Beauty Is .............

     As young girls, we often look at the women in our lives, mainly our moms to get our beauty barometer.  If these ladies have an obsession with what society says that we "ought" to look like, then we will often follow in their foot steps.  As young girls, we have found ourselves looking in mirrors while turning to the side and trying to figure out how we can make ourselves look skinny.  We pull on our hair to see how long it would be if it was naturally straight.  We look at the television commercials and convince ourselves that we will be more acceptable if we use the same beauty product that the model used that gave her that special glow and that smile that attracts anyone.  The unfortunate thing about this is the fact that this poison gets more intense as we become older.  More and more women are flocking to stores to empty the racks of high fashioned weave that does not even closely resemble their natural hair texture.  The cosmetic industry rakes in billions annually for the sake of helping us become more "beautiful".

    I wont even begin to say that I do not like to play in make-up or have worn weave before.  However, I am coming to a point where my definition of beauty comes from the biblical standard versus the worldly standard.  After all, it is God who made us and has given us a standard of how we should be.  Before we continue to stress ourselves about the latest and greatest in beauty trends, we need to look at the true priceless beauty that is described in his word:

-Proverbs 31:30: Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be 
     praised.
   
      It is important to keep in mind that the fear of the Lord is important and precious to him.

-Peter 3:3-4: Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.  Instead, 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.

    Of course, this does not mean that you can not braid your hair or wear gold, but that what is more
     important to God is the inner beauty which is a gentle and quiet spirit.

- I Timothy 4:8: Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is more important, for it  
  promises a reward in this life and the next.

    Of course it is important to take care of the only physical temple that we are blessed with, but what
    is more important is the spiritual exercise.


    Although, we should take pride in keeping our temples fit and  God honoring, we need to remember that it is not the size of our bottoms or the length of our hair that makes us beautiful, but on those things that are important to the Lord.

Top 10 Things That I Learned From Deployment

    

 

 



     As is with military life, deployments are a part of the routine.  However, the Lord blessed Mr. Awesome and I to enjoy wedded bliss for three years before he had to go off and sail the horizons for 7 months.  As many spouses do, I had to put on my "big girl drawers" and get ready for the journey ahead.  As expected, the deployment stretched me in ways that I did not anticipate, but during the time that hubby was gone, I learned and grew a lot as a person.  Here are the top ten ways that I grew in the time that my hubby was gone.

1) My reliance on the Lord increased as it already does daily.

 

2) The great love that I had for my hubby grew exponentially.

 

3) I had to take out and dust off Ms. Independent a few times to get some business done that hubby would normally have been here to take care of.  However, it was not the same.

 

4) There are some really caring people in this world who understand the plight of military family sacrifices.

 

5)  The lawnmower and I do not (and will not) get along.  It is definitely not my favorite member of this family.

 

6) Raising a teenager "alone" is no walk in the park or on the beach ........ It's just not fun.  Lord, I learned a lot more about parenting during this time.

 

7) The stove/oven gets a much needed break during deployment, lol.  What choice of cereal do I want to eat?

 

8)  I was reminded of what Paul speaks of when he says that we can give undivided attention to God when we are not consumed with the cares of daily married life ( I Corinthians 7:33).

 

9) I learned how to be busy to help the time of deployment "pass quickly".

 

10) Mr. Awesome is such a great husband even on deployment.