Skip to main content

You Are Already Beautiful

Image
By

I recently watched Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris (Amazon) and it was a lovely, “dreams come true” story. The main character in the story, Mrs. Harris, is a light-hearted woman with a lovely disposition. A war widow, she makes her living as a hard working housekeeper for upper class clients. While at one of her clients’ homes, she spies a stunning Dior couture gown hanging in the wardrobe. Instantly, she is entranced by its beauty and resolves to own one someday. She was on a mission!

She scrimps and saves at every opportunity. Finally, she has saved enough to make the trip to Paris to visit the renowned House of Dior. She is ready to make a purchase! She endures a few twists and turns, but as fate would have it, everything falls into place for her. She is seated in the viewing parlor ready to observe a private showing of the beautiful collection of couture dresses.

Spoiler alert…

She purchases a beautiful gown and the process to custom fit her dress begins. She proudly owns a Dior gown! I won't go into the details, but she goes through a few more twists and turns until finally she is able to wear her gown to the local dance in her hometown.

Her lovely Cinderella entrance is dreamy to watch. She is radiant as she enters the ballroom. Her long-time friend Archie is mesmerized by her. He always has been. He’s always had a soft spot for her and doesn’t skip a beat as he begins to speak to her. He tells her how beautiful she is. And the sweet part of the exchange is in what Archie says to her. “The frock, it’s lovely and all…but it’s you. You’re just beautiful…you’ve always been beautiful. Inside and out.”

And this, my friends, is how God sees us. Truly beautiful, just as we are. We don’t need success, the accolades of others, or trendy frocks to make us “seen.” God sees us, right where we are. If only we could realize this. If only we could stop working so hard in “doing,” and simply rest and just be. While a beautiful dress might make us feel good, it is only for a moment. In time, the feeling the dress produces wears off. Our meaning for significance dissolves as time goes on.

We don't need any "thing" to transform us into something more. We just need Jesus. He does the transforming with his love. The truth of who we are comes from our identity in Christ. Our meaning for significance comes from knowing how perfectly loved we are, just as we are! He "purchased" us when he sacrificed his life for us. That's what love is. He didn't think twice about it. He was on a mission to love you. He did this through his death. Death on the cross. All this so you could be HIS.

Mrs. Harris’ dress was made to her proportions. It fit her perfectly. God made us, designed us, created us, perfectly as well. Embrace what he’s given you. Embrace that it’s what is inside of you that makes you beautiful. The Dior gown was authentic and was made solely for Mrs. Harris. It was a one of a kind gown. And you, my friend, are a one of a kind creation as well. Wear it well.

Your turn...

Take a moment to sit in God's presence and take in how He sees you. As a sweet friend once prayed over me...Look at God looking at you.


Spiritual identity means we are not what we do or what people say about us. And we are not what we have. We are the beloved daughters and sons of God.

Henri Nouwen

 

This is how much God loved the world:

He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why:

so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him,

anyone can have a whole and lasting life.

John 3:16 The Message

 

The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: 

“I have loved you with an everlasting love;

I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. Jeremiah 31:3

 

“The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves.

He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you,

but will rejoice over you with singing.”

Zephaniah 3:17

 



I would be thrilled if you could join me at the artist's reception at the Buffalo Grove Community Arts Center...

I am honored to have a solo exhibition here on April 26th

6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Please bring a friend!



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Everybody Loves a Good Fight

By
I’ve gotten into two fights in my life.  I know, hard to believe.  But I can remember them clearly.  One was with Cathy, who lived two doors down from my grandmother’s house.  I was probably around 8 or 9 years old.  Cathy was mean and a thorn in my side.  She was also the only other kid on the block who I could play with.  I don’t know exactly how the fight started, but I can remember the final scene and how it all played out.  I towered over her as she lay on the grass, pinned in a helpless position.  She cried for mercy and I let her go.  She flew home and that was the last time she bullied me.  The other time was in sixth grade.  I was friends with Rosie; at least I thought I was.  She accused me of breaking her compass and told me that she was going to beat me up after school.  I was shaking in my boots the rest of the school day.  I wondered how I could avoid the ordeal.  I wished I had someone that co...
3 comments
Read more

Baby steps to Big Girl Dreams

By
My heart was racing.  I had a tug inside of me to make a call to the local community college to inquire about teaching a continuing education class.  I had always had a desire to teach, and the bubbly stir inside of me kept pushing me to act.  My only problem was that  the conversation in my head made me want to run and hide.  But the stir was so very strong.  I had to do something.  And then I remembered a teaching I had just heard by Joyce Meyer.  She spoke about fear and how it can grip your life.   Her solution was simple.  She said, "Whatever you need to do, do it afraid."   A light blub moment !   Her words interrupted that internal conversation, and pushed me to make a choice and shift my thinking.  I marched to the phone....afraid....and made the call to the college.  I asked if they were in need of instructors and before I knew it,  one thing led to another.  By the end of the call, I ...
4 comments
Read more

What I learned in March

By
Another day of snow.  The amount we'd been getting was absurd.  But this one particular day, there was an amazing snowfall.  Even though I really, really wanted to complain, I just couldn't.  It was way to beautiful.  As I drove to work, I looked at the trees along my route.  Each covered perfectly with a velvety ribbon of white.  Just amazing.  How could I possibly complain?  So as I drove, I took it all in.  Any other day, maybe the snow would not have received such a welcome, but this day, it did.  I decided to celebrate instead of complain.  So what happened?  Well, my disposition changed.  Since then, I focused on a simple prayer.  Lord, change me.  Three little words.  Because when it comes down to it, the driver for my mood is my attitude, my perspective, my thinking...all of it.  Learning and saying these three little words was a huge graduation for me.  It gave me a sense of peac...
3 comments
Read more