Beautiful

Look in the mirror.  Are you beautiful?  Many people lack the confidence to say, "Yes, I am beautiful!"  Two years ago, I was a medical time bomb.  My weight was on the rise, I had about three pairs of pants that fit, pain was my constant companion.  I did not like the way I looked or felt, but I didn't really care enough to do anything.  My depression prevented me from taking action and every excuse under the sun got in my way.  The last thing I thought was that I was beautiful.

When I look in the mirror today, I see lines in my face where there were none before, but I don't see the tired, sad face that used to stare back at me.  Even still, it's hard to say, "Yes, I am beautiful."  Unless I look at the word differently.

Beauty is a word I've always regarded as an internal quality.  A person can be very physically attractive, but so ugly on the inside, that I would never regard him or her as "beautiful."  What is beautiful?

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes.  Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.
1 Peter 3:3-4

Beautiful is being able to laugh when your student says, "Miss, is that you in that picture?  You were mad chubby there."

Beautiful is spending your day outside, hiking or cycling, breathing in the fresh air versus spending day after day watching countless hours of TV.

Beautiful is getting excited about a sale on baby spinach versus stocking up my carriage with the sale on Friendly's ice cream cups.

Beautiful is eating a donut because you have lots of extra carbs to eat versus "I don't have anything good for breakfast, so I'm going to have one, no two, ummm make it three donuts."

Beautiful is killing it at the gym when you really wanted to stay in bed versus staying in bed and feeling guilty because you hate the way you feel.

Beautiful is putting together a new workout playlist to motivate you.

Beautiful is when your overweight student comes and says, "Miss, what's wrong with the adults in this building?" and goes on to tell how she felt when a teacher called her fat ...  and being able to really talk to her about what that felt like AND offer her some support if she wants to do something about her weight.  "Miss, I didn't know you were heavy.  You're mad skinny, I mean you are skinny.  I never would have thought."

Beautiful is seeing the world and being happy to be alive.

I did not set out on this journey to be beautiful.  I really just wanted to feel better.

Life is beautiful.

Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.
1 Samuel 16:7b

Questions for you... (Answer in the comment section below)

What is beautiful to you?

What's your favorite song on your playlist?

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