A Flawed Perception...

       A mirror hangs on the wall in front of her. She cautiously approaches it until her reflection appears in the glass. She jumps back, but approaches once more, this time placing her hand on the glass almost as if she could touch the face staring back at her. She feels a tear trickle down her cheek. The agony of not being beautiful raged within her heart. She had heard the words from the other girls incessantly "You're not a pretty as she is." and "I know a great work-out program that could help you lose weight." and even "It's a shame you didn't get the beautiful hair and skin that your sister got." Even though these phrases may have not seemed like much to anyone else, they were the ones that pierced through her heart like a dagger, leaving scars with each plunge. The girls and their words weren't the end of it though. Every day, everywhere that she went there were messages of what true beauty was, a size 0, long blonde hair, long, thin legs, and pronounced collar bones. Every model she observed had all those traits and more. They were the beautiful people and she was nothing, no boy would ever be interested in pursuing a girl who wasn't beautiful. As she let the thoughts melt away she examined herself more closely in the mirror. Then she remembered the words that one of her friends had told her that day at school, "I didn't used to be beautiful, I had to make myself this way. I simply just purged myself from all ugliness in every way. I got rid of all my clothes and bought new ones, invested in the most expensive make-up line, and then I even learned a way to lose weight faster, it's so easy, and when it's all said and done you look great!" She felt she knew what she had to do. It was scary trying what she had been shown for the first time, but as she walked away from the mirror and towards the bathroom she smiled to herself and though, "This is what will make me beautiful, and I will not stop until I am, even if it kills me."

The perception of the beauty that the world has created is deadly. All over America girls, beginning at the age of nine, look around and see all the tabloids and the messages that are conveyed by the models and movie stars on the covers of those magazines. They hear it in the songs on the radio and see it on almost every TV show. The perception is this, being skinny makes you beautiful, anything else makes you unattractive, women must dress in a way to allure men, girls must wear make-up to be pretty, and the list goes on and on. Are you beginning to see why this perception is so deadly?

The world screams out about what beauty is, even young Christian ladies hear the cries and believe what they hear while pushing away the small, still voice inside their hearts that says "You are more than enough, you are beautiful because you are exactly the way that I created you to be." Mind you there comes in the reality that taking care of our bodies is important, but that is beside the point I am trying to make. The point is this. We were created in the image of a wonderful and powerful God who has the ability to change us in a second if He wanted to, but He doesn't now does He? No! He doesn't, because we are already exactly the way that He wants us to be! We are beautiful in His sight. Yes, this is a highly difficult concept to grasp and live each and every day because of all the noise about beauty that surrounds us every day, but think about this...

If you do not think that you are pretty enough or good enough because you have flaws...you need to realize that you have those because those flaws make you who you are! They are what make you the most beautiful, because God gave them specifically to you. This is a lesson that I have had to learn recently. Through a series of events and going to see a nutritionist I have learned that my diet is not what it should be, and this has lead to some health issues that I am facing. I allowed myself to be influenced by the world's perspective of beauty rather than listening to God's still, small voice reminding me how much he loves me and how perfect He knows that I am. I allowed a flawed perception to have a big impact in my life.

Never forget....never forget how absolutely beautiful and perfect you are, simply because you are exactly who God created you to be. You are wanted, you are loved, and you are beautiful.

"I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well."

- Psalm 139:14

Little Blessings...BIG Impact

Well dear readers it's that time once again...time for another post from yours truly. This time I am not totally sure what to write about though. I suppose I could compose a piece on the number of iced coffees I have drunk since being back at school, or maybe how much I love the fact that I get to sleep in on Thursday mornings, but neither of those seem to spark any interest for the little writing bug inside of me.

Perhaps I will write about the little blessings that I have received since being here at school, I feel that this is a topic worth writing about.

Since being back at "The Bob" I have received so many little blessings that have impacted me in BIG ways. For starters I am incredibly blessed to have two of the most amazing, beautiful, funny, talented, and energetic roommates in the world! We laugh together and pretty much talk about anything under the sun. We have known each other for only a week and five days and already they are becoming two of my closest friends. I have also been blessed with my amazing friends who are surrounding me once again here at school, both the old and the new. :)

I think my biggest blessing this semester is getting the teachers that I got. I truly cannot imagine what my semester would be like if I had gotten any other teachers this semester. They are all so encouraging and they are pushing me to do my best and succeed. They are always there when I need to just talk or ask questions. I feel like the teachers that I have this semester have a deep, real desire to be my friend as well as my instructor. It is so incredible to see how God has blessed me this semester. I really could not be more thankful that I am right now. :)

Sometimes it's the little things that impact you the most. The people I mentioned above are my little blessings that have impacted me in BIG ways, and I haven't even been here for two weeks yet! God works in wonderful and mysterious ways! As you go through each day I want to challenge you, my dear reader, to look for the little things and thank God for them every chance that you get, I know that I will.

A New Beginning...

Well dear readers, it has been awhile since I last wrote. Summer has finally come to a close and I am sitting at my desk in my new dorm room waiting for my first day of classes tomorrow. :) School...it's the word that starts to circulate among people's vocabulary around mid-August and by the first of September it's a word spoken by someone almost every second. A lot of people don't like school, but I love it. I always have, and I am pretty sure that I always will.

Junior year, those are the words I have been more excited to say than anything for the past few weeks. It's almost a feeling of arrival. Junior year, the year where you have crossed the halfway mark, you become an "upper" classman. For me Junior year says all those things and many more. For me it's being home again with friends and family around me. It's the late night study sessions and the amazing teachers. It's the early mornings with a hot cup of coffee and oatmeal with honey. It's the late night running times with the girls. These are the things that surround me when I am at school. These are the reasons why I love it.

I have been blessed this year to enter this year with a completely new perspective on life. It's brighter and happier, and something I am very thankful for. I have returned with new friends who I love very much as well as experiences that I will never forget. I have also returned with a deeper passion for my writing, something I thought I had lost long ago and was thrilled to find it again this summer. :)

Tomorrow my classes start, and I will be busy with the hustle and bustle of a brand new school year. I am excited beyond what is considered "normal" and I look forward to sharing my experiences this year with all of you. But for now, I will wait for tomorrow with great anticipation, drink a cup of coffee, and Keep Calm and Write On.