Beauty - a lot of girls, my self included, wonder what beauty is..and I think I might be getting my mind around it...
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
In America, beauty is deathly skinny, perfectly tanned skin, and the willingness to show it off.
In Uzbeckistan, beauty means a unibrow and golden teeth.
In China...beauty is breaking your feet and wrapping them so they are incredibly small.
How are young girls supposed to know what true beauty is??...God's Word is truth..so that's where we should look...
Beauty is...
honesty
modesty
mystery
trustworthiness
love
compassion
joy
strength
faithfulness
knowing when to say no
humility
guarding your heart
mercy
self respect
purity
Americas definition of beauty does not last beyond a certain age and the havoc of a few children on our bodies....
I have heard sooo many girls say recently that they feel like guys, even "good guys" choose girls that will show it off...that is sadly true sometimes...but this IS NOT the case for ALLLLL guys. Ladies! we can't stereotype them, we can't blame America's skewed definition of beauty on them. They are victims in this...THIS view of beauty is just as hard on their minds as it is on ours. Think about it, our media is force feeding their minds the beautiful bodies of airbrushed women on a daily basis. My heart breaks for my brothers in Christ, and my future husband...whose hearts are bombarded with temptation on a daily basis. I am so burdened to pray for men and the protection of their hearts but also to pray for these women who are selling out and using their bodies for empty fulfillment. It is such a tragedy!
God gave women power..womens bodies are beautiful...and that's a seriously powerful thing...this is a treasure that needs to be guarded!!! We should captivate men by how much we respect ourselves...not by how intoxicating our bodies are. Let's wash our make up off..and be beautiful because our heart is so beautiful that it radiates out of us....lets treasure ourselves just as God treasures us...:-) I wanna be lost in Jesus.
Here's what our amazing Creator has to say about beauty...Psalm 31:30 " Charm is deceitful, and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised."
I think that pretty much sums it up.
hmm...I think that tomorrow I am not going to wear make up, put on my plainest and most comfortable outfit...and marvel in the fact that I am still considered beautiful by my creator :-)
For My Love - Bethany Dillon
Walk towards me
I want to hear the heavens singing over you
When you breathe and look at me
I want to be captured by you
Gaze into my eyes and let me know you’d fight thousands, for my love
Slip your hand in mine
Ask me to dance with you tonight
Just ask me for my love
I want to hide
What’s deep in my eyes
I’m scared to be known by you
But when I turn my head and see you there
I want to be pursued
Gaze into my eyes and let me know you’d fight thousands, for my love
Slip your hand in mine
Ask me to dance with you tonight
Just ask me for my love
A dream I won’t wake from
A story that will never end
The ground your feet walk on
Let me be there, let me be there
Gaze into my eyes
Let me know you’d fight thousands, for my love
Slip your hand in mine
Ask me to dance with you tonight
Just ask me for my love
Gaze into my eyes
Let me know you’d fight thousands, for my love
Slip your hand in mine
Ask me to dance with you tonight
Ask me for my love
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Musings
Lately, I've been thinking about relationships...and how Jesus handled them...I've been thinking about the beauty of making a lifelong commitment to one person.....and I've been puzzled by why so many people run from it...I am perplexed by why claustrophobia and commitment go hand in hand.....Here's what I'm thinking...
When you look at the relationship of Christ and His disciples..by and large He saw the same dozen or so faces around the table, fire, and essentially all around the clock. They rode in the same boats, walked the same roads, and visited the same houses.....and I wonder...How did Jesus stay so devoted to these men? Not only did He have to put up with their visible oddities, He had to endure their invisble follies.
Think about it...He could hear their unspoken thoughts, He knew their private doubts...Not only that...He knew their FUTURE doubts...What if you knew every mistake your loved ones had ever made? What if you knew every single thought they had about you, every irritation, dislike, and every betrayal??...Was it hard for Jesus to love Peter, knowing that Peter would someday curse Him? Was it tough to trust Thomas knowing Thomas would one day question His ressurection? How did Jesus resist the urge to recruit a new batch of followers? John wanted to destroy one enemy. Peter sliced off the ear of another. Just days before Jesus death, His discples were arguing about which one of them was the best!!! How was He able to love people who were hard to even like??
I'm realizing that few situations stir panic like being trapped in a relationship. For that reason I think its SO important to ponder what it means to have a heart like Jesus, therefor pondering a heart of forgiveness. How was Jesus able to love His discples?....I think I've recently found the answer in the 13th chapter of John...Of all the times that we see the bowing knees of Jesus, none is so precious as when He kneels before his discples and washes their feet.
Its been a long day...Jerusalem is packed with Passover guests, most of who clamor for a glimpse of their Teacher. The sun is warm, streets are dry..and the disciples are a long way from home...The discples enter one by one, and take their places around the table. On a wall hangs a towel....and on the floor sits a pitcher and a basin...Any one of the discples could have volunteered for the job...but not one does.After a few moments, Jesus stands and removes his outer garment..He wraps a SERVANTS girdle around His waist, takes up the basin, and kneels before one of his discples. He unlaces the sandal and gently lifts the foot and places it in the basin, and begins to bathe it. One by one....one grimy foot after another....Jesus works His way down the row...You can be sure that Jesus knows the future of those feet He is washing. These twenty four feet will not spend the next day following their Master, defending his cause...These feet will dash for cover at the flash of a roman sword. I tried to look for a Bible translation that reads "Jesus washed all the discples feet except Judas" but there wasn't one...
What a powerful moment when Jesus lifts the feet of his betrayer and washes them in the basin...wow!
Jesus gift to his followers...He knows what these men are about to do..and when they hang their head in shame and look at their feet...remembering their Savior knelt before them washing their feet...Jesus wants them to realize that those feet are still clean..."You don't understand now what I am doing but you will understand later..John 13:7" I think it's absolutely remarkable!
He offered mercy before they even sought it! And I have the nerve to say "Oh i could never do that, I could never forgive that person!...the hurt is so deep..the wounds are so strong!"...Perhaps this is my problem...I am seeing too much of the wrong person...I need to be fixing my eyes on Jesus!
"If I, your Lord and Teacher have washed your feet you also should wash eachothers feet. I did this as an example so that you should do as I have done for you...John 13:14-15"
Jesus washes our feet for two reasons...to give us mercy, and send a message.The message..is simple... this...Jesus offers unconditional grace...we are to also offer unconditional grace! This means...each of us...getting on our knees...and forgetting about the grimy parts of others....love love love! That's what its all about....Look past the mistakes...look past the hurts...and love. Who cares who commited the offense...Don't we ALL think we are right??...Hence..we wash eachothers feet...please understand...Relationships don't thrive because the guilty are punished..but because the innocent are merciful!
♥
Jesus! Give me the grace and the mercy to love recklessly, passionately, and without regret!...Give me the ability to someday make the beautiful lifelong commitment of washing someones feet for the rest of my life! In the meantime, help me to daily wash the feet of those around me.
When you look at the relationship of Christ and His disciples..by and large He saw the same dozen or so faces around the table, fire, and essentially all around the clock. They rode in the same boats, walked the same roads, and visited the same houses.....and I wonder...How did Jesus stay so devoted to these men? Not only did He have to put up with their visible oddities, He had to endure their invisble follies.
Think about it...He could hear their unspoken thoughts, He knew their private doubts...Not only that...He knew their FUTURE doubts...What if you knew every mistake your loved ones had ever made? What if you knew every single thought they had about you, every irritation, dislike, and every betrayal??...Was it hard for Jesus to love Peter, knowing that Peter would someday curse Him? Was it tough to trust Thomas knowing Thomas would one day question His ressurection? How did Jesus resist the urge to recruit a new batch of followers? John wanted to destroy one enemy. Peter sliced off the ear of another. Just days before Jesus death, His discples were arguing about which one of them was the best!!! How was He able to love people who were hard to even like??
I'm realizing that few situations stir panic like being trapped in a relationship. For that reason I think its SO important to ponder what it means to have a heart like Jesus, therefor pondering a heart of forgiveness. How was Jesus able to love His discples?....I think I've recently found the answer in the 13th chapter of John...Of all the times that we see the bowing knees of Jesus, none is so precious as when He kneels before his discples and washes their feet.
Its been a long day...Jerusalem is packed with Passover guests, most of who clamor for a glimpse of their Teacher. The sun is warm, streets are dry..and the disciples are a long way from home...The discples enter one by one, and take their places around the table. On a wall hangs a towel....and on the floor sits a pitcher and a basin...Any one of the discples could have volunteered for the job...but not one does.After a few moments, Jesus stands and removes his outer garment..He wraps a SERVANTS girdle around His waist, takes up the basin, and kneels before one of his discples. He unlaces the sandal and gently lifts the foot and places it in the basin, and begins to bathe it. One by one....one grimy foot after another....Jesus works His way down the row...You can be sure that Jesus knows the future of those feet He is washing. These twenty four feet will not spend the next day following their Master, defending his cause...These feet will dash for cover at the flash of a roman sword. I tried to look for a Bible translation that reads "Jesus washed all the discples feet except Judas" but there wasn't one...
What a powerful moment when Jesus lifts the feet of his betrayer and washes them in the basin...wow!
Jesus gift to his followers...He knows what these men are about to do..and when they hang their head in shame and look at their feet...remembering their Savior knelt before them washing their feet...Jesus wants them to realize that those feet are still clean..."You don't understand now what I am doing but you will understand later..John 13:7" I think it's absolutely remarkable!
He offered mercy before they even sought it! And I have the nerve to say "Oh i could never do that, I could never forgive that person!...the hurt is so deep..the wounds are so strong!"...Perhaps this is my problem...I am seeing too much of the wrong person...I need to be fixing my eyes on Jesus!
"If I, your Lord and Teacher have washed your feet you also should wash eachothers feet. I did this as an example so that you should do as I have done for you...John 13:14-15"
Jesus washes our feet for two reasons...to give us mercy, and send a message.The message..is simple... this...Jesus offers unconditional grace...we are to also offer unconditional grace! This means...each of us...getting on our knees...and forgetting about the grimy parts of others....love love love! That's what its all about....Look past the mistakes...look past the hurts...and love. Who cares who commited the offense...Don't we ALL think we are right??...Hence..we wash eachothers feet...please understand...Relationships don't thrive because the guilty are punished..but because the innocent are merciful!
♥
Jesus! Give me the grace and the mercy to love recklessly, passionately, and without regret!...Give me the ability to someday make the beautiful lifelong commitment of washing someones feet for the rest of my life! In the meantime, help me to daily wash the feet of those around me.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
::Idiosyncrasies::
Here's the deal...I had a blog a few years ago and got sick of it (no I do not have commitment issues) so I got rid of it. Before I deleted it I saved all of my entries :-) I went back and read them recently and realized that if for nothing else than nostalgia's sake and future entertainment for myself...I need to be blogging again!
Introduction?...Here you have it....me.
I hate driving in the rain
Introduction?...Here you have it....me.
I hate driving in the rain
and the taste of coffee
The beach is basically my favorite thing ever...and for my entire life I have only been able to go MAYBE once a year....I...love...the...beach.
Jesus is my everything
I absolutely love the Ohio State Buckeyes and all college football
I really...really...really like cleanliness,order, and simplicity
I only like neutral, muted, and pastel colors
Photography is my love
I absolutely love the Ohio State Buckeyes and all college football
I really...really...really like cleanliness,order, and simplicity
I only like neutral, muted, and pastel colors
Photography is my love
I don't wear bikinis....ever....I have been told that I have an "overly-modest" complex. Mmmk.
It bugs me when you look at me like that
I love strawberries
It bugs me when you look at me like that
I love strawberries
Negative people make me feel sad
Coloring is one of my favorite pastimes
John Mayer relaxes me
Cards are my obsession...and i think they're important
Sometimes..I'm not motivated
I love flowers and herbs
I love weddings
I try really hard not to be cynical
When I finish reading a book...I feel sad
Trust is a funny thing with me....it is never assumed and must be earned
I can't handle people who are sneaky
I don't like big crowds ESPECIALLY when it's people I don't know
Loud noises scare me
Coloring is one of my favorite pastimes
John Mayer relaxes me
Cards are my obsession...and i think they're important
Sometimes..I'm not motivated
I love flowers and herbs
I love weddings
I try really hard not to be cynical
When I finish reading a book...I feel sad
Trust is a funny thing with me....it is never assumed and must be earned
I can't handle people who are sneaky
I don't like big crowds ESPECIALLY when it's people I don't know
Loud noises scare me
White orchids are my favorite flower of all time
White lilies are a close second
I think recycling is stellar
I think recycling is stellar
Sitting on the beach staring blankly at the ocean around dusk/night time is literally, seriously, my favorite place to be.
I don't deserve God's grace but I have received a TON of it
Clutter stresses me out
I hate fireworks when they are done near me. Far away..I love them.
Vulnerability doesn't come easy to me with everyone...with some people it does though.
I take the word "love" very seriously and it bugs me when other people don't
I despise our advertising industry. Part of me wants to try and change it.
Our movies
Our music
Our television
Our internet
pervert and distort Jesus radical message of love and compassion on every single level
I hate painting my toenails
I think extreme tolerance is a disgrace
Tea trumps all
I think the internet (specifically instant messaging) has royally messed up our ability to communicate with each other
Fantasy minus reality annoys me.
Family is top priority...no matter what.
I very rarely lose things
The unknown worries me
Fresh air rocks
I don't like animals (exception: small dogs...sometimes)
I'm good at corn hole...who knew?
Symmetry is very important to me
I love Northface..specifically the fleece
Relationships mean alot to me
I'm a planner
I don't like flirts
Clutter stresses me out
I hate fireworks when they are done near me. Far away..I love them.
Vulnerability doesn't come easy to me with everyone...with some people it does though.
I take the word "love" very seriously and it bugs me when other people don't
I despise our advertising industry. Part of me wants to try and change it.
Our movies
Our music
Our television
Our internet
pervert and distort Jesus radical message of love and compassion on every single level
I hate painting my toenails
I think extreme tolerance is a disgrace
Tea trumps all
I think the internet (specifically instant messaging) has royally messed up our ability to communicate with each other
Fantasy minus reality annoys me.
Family is top priority...no matter what.
I very rarely lose things
The unknown worries me
Fresh air rocks
I don't like animals (exception: small dogs...sometimes)
I'm good at corn hole...who knew?
Symmetry is very important to me
I love Northface..specifically the fleece
Relationships mean alot to me
I'm a planner
I don't like flirts
When I lay on my back my right arm falls asleep. Always.
If I could live my life behind a camera lens...I think I would
When I sleep in...I can't sleep at night
If I could live my life behind a camera lens...I think I would
When I sleep in...I can't sleep at night
If I could change one thing about Indiana...yep...you guessed it, it would be on the east coast...
Taking time for the little things is really important to me
I'm a firm believer in keeping things that are supposed to be "special"...."special"
I'm passionate about nutrition and being active
I'm ridiculously organized
My goal in life is to love...unconditionally and with reckless abandon
Taking time for the little things is really important to me
I'm a firm believer in keeping things that are supposed to be "special"...."special"
I'm passionate about nutrition and being active
I'm ridiculously organized
My goal in life is to love...unconditionally and with reckless abandon
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