No Woman is Ordinary

If you were to ask a group of women to name something beautiful or even special about themselves, some wouldn't be able to come up with anything. I find this really sad. So many of us consider ourselves ordinary when we are anything but.

No woman is ordinary and there is beauty in each and every one of us. It may not be what many consider physical beauty, but inner beauty, which is most important, because when you are beautiful on the inside, it will shine through your eyes, your smile, your whole being. Inner beauty shines far brighter than the physical. A woman who is kind and gracious, possessing a good heart and radiating the light of Christ, is beautiful. There is nothing ordinary about her.
It is my hope that we as women begin to realize this and hold on to it. Once we internalize this truth, we will begin to see it. We will finally recognize true beauty and find it in every woman we see, including ourselves.

No matter what we look like on the outside, no matter what we do to create a beautiful outer package, if we carry ugliness within us, everything else is just an illusion. The light of true beauty cannot live in a dark heart. So what if others are prettier, thinner, more talented, have more money, more attention from men, and more of things we desire? If we can be just as happy without those things while reaching toward the things we desire in life instead of harboring a covetous attitude and letting it eat at our insides, our true beauty will shine brighter and reveal more sparkle than any material or superficial possession we can acquire.
That is the beauty we want to possess.
And that is the beauty others will see.

We women are treasured and beloved daughters of our Heavenly Father, and we have so much to give to the world. One thing that is glaring clear is Satan also knows our importance. He knows how great our influence is on all we come in contact with, and he knows that if he can just break us down and distract us by showing us superficial flaws, our minds and hearts will dwell on those things. All the dieting, exercising and makeovers in the world can’t camouflage what is inside forever, and if our quest for physical beauty becomes our all-important goal, then it becomes our treasure, which ultimately leads us away from the TRUE treasure, the ONLY treasure that matters – the promise of our eternal place with the Lord. Physical looks are not going to gain that reward. Only obedience and loving God and His Son with all our heart and soul will. I pray with all my heart that we can remember this.

God's Loving Compensation

I have often thought about how God compensates us for our trials, and looking back over my life, I see how true this is.

When I suffered through years of depression, God compensated me by blessing with a patient husband who was always there for me. Whenever we have trials with our children, God compensates us by increasing our unconditional love for them, as well as helping us discover lessons learned. When I worry, God compensates me by giving me the knowledge that He is in control and as long as I am faithful, everything will be okay.

Now, on the lighter side, here are a few more examples.

When I used to have drive-me-crazy moments with the kids, God compensated me by helping me understand that those moments would one day fade, and He helped me to make the best of them. I was also compensated by being able to say, "Go to your room!"

Whenever I found another spot where my hair had thinned, I was compensated with a new wig and was soon the proud owner of a Dreamgirls section in my closet.

Whenever I got a rejection letter for a manuscript submission, God compensated me by increasing my determination to get published, and gave me the opportunity to improve my writing.

When my family tracks dirt on my freshly-mopped kitchen floor, God compensates me by . . . well, I don't know how I'm compensated on that one. I'm still trying to figure it out. But I know there's blessing there somewhere :-)
The point I'm trying to make is that trials are given, both big and small, and none are taken away without God giving us something back in return.
So we should try to recognize the blessings in everything.

Living in a Me, Me, Me World

This morning I have been doing a little pondering. (Big surprise:-))

In the world today, we are taught that everything is about us, about what we want, how we feel, and what we desire. Forget about everyone else. They can fend for themselves, our happiness is all that matters. This is the time of instead of asking, "What can I do for you?" we sport the engraved motto, "Let me tell you what you can do for me." It is a time of arrogance, narcissism, carving our permanent place in the spotlight, and doing whatever it takes to come out ahead of the next guy. Keeping up with the Jones is a thing of the past. Now we must acquire what the Jones have and then some, because, of course, this is where true happiness lies.

This thinking is so, so wrong.

Life is not all about us. It's about our families, about God, about what we can contribute to this world and how we can help others. And I don't mean in the 'It takes a village' sort of way. I've never been into that saying because I don't believe in collectivism. I never have and I never will. What I do mean is that we need to think of others besides ourselves. We need to pray for others, take care of our spouses and children and be the best we can be for them. It's about being a good sister or brother, being a good friend or neighbor, being a good grandma or grandpa, and most importantly, being the best child of God we can be.

In the grand scheme of things, with the condition the world is in today and the hour in which we now live, do the things of the world really matter? Should that really be our focus? Or should it be on the eternal things? Which do you deem more important?

Yes, God wants us to have the good things in life. But in seeking after those things, we need to remember the things that matter most. We need to remember that it isn't all about us. It's about loving and caring for one another and living your best life. It's all about being the best you you can possibly be. It's about remembering to reach for that oneness with the Savior that we so desperately need at all times and in all places. Now THAT is a worthy pursuit!

In the eyes of God we are amazing, no matter our station or stature in life. May we all shift our focus and live in such a way that we prove Him right.