Sitting at my computer, I typed frantically, trying to get the words down before I forgot them. I was oblivious to everything going on at home. I needed to get my work done. My youngest daughter tapped my leg. She bounced up and down. "Mom," she said, "Do you know that God thinks you're beautiful?"
I paused for a second. God thinks I'm beautiful? I bent down and gently kissed my daughter's forehead. I felt a smile creep to my lips. What a wonderful interruption! What prompted it?
At the moment, I felt neither ugly nor beautiful, but I welcomed the pause. My other daughter is in middle school, and she would never admit it, but she often feels awkward and gangly. The girls in her class judge each other ruthlessly. She agonizes over her clothes and hair and who she will sit with at lunch. I hope she remembers that God thinks she's beautiful. I hope that God interrupts her negative thoughts and reminds her that he thinks she's beautiful. He made her, he loves her, and he thinks she is beautiful.
And on days when I'm feeling ugly, I pray I'll remember that God thinks I'm beautiful. When I'm short with my kids, God thinks I'm beautiful. When I'm behind on my chores, God thinks I'm beautiful. When I compare myself to other moms, God thinks I'm beautiful. When I over-commit and under-deliver, God thinks I'm beautiful. When I'm tired and grouchy, God thinks I'm beautiful. When I am anything but beautiful, God thinks I'm beautiful.
Psalm 139:14
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
I love that verse. It's a reminder that our duty is to praise God for what he has made. Each and every one of us is a wonderful work of art. Let's all be as candid and frank as the toddler: "Do you know that God thinks you're beautiful?" Yes, he thinks you're beautiful. Just the way you are. You are not defined by your wrinkles, your gray hair, your husband, your job, or your kids. You are exactly as you should be, wonderful because the one who made you is wonderful, beautiful because the one who made you is beautiful.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this song by Gungor--whenever I need a little reminder.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR7VOKQ0xJY
Wow, what an awesome reminder. I think if we were being honest every female needs to be reminded of this every so often. Song of Songs 4:7 is another great verse for those "ugly" days.
ReplyDeleteI just realized that I've commented before but never told you who I am. Hi, I'm Christina and I've been attending Watermarke for about 5 or 6 months. I found your blog when your husband posted about it on twitter. I love reading all the encouraging insights you share. :)
Here is the song that I've been listening to lately when I need that reminder: More Beautiful You: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNqQUojBg84&ob=av2e
Thanks, Christina! I hope I meet you in person one of these days.
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome. I'd love to meet in person sometime. I'm at Watermarke pretty much every Sunday at the 11:00 service. I'm usually on the right hand side on an end seat towards the back. I usually stay and help stack chairs and give the majority of people a chance to leave before I head out. Maybe I'll see you there.
ReplyDeleteOh and your post reminded me of one I wrote about a lesson that I learned (and am still learning) about trading ashes for beauty http://iaminbetween.wordpress.com/2011/07/18/beauty-for-ashes/
Obviously, I'm late. This is the first time I have happened upon this blog post. While I was working on SEO's for my book, God Says I'm Beautiful, your post popped up. Let me say that I wholeheartedly agree with you. God says we are beautiful simply because He made us. The very verse you quote, Psalm 139:14, is one I used to write my book.
ReplyDeleteMy hope is that every little girl will realize their worth based upon what God created them to be. God bless you for sharing this with the world, and I hope your daughter now understands her worth. If you want to learn more about my book, God Says I'm Beautiful, visit www.jacquiwilson.net/books.
Jacqui, thank you so much for your comment. It came at the perfect time. I was just praying to God about something, and then your message popped up in my inbox. THANK YOU. My website has actually moved--it is now www.princessgeneration.org, where our mission is to redefine what it means to be a princess by raising up a generation of young women wholly focused on putting others first. I will most definitely check out your book!
ReplyDeleteJacqui, thank you so much for your comment. It came at the perfect time. I was just praying to God about something, and then your message popped up in my inbox. THANK YOU. My website has actually moved--it is now www.princessgeneration.org, where our mission is to redefine what it means to be a princess by raising up a generation of young women wholly focused on putting others first. I will most definitely check out your book!
ReplyDelete