The Most Beautiful
We watched this video by Dove in a Sunday morning class once. It's really good. If we were all in a class together, it would make for great discussion!
Do you love that video? Choosing to be and feel beautiful.
I have a feeling with two growing girls in the house, beauty will become even more of a topic of discussion in our home. Our girls will look in the mirror and say: "I look beautiful!" Elizabeth more so than Breanna. It's very sweet and innocent. Even before being the ages of 10 and 6, they already want to know if they look beautiful. The first time I told Elizabeth she was the most beautiful girl in the world, her face lit up like a sparkler and with the biggest smile she asked, "Breanna too?" I said, "yes, Breanna too."
Breanna received a Barbie doll from her cousin for her birthday. She loved it. The doll wears a two-tone pink dress with sparkles and silver accessories: shoes, big earrings, a necklace and purse.
One Sunday night we were driving home. Breanna brought her Barbie in the car. Elizabeth snatches the Barbie and then gives her back. She tries to cover up her snatch by saying, "Breanna, her dress is beautiful, her earrings are beautiful, her necklace is beautiful, her hair is beautiful, her make-up is beautiful, I want to be her."
My face. (as my friend Ginger would say). I wish you could have seen it. Here is my 5-year-old wishing to be this Barbie doll. She wants what every girl has wanted: to be the thing she deems beautiful. A fleeting thought said to dash all the Barbie's into the ground! For once I kept listening. At this point Breanna chimed in and said "I don't want to be her. She has blonde hair and I like my brown hair. She has different skin and I like my skin."
Somewhere in my mind the angels started singing. I was so proud of Breanna! Sometimes she just has a unique way with words. For the moment she is content to be her and she is sharing that with her sister! I hope this contentment stays with her.
Of course Elizabeth, who wants to be like her big sister, says "ME TOO!"
I high-fived Breanna as best I could, since I was driving. I don't think Elizabeth was quite on the ball with Breanna's line of thinking, but she kept saying "me too" , so she also got a high-five.
Telling the girls they are beautiful is easy. Right now, it's also easy for them to believe it when we tell them. Some day that belief may not come so easily. There is so much noise in the world telling us what is beautiful and what is not. It is easy to mixed up running to this and that trying everything to be beautiful and earn approval from someone else, someone we think is important. Hopefully we can teach them that when God created them, He did not make a mistake. He created their beauty. He designed their whole life and even though sometimes their life will not make sense and feel like prey to a fallen world, God is always redeeming and making things new.
Occasionally when they tell themselves they are beautiful or ask if they look pretty, I say "yes you are" and then I ask "but do you know what makes you the most beautiful?" I tell them it's their heart makes them the most beautiful. I tell them when they are kind to their friends they are being beautiful. When they obey their teachers, mommy, and daddy they are being beautiful. When they help other people, they are beautiful. When they say "I'm sorry", they are being beautiful. There are probably a thousand examples, but you get the picture.
My hope is that as they grow older and if they struggle with appearances, they will remember that beauty is more than skin color, eye color, hair style, and wardrobe. They will remember they are created with love and beauty by God. They will learn that it is their heart, their love for Jesus and love and hope for people that will make them the most beautiful.
Do you love that video? Choosing to be and feel beautiful.
I have a feeling with two growing girls in the house, beauty will become even more of a topic of discussion in our home. Our girls will look in the mirror and say: "I look beautiful!" Elizabeth more so than Breanna. It's very sweet and innocent. Even before being the ages of 10 and 6, they already want to know if they look beautiful. The first time I told Elizabeth she was the most beautiful girl in the world, her face lit up like a sparkler and with the biggest smile she asked, "Breanna too?" I said, "yes, Breanna too."
Breanna received a Barbie doll from her cousin for her birthday. She loved it. The doll wears a two-tone pink dress with sparkles and silver accessories: shoes, big earrings, a necklace and purse.
One Sunday night we were driving home. Breanna brought her Barbie in the car. Elizabeth snatches the Barbie and then gives her back. She tries to cover up her snatch by saying, "Breanna, her dress is beautiful, her earrings are beautiful, her necklace is beautiful, her hair is beautiful, her make-up is beautiful, I want to be her."
My face. (as my friend Ginger would say). I wish you could have seen it. Here is my 5-year-old wishing to be this Barbie doll. She wants what every girl has wanted: to be the thing she deems beautiful. A fleeting thought said to dash all the Barbie's into the ground! For once I kept listening. At this point Breanna chimed in and said "I don't want to be her. She has blonde hair and I like my brown hair. She has different skin and I like my skin."
Somewhere in my mind the angels started singing. I was so proud of Breanna! Sometimes she just has a unique way with words. For the moment she is content to be her and she is sharing that with her sister! I hope this contentment stays with her.
Of course Elizabeth, who wants to be like her big sister, says "ME TOO!"
I high-fived Breanna as best I could, since I was driving. I don't think Elizabeth was quite on the ball with Breanna's line of thinking, but she kept saying "me too" , so she also got a high-five.
Telling the girls they are beautiful is easy. Right now, it's also easy for them to believe it when we tell them. Some day that belief may not come so easily. There is so much noise in the world telling us what is beautiful and what is not. It is easy to mixed up running to this and that trying everything to be beautiful and earn approval from someone else, someone we think is important. Hopefully we can teach them that when God created them, He did not make a mistake. He created their beauty. He designed their whole life and even though sometimes their life will not make sense and feel like prey to a fallen world, God is always redeeming and making things new.
Occasionally when they tell themselves they are beautiful or ask if they look pretty, I say "yes you are" and then I ask "but do you know what makes you the most beautiful?" I tell them it's their heart makes them the most beautiful. I tell them when they are kind to their friends they are being beautiful. When they obey their teachers, mommy, and daddy they are being beautiful. When they help other people, they are beautiful. When they say "I'm sorry", they are being beautiful. There are probably a thousand examples, but you get the picture.
My hope is that as they grow older and if they struggle with appearances, they will remember that beauty is more than skin color, eye color, hair style, and wardrobe. They will remember they are created with love and beauty by God. They will learn that it is their heart, their love for Jesus and love and hope for people that will make them the most beautiful.
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