Beautiful

Truth - I don't feel beautiful everyday. Despite being told so by my husband. Despite hearing it from sisterfriends. Despite people saying how beautiful my daughters are and how much they look like me.

Some days it does not ring true in my soul. Some days the reflection staring back at me from the mirror or glass-front building is a woman with miles and miles to go. It's not that I feel like I lack any particular attractiveness. I just don't feel beautiful.

Attractiveness is external. Beauty is deep. It's from the core of your being.

When someone doesn't feel beautiful (when I don't feel beautiful) it's difficult to act beautiful. It's difficult to smile or shine or be polite or let things roll off my back. It's difficult to breathe.

In order to be consistently beautiful, a person must see God in themself. Admittedly, there are many days when I look at the reflection and don't see God looking back at all. There's only me. There are many days when I have not wanted to see God looking back, for fear that He may be disappointed in what He sees.

Have you ever stood in a mirror and used the reflection to see someone behind you? Have you noticed that your reflected self can sometimes see beyond what you see yourself? At the very least, it has a different vantage point and can sometimes notice things you may have missed - like the person making rabbit ears behind your head or someone sneaking up to hug you. Suppose - the next time you're in a mirror - that the reflected self is the face of God. What would your reflection see in you? What would it see around you? Or behind you? Would your reflected self be pleased? Would your reflection be beautiful?

"I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well."

My soul may know very well, but oftentimes, my flesh forgets. And when my flesh forgets - I will thank you to remind me. Tap me on my shoulder and remind me that I am beautiful because I look like my Father. And I will do the same for you.