The real deal

I am the poster child for yo yo dieting. Last year I managed to lose 35 lbs. At the age of 39 a much longer feat than it was in my 20s. Because of that I thought for sure I would keep it off this time. I had become an avid (obsessive) runner. As a matter of fact, a year ago next week I ran my first 1/2 Marathon. I wasn't a great runner, but for me it was a major accomplishment to put under my belt. To make a very long story short, I did, as usual, gain almost all my weight back.

Remember the picture I posted a few posts ago and said I would get back to it? Well, today is the day I must fess up. That picture of me in the green shirt is one of my favorite pictures of myself. I took it myself in the kitchen to use for my FB profile. Now my FB and Blog profile are the same; 30 lbs. ago after getting home from the hair dresser and getting pretty highlights.

After writing about beauty and vanity a few weeks ago, I was so convicted that I must share the real deal with you. Another self portrait, taken today, a regular day, not so good hair day, 30 lbs. later.



The real deal.

But in true tradition, as the new year approaches, I will hopefully be posting a new updated picture of myself who knows, maybe in my sweats again crossing some finish line.

Why I'm not the Stereotype

Granted. Probably none of us are the stereotype. However I will share a few things about myself that may (or may not) surprise you.

1. I am NOT a Martha.

Most wonderful women of this world are so busy and so running around in circles and.... so tired. Busy everywhere they go, and probably feel very guilty if they sit down and are not "productive". This is why there are shows that are constantly rewarding these tired women with a well deserved makeover of some kind, a trip, or a maid for the day. Me, I would never make it on any of those shows. I am not a "Martha" I have always considered myself a "Mary", not because I always make the "better" choice, but because I'm lazy (when I set my mind to it). Don't get me wrong, I really don't consider myself a lazy person, I think I have a pretty good work ethic and all, I just really don't enjoy running myself ragged. I must admit, I do really feel ashamed at times for being like this, because MOST women are doing the opposite. Overachieving, making everything perfect, making themselves available where needed (or not), doing whatever it takes to be smarter, prettier, more helpful, or whatever. Me, in some areas, I just get by. In others I do work hard, and I believe that if you are going to do something, just do one thing well (more on that later). Let me give you an example. If I am a guest at your house, you will rarely, if ever find me in your kitchen helping or asking if you need any help. I am a guest, I am going to sit down, relax and let someone else do all the work. Specially if there are other women that are already helping you (which there will be). Just know dear friend, if you ever come to my home I would expect the same from you. You are MY guest. I think, I prepare, I clean up! It is my home, my kitchen, the only slaves I have are my husband and my children, YOU, my love, sit, relax and laugh!

2. I am NOT a multitasker.

I have never been good at doing two things at once. It drives me crazy!!! When I'm on the phone if my child approaches me, my head starts to spin, I put my hand up and walk away, I can't even look at them, it will break my concentration! I never have managed to hear two conversations at the same time, and when I try, I miss both of them. Like I mentioned earlier. Do one thing and do it well. I get so easily overwhelmed when too much is demanded of me. If I have something big to do one day, that is about all I can handle. if I do have lots to do it all must be written down, a master list and a logical order in which I must do it. I really try to be flexible, but I'm not good at it.



3. I am not the boo boo kisser.

My husband and I have reversed roles in this area. Don't get me wrong I AM like I hope all women are, a mama bear, but I just don't get all worked up about stuff. When my kids get hurt, I say "just spit on it, you'll be fine", or "get over it, you'll live".
When my kids get sick, Mike is the comforter. He is the one that stays up all night, checks on them, takes temps. and worries. But if there is vomit to clean up... that job is reserved for me, otherwise I would be cleaning his up as well. Any sheets to wash, me. Any clothes to treat, me. Any toilet to wipe down, me.
When my children get hurt, they go to Mike. They know they will get no sympathy from me. If there is "surgery" to be performed, Mike does it. I can't do that! he is the master splinter remover, tooth puller and boo boo cleaner.

Wow, this all makes me sound like a terrible, lazy, self centered person. I hope not. You will have to read my next post to find out how much of a stereotype I really am.

Where was I?

I mentioned in my profile that I grew up in South America. In a lovely City called Vineyard of the Sea. Well, recently my sisters and brother went back to visit and took quite a few pictures. I selected a few to share with you.

This first one is the Home I grew up in 1974-1987




That is my sister Linda standing in front.





This is my dad's sketch of our home that is in the cookbook.
As you can see, that great big building next to our neighbors house wasn't there when we were there.

There are hills and hills everywhere as you will see.





This picture was taken from the school that we attended. You can see a little of it there to the bottom right. And in front is one of the many Catholic churches in the city.




This is a typical panoramic view of the city.




And another...










And when we wanted to get away, we would grab some friends, a picnic and drive to this lovely place about an hour and a half away. Zapallar.
I loved this place, it smelled so good, it had eucalyptus trees all over the place!!!





This is me (on the left) in 5th grade with my buddy Karina. We are right next to her house. Yes her house was built into the dunes. Whenever I spent the night with her I could hear the waves crashing at night and instead of enjoying them, I was always so afraid. I would imagine that I was going to be swallowed up in a tidal wave!


So, as you can see, this is where I was. Please no need to feel sorry for me living on the mission field all of my life.
I had a great life, with loving, God fearing parents. Great friends, a great school and a great semi sheltered life. Wouldn't trade it for the world. Maybe some day, if I ever get a scanner, I would be happy to share a tour down memory lane.

The Love of my Life

I think Mike and I are going through some 18 year later honeymoon now. Seems like we are in the groove and outdoing each other in the love giving and serving areas. Wow wouldn’t it be nice if life were always like this!
I got to thinking sweet thoughts about him and began thinking about my childhood. Because I have always wondered: If we had met when we were kids, would we have liked each other? So today I thought, you know I think I did!
I am quite the romantic, always have been. So just sit back and indulge me.

It so happens that I went to the same school pretty much all my life, Saint Paul’s School, a private English, and Anglican run school in Vina del Mar, Chile. I started in 1st Grade and graduated with most of the same kids 12 years later in 1986. There was one boy in my class. He was a dream. I liked and loved him off and on all of my childhood. He was beautiful, funny, popular, athletic, a good friend, and… out of my league. He was my friend, yet nothing ever came of the two of us, a very hard lesson in life, but one worth going through. I always felt like there was something wrong with me, something I must change, I must not be lovable or worth loving.

At the same time, there was a part of me that had formed an image of some sort of the boy that I liked and that liked me too. He eluded me, but I would catch a glimpse of him, it would be in the face of the boy that I saw on the bus, the boy walking down the street, at the beach three towels down, or it would be one boy on the opposing boys hockey team. He was not that good looking, just a common guy, living a common life, no girls falling all over him, that had a twinkle in his eye and maybe looked my way even for just a second. This was “a boy” that I was comfortable with, a boy that liked me the way I was, and loved being with me. This boy didn’t need me to change; he didn’t want me to change. He just made me laugh and I would feel safe and well with him. He would feel safe and appreciated by me.

Boys came in and out of my life for years, loves and heartbreaks, till the day I met Mike. I think that is why I loved him so easy, so soon. Somewhere in my heart I must have been screaming “is it you? Is it really you? Have you come to know me and take me away?” I was convinced that Mike was the boy that I saw in all of those faces. It had to be him, because I never felt like I was less than I was, never felt like I had to be someone else. We were good friends for a good while. (Really, I was smitten) and it took me a year to convince him that he was in love with me. So stubborn, his baggage was heavy and he needed help letting go of it. But when it was all said and done…. A match made in heaven.

Just because we are getting along so well lately, and I am inspired and filled with love, and in the spirit of the season I just want to say how thankful I am for a dedicated mother that prayed for Mike every day of my life and for a dedicated mother-in-law that prayed for me every day of Mike’s life. Without them we would be a failure.

I used to think that this other classmate of mine was the love of my life, but it just wasn’t meant to be and that Mike had come to fill a big hole, which he was very capable of filling because until him, I really didn’t know what love was, he taught me what love was in so many ways. But I have now come to see it clearly. That little romantic girl deep in her heart had loved Mike the whole time. HE was the true love of my life and still is. When I look at pictures of him in his childhood, those years when my heart first started to seek him, I think, YES, that is who it was, that is him! The LOVE OF MY LIFE.

A family treasure

I did it!!! I did it!!!

This is my original copy of the Geiger Family Cookbook!




My dad hides a bible verse in every one of his paintings.



These are the first pages with the hand written note from my mom.

OK, so this is unbelievably fun. More on this to come. MUST NOT NEGLECT FAMILY!

OK so this is my first try. Not too bad.

I really wanted to post this picture with a story. Keep it in mind and check later
on what I have to say about it.

I want to be like Mark

I have the most wonderful brother-in-law. His name is Mark. He has many great qualities that I greatly admire, but today I want to touch on one of them. One that inspires me to be a better, inviting person.

Don't you find yourself feeling differently in the presence of some people than you do in the presence of others? Us women are especially in tune to this, I think because we are so insecure and we tend to compare ourselves to each other and it can become a very intimidating game. So stupid, I know, but I do it all the time, so I'm going to assume that you do it too. I find however that there are some people that are more "safe" than others. When I am in the presence of some people I am automatically intimidated, I feel little, young, insecure, and inferior. I just feel like asking this person "What is wrong with me?" "why don't you like me (when they may actually like me) who knows, because they just don't seem to project it.

Now there are other people like Mark. I pick on him because one, I love him dearly, also because to me he is the epitome of what I'm talking about and what I aspire to be. When you are in the presence of a Mark you are safe. This kind of person makes you feel like you are very important to them and that everything you have to say is very important too. (for real, not salesperson kind of "I'm interested in you") When I am in the presence of this person I feel relaxed, like I can be myself, I'm beautiful, I'm worthy and mostly I'm safe. It's OK to be myself and I will be heard and understood. The great thing is, that this person makes everybody feel this way. Everybody is important, everybody has something to say, everybody is beautiful, everybody can be safe.

Don't you want to be that kind of a person? The kind that people like to be around,the kind that is pleasant, funny, and inviting. I want to put people at ease with themselves, with who they are, with who God has created them to be. I want people to be relaxed and safe around me.

In that way, I want to be like Mark.

Worship, an act of trust

Take a deep breath here and stay with me.



I read a long time ago in a Beth Moore study where she likened our prayer life to marital intimacy with our husbands. Although I agree with her because there is a great bit of intimacy in prayer , I tend to agree more with John Eldredge.
In his book "The Journey of Desire" he wrote a chapter titled: "The grand affair".
Such a great book (I need to re-read it) and this chapter was so intriguing to me. I have pondered on it so much. He writes:

"For us creatures of the flesh, sexual intimacy is the closest parallel we have to real worship"

Stop here and let me say this. I hope you are married so you can better understand this. I also hope that you are as blessed as I am with a very healthy marriage. I am married to the most wonderful man on earth for me. My husband, although he is not perfect and he doesn't always "get me", he loves me very well. He is my best friend, my companion, he is good at lifting me up, taking care of me, and he is a wonderful giving lover.

Although Eldridge does a way better job at going deep into this, he really helped me understand the discipline of worship so much better, I see it now in such a new light. I got to thinking about sexual intimacy and what it requires of us. Lets face it, if you are truly going to experience great sexual intimacy with your husband there are a few things that are kind of required, or else it may not be all that healthy of a relationship.

First of all I need to feel very secure in the love and loyalty that my husband toward me. That is something that he has proven over and over in the 18 years of marriage. My husband is faithful.
Are you secure in the fact that God loves you, that he is loyal to you, he wishes no harm to you and can you see how he has shown himself faithful to you all these years?

Second, it's kinda hard to have sex with your clothes on! You have to take it off. I will pause here. So, how do you feel about that? For some crazy reason my husband thinks that I am the sexiest, most desirable person on the face of this earth. I know that, and I BELIEVE it! I know that I am not perfect, he knows that I am not perfect, yet he STILL wants me. He still treasures me, and when I understand that, then it is way easier for me to take it off and still have the light on. I have nothing to hide.
Do you think that God loves you and treasures you? Do you know that you can "take it all off" and he will still love you where you are, with the "extra pounds" the not so perfect "figure", with the "cellulite" or "varicose veins". If you don't feel like he will take you, then you will have a hard time taking it off. You will go through the motions and never know what it feels like to be "neked" in his perfect presence yet still be treasured in your imperfect being. Don't be ashamed in the presence of God, delight in him and let him delight in you!

Lastly, to have great sex you must give it your all. You could call it complete abandon.

All of this requires TRUST. I believe that that is the bottom line in this. It is why I think that worship is an act not only of adoration , but also one of trust, an expression of trust. "I not only love you and adore you Lord, you are the creator of the Universe and of me, you are powerful and mighty, but also I trust you and I GIVE myself fully and with total abandon." How can you believe, take it all off and be neked in the presence of God if you don't trust him? Don't worry about what it looks like on the outside, or what others seem to be doing, ask yourself: Do I trust you, God, with myself?

HELP

I can't figure this out.
I have pictures and links to post, but can't figure out how. I need a tutor!

Anyway, go see my jewery at my ETSY shop.

www.susanellencollection.etsy.com

On the Lighter side. My Wal Mart pet peeves

Just to wrap up my day I decided to take it light. Wal Mart. I spend way too much time and money in that place, I know it by heart, but it drives me crazy when they move things. For some strange reason my Wal Mart people like to mess with me and re- arrange the bread isle all the time. What is up with that? I always know where my usual stuff is, except for my bagels. I buy Thomas plain and blueberry bagels. The blueberry must go fast, so when they have them I buy two or three to freeze. They used to have them at the back of the store, then they moved them up with the bread, then they had them in both places, so I had to check both. Now they are just with the bread, but you still never know where. People quit messing with me!!!

My real pet peeves however are these. First of all, why do people walk in the middle of the car isles? Seriously, I just want to yell out my window. "You don't have a licence plate on you behind! so MOVE OVER!!!" Be nice to me and walk as close to the parked cars as possible, otherwise you are being rude.
Second, I do believe that this is an East Tennessee thing, but for crying out loud folks, take off your jammies and slippers and put on some clothes when you go shopping! I'll be the first to admit that I go to the store not having taken a shower all the time. But at least I throw on a pair of jeans (or whatever I was wearing the day before) a cap and even some jewelry and a little lipstick. I feel necked without my lipstick, so even right out of bed and with a cap on I will have my lipstick on! I will understand if you don't want to do the lipstick thing, but PLEASE take off the PJ's!! (and slippers)

On the Radio

I just need to make a small clarification.
Please by no means did I mean that any time we turn on the radio we hear God's voice. I got very tickled this morning when I left to go to Wal Mart right after writing my last post.
Mike had left the radio on from yesterday and as soon as I turned it on I heard. "Bad to the bone. Bbbbb bad, bad to the bone".

Are you really looking for God?

Some time ago I read in some Bible study how we tend to ask God for something and then we never look for the answer. I guess we expect it to fall in our laps and be real heavy so we can feel it. we also want it to be a certain color and shape. We would like to know what it looks like, and when we don't see that, then we think God isn't listening. So I was struck by that and challenged. When I pray, I need to actually look for the answers, look for God and actually listen to him. You just never know where you are going to find him. Elijah found him in a whisper, he came to Gideon when he was hiding in the wine press and appeared to Moses in a burning bush! Look people, look for him. I have been trying to train to do such a thing lately and when I think I may see him I sometimes don't, and then suddenly WOW! THAT was you, wasn't it Lord? I love that about him.

So this is what happen to me yesterday. It has happened to me many times lately, and I do believe that it is because I have been looking. I want to find him, I don't want him to be in my blind spot. it's like a fun game. Where could he be now, and what is he saying to me?

I rarely listen to the radio. I am not much of a multitasker, and I can't listen to two things at the same time, then it just becomes noise. My children speak to me in the car and the radio is just noise. And when they aren't talking to me I am talking to myself in my head and music is just noise. But for some strange reason I turned the radio on to the christian radio station in the morning on my way to taking the boys to school. No one was talking and I heard this:

So what are you waiting for?
What do you have to lose?
Your insecurities try to alter you

You know you're made for more
So don't be afraid to move
Your faith is all
It takes in you
You can walk on the water too

Lord is that you?
"Kids no one speak!"

Here is the entire song I heard that morning:

You look around
It's staring back at you
Another wave of doubt
Will it pull you under
You wonder

What if i'm overtaken
What if i never make it
What if no one's there?
Will you hear my prayer?

When you take that first step
Into the unknown
You know that he won't let you go

Chorus:

So what are you waiting for?
What do you have to lose?
Your insecurities try to alter you

You know you're made for more
So don't be afraid to move
Your faith is all
It takes in you
You can walk on the water too

Verse 2:
So get out
And let your fear fall to the ground
No time to waste
Don't wait
Don't you turn around and miss out
Everything you were made for
I know you're not sure
So you play it safe
Try to run away

If you take that first step
Into the unknown
He won't let you go

(chorus)

Bridge:
(step out)
Even when a storm hits
(step out)
Even when you're broken
(step out)
Even when your heart is telling you telling you to give up
(step out)
When your hope is stolen
(step out)
You can't see where you're going
You don't have to be afraid

So what are you waiting for?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdTvOGIKRuk



Never heard that song before, never heard of the singer before. When I got to work I jotted down the name of the gal and the song, because I also have a horrid memory.

On my way home from work I couldn't wait to look her up and listen and search the lyrics.
But I turned the radio on again and there was this little snippet thing where they tell you a story about someone and some lesson attached to it. I don't remember the lesson but, I do remember the story. It was about a school teacher that was frustrated with the books she was reading to her 4th graders. She then decided that she was going to write a book herself, one that suited what she thought her audience would enjoy. She had always had these characters and stories in her head but had never really thought of writing them down. Well, she did and has published a 3 book series that her audience (her 4th graders) love.

Seriously Lord?

Britt Nicole is the gal. I like her!! never heard of her. Thanks Lord for using sisters that we don't know, and friends and family to speak to us. Please use me the same way to make a difference in the life of someone!

My secret wish

I'm already afraid to post this.
You are just not going to believe what happened to me today.
Well, first I must tell you then what my secret wish is. The funny thing is, I really haven't wanted this for too long, maybe 3, or even 5 years. It's not the sort of thing I dreamed of as a child, it's just been as I have gotten older and perhaps wiser (I hope). And sitting here at my computer typing and doing this has made me realize how I love it, how fulfilled I feel and time just flies! And there you have it. I want to be a writer.

Now I know, my friend Denise and Kim and Jill are probably rolling in laughter, not because they don't think I can, but because they know the truth. I am a horrid, I mean horrid speller. And my writing skills could use some work too. You probably saw on my profile that a grew up in a foreign country, so I sort of have an excuse. I have never had formal training in writing or spelling. It's a wonder I can spell at all. (what little I can spell). Thank goodness for spell check!!!!!!!!

This actually began, I don't know, 5 years ago lets say. My friend Kim actually told me one day that I should write a cookbook. I must admit I am a pretty decent cook, my mother was a great cook and I learned from her. But still I feel that it would still be like a 1st grader wanting to write like Shakespeare. I thought, even if I did write a cookbook, it would be more than just a cookbook. Let me explain.

My mom and dad actually wrote and published a cookbook and it was called "Recipes for a happy life". Originally this book was written for only the four of us kids and the 4 first grandchildren in the family. My mom typed out the entire thing, (on a typewriter). My dad is an artist and he drew a bunch of cool drawings including a drawing of each home that we had lived in at the beginning of each chapter. The forward was handwritten by my mom (she passed away in 2000, you will hear about her someday). Also for each recipe there is a verse and in some have a personal note about where it came from, or, who liked that dish the most, etc. All in all a true treasure. My dad took it to the local copy place and we assembled it on our kitchen table. At the time I was the last child at home, and was able to help out. I was so honored, because it was a top secret effort that was to be a great surprise for my siblings. The front cover had a painting that my dad painted that was the pattern from the dishes that we had used to eat out of when growing up. The book's original title was "Memories are made of This". And they sure were. Because we actually sat down as a family pretty much every day to eat our from scratch, fresh, home made meals. LOTS of memories there!

Anyway, I thought then that my recipe book would be more than just recipes, it would include stories and thoughts, because contrary to my parents other cookbook title the recipe for a happy life is not on a plate in front of you. I think indeed that there is no "recipe" for a happy life. And there my mind began to form this book. One that I have not taken a single note on since I never thought that anything like that could be done by me, for the reasons mentioned. By the way, so many people loved my parents cookbook, and they were so disappointed that the book had just been reserved for our family, and they all wanted my mom's recipes that my parents got talked into publishing it. At this point the publisher, or editor, or somebody decided to change the title. My original cookbook (the one that we assembled on our table) is falling apart, so I use the new published copy instead.

Now I'm thinking just forget the recipes and put down the other stuff.

This is so great, I can't believe I have just discovered this blogging thing. When I walk away from here every day I think "there, I said it" and on comes the next thought to blog and the next and the next.....
I hate writing long blogs. I want you to stay with me. So I will have to tell you what happened to me today, tomorrow.

What is your secret wish?

Really, it's not so secret. But, isn't there something, that if you had it your way and all of your insecurities and inhibitions were taken away, you would want to do with your life? Something that seems so out there, so hard and challenging that you just think to yourself "that could never happen". We are such insecure people and we give ourselves so little credit. But don't you sometimes think. Hmmm, maybe I COULD do that. Now please, I'm not talking about going on a Mediterranean Cruise. Oh I want one of those so bad, and IT could never happen, unless... my "secret" wish comes true, then I would be able to afford it. I'm talking about for example, my friend R, she is a great singer, but she really wishes that she would be a GREAT and famous performer, a famous world traveling, sold out concerts kind of performer. My husband I think has two. Probably like many other men, he wishes he could be a guitar player in a Rock band (he's good, he probably could have gotten to that point where he could have). He also would have liked being a secret agent for the CIA.
What is it that suppresses us in life? I don't know, I'm just doing what I do when I blog, think "out loud".
So think about it, if you had all of your insecurities and inhibitions taken away. What would you do? Stay tuned and I'll let you know what mine is tomorrow.

Crazy

Oh my word! Since I started blogging I have been having this ongoing dialog in my mind about all the wonderful things I'm going to write about. Can't wait to have time. I start my new part time job today, but I will make it a point to chat some this evening.
I am going kinda crazy... with excitement.
I MAY actually have some pretty pictures to share some day.

Just an extra thought

Beauty is not in the eye of the beholder,
but in the hand of the creator.

Create in Me

As I briefly mentioned earlier, one of my "deals" now is this deep desire to become a better creative person. I have known people that really wish they could sing better, but just can't. And others that want to be gifted at playing an instrument, but can't. I am bilingual, and I have taught Spanish and Latin, and I have observed that some people have the gift of languages (perhaps the modern day gift of tongues) and others just don't. The former never really had to study and just "got it", it all makes perfect sense to them. The later, bless their hearts, I really felt for them and tried so hard to meet them where they were, those just DON'T "get it" and they studied and studied and still if they were having a good day and crossed their fingers would manage to make a high B. And then there are those who don't get it and don't care, period.
When it comes to creativity, I am one of those that THINKS I just don't have that gift. However...
Again, we are created in the image of God, and you would have to be crazy to not see that he is unbelievably creative, imaginative and perfect (I can't wait to get to heaven, our HOME will always be clean!!!). So in each of us there has to be some great creativity that God has naturally imprinted in us, just by the simple fact that we were created in his image. Just like beauty as I wrote in a former post. We are all beautiful (in his image), we are all creative (in his image).
So we all get perhaps a pimple every once in a moon, a gray hair or two, or million, muffin tops at our pants waist line, and those adorable dimples on our BUTT! But we are still beautiful! We just fix that when put on our makeup, dye our hair, eat right and exersise, and....
wear pants.
But when it comes to creativity, I most of the time live in great frustration. "Lord, why didn't you make me creative, like so and so?" But enough of that Susan. You are creative. There is nothing new under the sun. What I do is maybe not being creative but resourceful. I look, research, and yes, copy. Come on, don't we all? Even our personalities, partly are formed by the influence of those around us to some extent, we take what we like and "tweak" it to be us. So, that is what I do, look research, study and learn. Then I tweak and voila! There is my creativity!
But again ultimately God is the ultimate creator, not just of the entire world but of ME. I so love that and my deepest desire is not to be creative but to be created, every day. This is why I chose the title of my blog to be "CREATE IN ME". That is what I want, a pure heart, one focused on him in reflecting his beauty and his creativity. that my beauty and my creativity would be an instrument to project to the world a beautiful and creative God.

Till next time.

Beauty

I guess that this is the real question I keep searching. Where does beauty end and vanity begin? One of my quests is to always be confident that I am beautiful because God made me that way, because I was created in his image. I wish to stop receiving my beauty from others affirmation, get it from my creator and then take it and offer it to the world (mostly my husband).
So, lets share God's beauty with each other! Let's celebrate his creation . Let's give instead of being disappointed when we don't receive. We HAVE already received!
I don't know if my initial question has anything to do with what I just said. I just chase rabbits. Hopefully blogging will help me to become a better writer as well.

Keeping up with the Joneses

Seriously?
I'm trying to be creative here, not perfect. I have been looking at all of these blogs and I am amazed! Do people's houses really look like that? Mine doesn't!
So, I have decided that keeping up with the Joneses will be impossible. They are too perfect and crafty and their children are too beautiful. Their cameras are too good and expensive and make everything probably look better that they really are. No way, I just can't do it!! WOW ! That was so liberating!
Well, I'll just be myself, take it or leave it.
You know? We do like to show off the better part of ourselves to the world, don't we? It somehow makes us feel better about ourselves. I'm not really implying that it is a bad thing. I just find it very interesting, and nothing to be ashamed of. After all, we are created in God's image and he is beautiful, We as women carry with us that part of the image of God and we do our best to do it well. That is why I think there is nothing to be ashamed of. Don't we want to make him look good? Don't we want to represent him well? But is that our motivation? Shouldn't it be?
On the one hand there is a natural God given inclination in women to look beautiful, to strive for beauty and make everything around us as beautiful as we canmake it (including ourselves). But on the flip side, just like with all wonderful gifts of God we just seem to have a hard time carrying it to an extreme. Beauty and appearances become our God and all praise it sought for our own glory instead of being a pure reflection of the gift he has given and we need to be thankful for.
I am not saying that I think that of any of these women and their blogs, on the contrary, I don't know their hearts, but I do know that it makes me thankful that God created us beautiful and it isn't up to the men to do all this work! Well, if it was to my husband... no comment...
So I guess I want to thank all of you women that want this world to be a better looking place and all of you creative women that reflect the great creativity of our maker. Let me join you and I can only hope that everything that I do would be a reflection of what good God has created in me.