imposed Type A perfectionist ways even irritate me on some days.
Today's five minute word is...whole. You can read Sara's post here. Five minutes...no editing...stream of consciousness...go.
The movie Jerry Maguire ends with the infamous line "you complete me" and although every romantic girl longs to hear a man say that, it is so off the mark. No man, no matter how glorious he may seem, can complete me. Yet, I live in a world where many people look at the single me and feel that I'm somewhat incomplete and not whole without a man. Lest you think I am touting the women's liberation chant of "I am woman, hear me roar" may I correct that...I am not. I simply know that only one Person completes me. Jesus Christ.
Being 45 and single surrounded by many married couples and some with a passel of children can make one feel they are not whole. I'll confess I've battled that...since I haven't experienced marriage...or children....I've somehow "not arrived." When wallowing in that mire, it takes a good smack in the face of Scripture to realize that isn't the case. Though marriage is a blessing and ordained from God, it's not the moment we all wake up and say "I'm whole!" Many times, it's when we wake up and say "Oh my, am I ready for this?"
When I struggle with feeling incomplete, and having a "hole" and not being "whole" it is so comforting to curl up in my recliner, wrap up in my snuggie and have a long conversation with the One who does complete me and has made me whole.
Today's five minute word is...whole. You can read Sara's post here. Five minutes...no editing...stream of consciousness...go.
The movie Jerry Maguire ends with the infamous line "you complete me" and although every romantic girl longs to hear a man say that, it is so off the mark. No man, no matter how glorious he may seem, can complete me. Yet, I live in a world where many people look at the single me and feel that I'm somewhat incomplete and not whole without a man. Lest you think I am touting the women's liberation chant of "I am woman, hear me roar" may I correct that...I am not. I simply know that only one Person completes me. Jesus Christ.
Being 45 and single surrounded by many married couples and some with a passel of children can make one feel they are not whole. I'll confess I've battled that...since I haven't experienced marriage...or children....I've somehow "not arrived." When wallowing in that mire, it takes a good smack in the face of Scripture to realize that isn't the case. Though marriage is a blessing and ordained from God, it's not the moment we all wake up and say "I'm whole!" Many times, it's when we wake up and say "Oh my, am I ready for this?"
When I struggle with feeling incomplete, and having a "hole" and not being "whole" it is so comforting to curl up in my recliner, wrap up in my snuggie and have a long conversation with the One who does complete me and has made me whole.
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