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Beauty - a combination of qualities, such as shape, colour, or form, that pleases the aesthetic senses, esp. the sight: I was struck by her beauty | an area of outstanding natural beauty.
• a combination of qualities that pleases the intellect or moral sense.
We went to a funeral on Tuesday, it was north two hours in a small town. On our way home we took a different route, it was a winding road and there were numerous lakes and huge rocks…it was beautiful…true Canadian lake country. We had taken someone with us who needed a ride to the funeral and all I heard from the backseat for quite awhile was her remarking at all the beautiful landscape we were passing and how peaceful it was. That made me smile and realize the beauty that was in her. And even though the day was dreary the beauty was still evident. When we see something beautiful we want to stay, linger and take it in. As human beings we are drawn to beauty.
As women the whole beauty thing can be hard. We are bombarded with what culture says is beautiful when it comes to women and often times it is outward beauty and something the majority of us can never attain. And when we try to attain it it becomes our idol, our driving force for acceptance. We try so hard to conform to what culture says is beautiful that we end up destroying the true beauty that is within us. I know this is an area where I struggle. I don't want to conform to what the world says is beautiful, I want to be true to who God has created me to be.
Often times when I am struggling and feel I don't measure up my husband will pull me aside, stand in front of me and say "Tina, you know what true beauty is, it's in here" as he points to my heart "and I see it in your eyes, that's true beauty, that's what I'm looking for." And I know he's right and it's what the world needs. Physical beauty is fleeting…we all grow old…but true beauty remains and grows, it's life giving. Straight physical beauty is not life giving, if that's all we're looking and striving for it actually robs us and those around us of life.
The funeral we attended was from the mother of a woman who goes to our Church. I never knew her mother, I only saw her once and she was old and frail. Yet to hear her daughter and pastor speak of her, she was a woman of true beauty, she lived her life selflessly giving to others. Her daughter said her front door was always swinging open. She gave freely to those whose paths she crossed, she saw the need in others and gave what she could. Her beauty was life giving.
The beauty that trips some of us women up…what we see on magazine covers, billboards, commercials, movies, television shows, etc. may be outward physical beauty but it's not what we're to strive for, it's not what the world needs, it's not what our families need, it's a false reality.
Accept who you are…I say this to myself too :-) Each of us is special and has a place in this world and at this time…embrace it and be you…it's the most freeing place to be, the most rewarding and the most life-giving.
I've posted a number of images of some of the beautiful women in my life, check it out if you'd like.
tina-ramblingsofacountrywoman.blogspot.ca/2012/04/some-of...
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"Why do I bother" Henry mumbles under his breath as he drags himself away from his tables.
His feet can be heard as they're dragged across the floor the wooden floor. His head and shoulders hung low like his spirits.
He now stands behind the counter, his tables are set but he is not ready. His mood is not positive, how can he serve?
Delivering food with a pleasant demeanor is what his diners deserve!
Another day past and Henry's alone, please someone stop and throw this dog a bone!
If we're honest, our world is largely self-centered or full of people that have what I call "The Planet Me syndrome" where they act like the world revolves around them but NEWS FLASH...it doesn't really revolve around anyone!
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We can all get so caught up in our own lives and minds that we forget to seek to live a life that also serves others.
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It's not that we are to neglect ourselves, rather, we are also to care for ourselves in the process of focusing on caring for others because it's not all about us.
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God's Word is full of instruction on how we are to put Him and others first and yet, as followers of Christ we all struggle at times doing just that. I'm no expert at it either!
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In this New Year...
-Let's seek to selflessness instead of selfishness.
-Let's seek to trade a "me-centered" or "me first" mentality for an others-centered mentality.
-Let's seek to serve our family, friends, and community better.
-Let's trade a self serving heart for a servants heart. -Above all else, let's seek to become God-Centered in all we do!
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Repeat after me: It's Not About Me!
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We're in this life together friends so let's pray for each other that we'd realize all the more day-to-day that it's all about Him and others and less about us. This isn't always going to be easy but with the help of God, His Word, and His Holy Spirit...we can shift our focus in Jesus name!
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Let's pray for each other that we'd all be more God-centered and others-centered in 2019.
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