Comfortable in Your Own Shoes...

Last night was another Monday Night Women's Fellowship at our church and another good night of fellowship with my girlfriends. The topic was also great and one I think all women can say they relate to. The topic was Being Comfortable in Your Own Shoes and the speaker was a woman from our church. She spoke about how we as women need to be happy/thankful with how God made us and not listen to the lies of Satan telling us that we are not good enough, beautiful enough, smart enough, thin enough, etc. She spoke about her long battle with Bulimia and how God brought her through it. She touched on alot of good points.

Now comes my soap box moment about something that's personal to me . I'm not one to give them often, and esp. on my blog, but it is such an important topic to me and I was talking to Ran when I got home last night that I really feel God has worked on me alot in this area (and he agreed) the year before Everlea came into our lives til present day. I say this especially to moms of girls, but I think it can pertain to both. The main thing I want to say is moms please don't put yourselves down in front off your girls. Specifically I mean by saying "boy do I look fat/ugly today" or fill in the blank ____________. One thing the speaker said last night (that was an affirming head nodding moment for me) was when you put yourself down physically or comment alot about needing/wanting to look better/different (she was saying in front of anyone but I'm specifically talking now in front of your girls), you are telling them, I'm not OK with myself, therefore, you shouldn't be OK with yourself either. And let me tell you girls pick up on this stuff at a young age. (a quick disclaimer here is I do think it's important to talk to our kids about the value of exercise and healthy eating but that's not really where I'm going with this)

Again this is something I've struggled with bigtime over my life, and probably always will on some level, but I knew once I had a girl I really needed to change in this area. Am I perfect? Absolutely not, and I know I say negative things about myself to Ran still (which she also convicted me on by saying we shouldn't do it with our husbands either, because they think we are beautiful and it's not our job to convince them otherwise. :) but I can say Everlea has never heard me say in front of her (as far as I know) that I felt I was fat, ugly, etc. In fact the other day she was working on her spelling and the word FAT came up and she said "what does Fat mean daddy?" I was in the room and it caught me by surprise that she needed a definition but then I smiled and said a little thank you to God cause I know he's protected her little mind so far from worrying about body image etc. and I thanked Him specifically that he worked on me in this area first (although she did say very out of the blue to me at the breakfast table a few weeks ago "Mommy I want big b___bies like you" OY VEY I can't believe they think about this stuff already!! we are so in trouble lol).

Will I be able to protect her forever, unfortunately not, I know this is a cruel and sin-filled world and what they deem as important will filter into her life esp. in the school years. Our culture is going to bombard her with the idea that outward beauty is of the highest value for a woman/girl. But, I as her mother vow to continue to do everything possible to help her love herself, ultimately by loving myself first and by me and her daddy (I think that's important too) telling her just how beautiful God made her and that she is "fearfully and wonderfully made".

Ok, I'm stepping off my box now, sorry, I know this was long, but a real important topic to me. :)