"Pretty is..."

“Mommy I want you to be pretty when you got to school.” Emily said to me tonight. 

“What?” I countered.   “I’m not pretty when I usually take you to school?”

“Well I want you to wear earrings and necklaces.”

“Why?”

“So you will be pretty.”

Hmmm… I thought.  And then I remembered the other day when I was thinking, I wonder if I take enough time outside of children’s classes at church to weave God’s principles into her everyday life (I love that God gave me this teachable moment).  Then I remembered a verse in the Bible…

 “As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.” Proverbs 11:22

“So my earrings and necklaces make me pretty?” I questioned.  “You know there is a verse in the Bible about that? It talks about a pig wearing jewelry.”  At this Emily laughs and laughs.  “Can you imagine a pig wearing earrings?  Would they make that pig look pretty?”  More laughter, she thought the idea of a pig in earrings was so funny.  I went on to explain how I wear my comfy clothes to take her to school because baby brother and I usually go walking after we drop her off.

I have made it a point to always let Emily know how beautiful and wonderful I think she is.  From the time she was a baby I have told her so, and will continue to do so.  As she has grown, as all little girls do, she enjoys dress up and play jewelry.  These things are so much fun for little girls and even for big girls like myself (my closet and jewelry box will attest to that).  On several occasions she has asked me, “Mommy am I pretty?”  To which I always reply, “You are beautiful always, in your pretty dress, or your nightgown, and even in your messy clothess. ”  I want her to know she is beautiful because she is, not because of what she adorns herself with whether it be a fluffy dress, mommy’s make-up, or clip-on earrings.  And I want her to know that her beauty is also on the inside, and that’s what’s most important.

The verse in Proverbs refers to discretion which is translated taste, perception, intelligence(from E-sword's Strong's references).  A fair (beautiful) woman without these things is just like giving a pig a nose-ring.  I think this is pretty vivid, because a pig is a pig, and a nose-ring doesn’t change that.  Neither will someone’s looks make them any better than what they are inside.  The world so often wants us to believe otherwise, which is why from the beginning I would whisper into Emily’s ear, as she would lay her head on my shoulder, how much I loved her, how wonderful, and beautiful she was.  I have done the same for Joseph, telling him how handsome he is and when we pray before bedtime I always thank God for him and how much we love him.  I want to weave into their very being how valuable and precious they are, and not only to me, but also to our Heavenly Father.  I pray that no matter what the world may try to tell them or how it may attempt to devalue them, they will always know their worth.  But telling them that is not enough, I am also responsible to instill in them godly characteristics that will mold them into the godly young man and woman I pray they will grow up to be one day.  So I am very thankful for this teachable moment and that God brought to mind the right verse to turn this conversation into one I hope she will remember. 

God Always Takes Care of Us

It is amazing, how our youngest Joseph can turn something so simple such as walking into a safety hazard.  Last Wednesday afternoon I had just gotten his big sister Emily into her bed for a nap and before I laid him down for a nap I decide to Mhmm...take care of some business.  So he follows me into the bedroom, just hanging out with Mommy, and he's just walking around....thump, thump, thump, thud, WAHHHHH!  So I hurry up rush out of the bathroom where he is just a few feet away, grab him up and begin to asses the damage.  At first I couldn't figure out where he was hurt, but I knew he was, then I saw what looked like a small scratch just above the outside corner of his left eye.  Sitting him on the bathroom counter I looked him over and discovered the scratch was a gash.  He stopped crying soon after and whimpered only occasionally.  But I was an absolute mess.

 "Emily! Get up!  Come here!  Get your shoes on!"  I was yelling for her to get up,yelling for her to hurry.  Trying to calm down I told her Joseph hurt himself and we had to take him to the hospital.  We hurried out to the car, got buckeled in and headed down the road to the hospital.  While on the way I asked Emily to sing to her brother and talk to him because it was his naptime and he kept turning his head to the side trying to go to sleep.  She was so great singing in the back, clapping her hands along as she sang.  He even laughed a time or two at her.  While we waited the two played.  At one point the nurse came in to talk to me.  As we talked, I noticed out of the corner of my eye Emily quickly began stuffing toys and coloring pages back into my purse. After the nurse left I asked her what she was doing(thinking she might want to play or color more) to which she replied, "getting ready to go."  Listening to the conversation, she thought we were getting ready to leave and was helping get ready.  We waited a bit longer and the two attending nurses came back in to put in a couple of stitches.  I had Emily sit down at the front of the room while I sat near the bed and held onto Joseph's foot.  I don't think it made much of a difference to him, he was too busy screaming while they held him down and stiched up the corner of his eye.  But I wanted to hold him, even in all the commotion and that was all I could hold onto for the moment.  One nurse held him down while the other stitched him up.  The one holding him down began to sing in an attempt to calm the him.  Emily chimed right in singing one of the tunes she learned in school.  I started boo-hooing because although everything was allright it was still just so awful.  We were supposed to be home, snug in our own beds, not all three spending our afternoon in the ER on a hospital bed.  And then they were done. I picked Joseph up held him close and kissing him, whispered, "You did so great, I love you so much."  Emily looked at me and asked if he was going to be okay, "Yes baby," I replied "he's just fine, God always takes care of us."  In that moment I was literally eating my own words.  See earlier in the week my husband and I were having a conversation, I was worried about some things and commented how I wouldn't be suprised if this or that happened.  I wasn't giving God much of a chance to take care of us, and He lovingly reminded me of this, I knew it in my heart and shortly after the conversation asked for forgiveness.  One the way home from the ER I realized the profoundness of those few comforting words I had spoken to Emily, "God always takes care of us."  And He does.  I also realized how something I already knew, (but it's always a delight to be reminded) how amazing my kids, the kids God gave me, are.  Joseph with his royal blue stiches, underneath a bandage covering half of his eyelid and eyebrow, came home with as much energy as if he had been naping all along.  Madalynn was such a big help with her songs, and attempts to get us ready to go.  Although I tried to call my husband home from work to watch her, I am glad she came along with us, she was such a blessing to my heart that day.  Just as I was holding onto Joseph screaming and crying as they stitched him up, I know my Heavenly Father was holding onto me in my pain and distress.


I have been holding onto this one for awhile, I had it written, but it didn't seem finished.  You know Jesus took care of so many people in the Bible, but there is one story that I think is just so tender and sweet.  He was fully God in nature, and yet he was also fully man in nature.  I think this account so strongly speaks of his manhood.  I was reading the other night in John 19, around verses 25-30.  This is where Jesus is on the cross, shortly before His death.  In verse 25 we are told that His mother was standing near Him at the cross.  I can't imagine seeing one of my babies in such a state and not being able to do anything to help make it better. In the next verse He saw His mom and one of His disciples whom He especially loved standing by.  He then in the next two verses and two simple statements, "Woman, behold thy son!" to His mom, and to the disciple, "Behold, thy mother!", ensured His mom would be taken care of when He was gone.  Shortly after in verse 30, His work was finished and He "gave up the ghost."  As I read this my heart was so moved, I actually teared up.  I think this is one of the most tender stories of Jesus in the Bible.   As I was reading I was reminded of this story I had been holding onto.  I remembered how my heart swelled in the ER that day when I noticed that Emily had gathered up our things and was helping to get ready to go.  How sweet that was that she was trying to help me.  I also remembered the powerful words I spoke to her as we left, "God always takes care of us."  Those words are life to those who believe in Him, they are sustenance, for that is how we still are, because He keeps us so.

"Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.  When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!  Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.  After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.  Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.  When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost."                                   John 19:25-30

Whose are you?

Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 

One of my favorite stories to tell of Emily when she was around two and a half.  She was in the kitchen as was I, and I can't remember what we were doing but she hurt her hand.  And like kids typically do she held out her hand to me to make it better.  So of course I kissed her hand and loved on her a bit.  Just after I let her go, a thought popped into my mind, I'm not sure how clean that hand was.  So I kind of  wiped my mouth off, as if that would really make a difference.  Then I look down at Emily and she's looking at her hand where I had just kissed it and she wipes my kiss off on her pants!  I couldn't help but laugh, because in that moment(as if I hadn't already known) I thought, "yep, she's mine."  I think the story is funny and have told it several times.  Those who know me know that germs and I have, well, a relationship of sorts.  The kind where one of us generally runs away screaming. Preferably it's them. 


I sat and pondered this today as I was lying down with Emily at naptime.  And the simple thought comes to mind...I am the King's daughter.  Every little girl dreams of being a princess.  Well I am.  My Father is The King of Kings, the God of the universe.  But do other's know He's mine, and I am His?  I tell Emily often, that she's beautiful when she's in her pj's, when her hairs not brushed, and even when she's all dressed up for church.  And when we talk about being a princess I remind her that she needs to act like one, as should I.  Consider your words, your actions, your thoughts, your influence.  Can others tell who you belong to?