Body Image

Probably every woman alive has struggled with her body image and disliking some part of her. We are a vain bunch of humans, I know. But despite that I can't help feeling sorry for myself every once in a while when I look in the mirror and see my wrinkles or try on some clothes that use to fit. My hair dresser is NOT allowed to tell me if she sees gray. She is to do her job and cover it and never mention it.

My husband calls me beautiful and this should be the only person that matters. But then a moment happens and I'm reminded of how it "use to be".

Last week I was shopping for a dress. I use to wear a size 4 or 6. Now I'm wearing a size 8. So I pulled a beautiful dress off the rack and took it into the dressing room to try it on.

I couldn't get the thing to zip up for the life of me. I tried sucking in my breath, wiggling and twisting. NOTHING worked. I was almost in tears. If I'm up to a size 10 I'm going to be seriously depressed. I took the dress off and pulled out the tag. When I saw the 1 I almost died right there. A SIZE 10?! I'm shooting myself right now. But then on closer inspection (I need new contacts) I saw that the 1 was all alone. A size 1. And I actually got it zipped half way up. Now I was feeling quite good. =) The ridiculousness of the situation didn't dawn on me until much later. I could be so down about being one size larger and then so up about being able to get a much smaller size "almost" on. I needed help! =)

So during the kid's quiet time instead of reading my normal devotions I decided to pull up some Bible verses and quotes on the computer. Here is what I found - 

I will praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; 

your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Psalm 139:14

Outside show is a poor substitute for inner worth.

Aesop

Remember that the most beautiful things in the world are the most useless; 

peacocks and lilies, for example. 

John Ruskin

The best and most beautiful thing in life cannot be seen,

not touched, but are felt in the heart.

Hellen Keller

Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, 

we must carry it with us or we find it not. 

Ralph Waldo Emerson  

I've never seen a smiling face that was not beautiful.

Author Unknown 

Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart. 

Kahlil Gibran

Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;

but a woman who fears the Lord

will be greatly praised.

Proverbs 31:30

Don't be concerned about the outward beauty. . .

You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty 

that comes from within, 

the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, 

which is so precious to God.

1 Peter 3:3-4