You are BEAUTIFUL

Today's prompt for 5-Minute Friday is BEAUTY.  It put me in mind of something that I recently posted on the subject so I took 5 minutes (or more) and edited it for you today.

YOU are Beautiful! ~make the most of yourself

Yesterday (August the 2nd) I was very practical and began a series of posts on Homemaking, and yes, practical homemaking is a very spiritual experience. The subject currently in this series is "Organizing" and I began by encouraging the ladies to sort through their make up. Get rid of the old and replace it with something fresh and lovely.

So as I walk with Him today I am thinking that writing a parallel post applying these practical subjects to spiritual principles would be fun. Well, fun because I already know the subject for today! I can foresee some weeks' posts being more convicting. But for TODAY-

I want you to see yourself as beautiful. I want you to see yourself how God sees you.

Do you consider yourself beautiful? The Lover of your soul states,

"You are all fair, my love, and there is no spot in you."

~Song of Solomon 4:7

Oh! that just gives me waves of delight!  Dear Sister, He thinks that you are perfect. My heart goes out to you who will not believe it. I cannot convince you with my own words but I pray that the Holy Spirit will speak sweet nothings in your ear. God has made you a beautiful woman inside and out. He has replaced the ugliness of your sin with beauty.

"OK" you may be thinking but what about this physical body of mine? Yes, as you consider your muffin top, or pimples, or dark circles under your eyes (my bother point), or plain-Jane face, He considers you lovely.

But with this truth there is something to be said about trying to look your best- for the rest of us. LOL.  I hope that you saw the humor with which I am coming from in that statement! Now let me speak plainly- the rest of us can tell whether you take any time at all on your appearance. While having a preoccupation with our looks is out of balance, so is having no concern whatsoever.

By dressing with care, doing our hair, and applying make up thoughtfully, we can snip preoccupation in the bud. Let me explain an example- there have been a few times when I did not apply concealer under my eyes and when I was conversing with someone all I could think of was, "Oh! she is just staring at my big black circles under my eyes! I look like a raccoon!" not even being able to concentrate on what she was saying! Pathetic I know. Maybe it is just me.

But I have found that when I dress appropriately for the circumstance that I am then being thoughtful towards the others I am with and honoring them. If your pastor should invite you into his home for dinner will you show up in the paint clothes you wore that day? or shower, dress, and make an attempt to be fresh? We all should do this at all times. (Another example, I do not know a man who wants to be greeted continuously by a woman wearing sweats and undone hair; it connotes a feeling of disorder and stress. Dress thoughtfully, apply some perfume and lipstick, and most importantly a warm smile, and he will know that you care about him.)

"I never saw an ugly thing in my life:

for let the form of an object be what it may,

-light, shade, perspective will always make it beautiful."

-John Constable

. Dear sister there is always a way to make the most out of what you have.

I have had many women say to me that they do not have the money to dress well, the skill to apply makeup nicely, or the means to get their hair doneBe creative and ask for help where you need it.

I think that deep down every woman wants to be beautiful.  But know today to the very important One you already are. Celebrate your beautiful femininity as a tribute to His glory. This will be encased differently in each one of us. Align your attitude about yourself with His and make the most of what you have physically. Say aloud, "God has made me beautiful inside and out" and believe it. And if donning a new color of nail polish makes you feel prettier then go for it! It is your attitude that will showcase your beauty most of all.

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