Get Your Pretty On!

The other day while at the library looking for books on our geography study I stumbled upon this book, "Getting the Pretty Back" by Molly Ringwald. At first glance I didn't think it would be a good read. I passed it up. But then I started thinking about this book. I wanted something to read after the kids go to bed so I went back and picked it up. As I started reading the book, which by the way I recommend,  I thought to myself  "Hum, women seem to have an issue with being pretty." When we look at ourselves we see everything wrong with us. Society has a flawed vision of pretty and beauty. Why is that? Is it the size 2 model walking down the runway that makes us second guess how we look? Is it the Victoria Secret ad that came in the mail? 

Whatever the reason is can you stop and think of 5 things that make you feel pretty? As I was thinking about this post I thought of 5 things we can all do to make us feel pretty again.

1) Know that you are made in the image of God. A glorious and beautiful Lord! God sees you as a masterpiece.

Psalm 139:14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful!"

1 Samuel 16:7 "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart."

2) Say "Thank you!" Thank God everyday for the person He has made you. Thank people when given a compliment. Don't criticize yourself. You are criticizing the one who made you. 

3) Make Time! Ok moms. Let's get serious. I don't want to hear how you have kids and can't take a shower or whatever. I am a mom of 8 kids and I make time! I had a lady ask me one time after she found out I had 8 kids, "How is it possible that your hair, makeup and nails are always done? I have 2 kids and can't even find time to get a shower; let alone do my hair and makeup." I am not doing these things to be vain. I am doing these things because it makes me feel good about myself and when I feel good about myself I can conquer anything! 

4) Wrong Focus. If you are focused on the negative you will be negative. Try focusing on the positive things about yourself. I try not to focus on my size or the clothes that don't fit. Learn to dress the body you are in. Learn how to find clothes that minimize the things you don't like. 

5) Smile. Everyone can benefit from smiling. Clinically speaking smiling reduces stress, can put you in a better mood, and it's contagious. Smiling makes you pretty!

Ladies, don't look to man to make you feel pretty. Man will always fail you. Yet seek affirmation from your Heavenly Father. He made you pretty! He will never fail you. Deuteronomy 31:8 "The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."

So What Do You Do All Day?!?

Ok. Quite frankly I am tired of this. Since there is a lot going around now about stay-at-home-moms I thought I would give some people some insight of "What I do all day." I mean, I really sit around eating bon bons all day. HA!! Do they even make bon bons anymore? Anyway, I have been a working mother and I am now a stay-at-home-mom. I know what working women do. You are busy. You have quotas to meet. You have to balance. There is no right or wrong answer if you choose to work or stay home. The question is, are you doing what's best for your family? Women can tend to get so judgmental over one or the other. Should you judge the mother that doesn't do the same as you? If you are doing what's best for your family shouldn't you be content?

I know I am but it took me a long time to get here.

I did the whole work, go to school to better myself type thing with four kids at the time. It wasn't for me. I could not balance trying to work, go to school and have a family. I know there are women who do it and I applaud them. I know how hard it is. But when it comes to my calling I get, "So, what do you DO all day?" That question is a loaded one and it bothers me. You don't see me walking up to a working mother and asking the same question. That would be rude! And yet in our society women and men think it's OK to ask these sort of questions.

So what do I do all day/night?

Well I can't really tell you when my day starts and ends because I have a 5 month old and 2 toddlers that wake me up at night. I try to get started around 10:30am. I choose that time because my lovely 16 year old watches the kids so I can try to get 2 hours of uninterrupted sleep. He is amazing! Sorry I won't share ;) After I get up we try to get the littles situated so that we can start school. I try to do 2 kids at a time because this helps someone to be watching the littles while the others have my undivided attention. I am homeschooling my 16 year old all the way down to my 5 year old. This takes a while. Usually til around 4 pm. Sometimes later depending on if I have tests for the kids.

The house is usually trashed and looks like the tasmanian devil came through. There are at least 3 loads of laundry to wash, fold and put away, including cloth diapers. There is cereal on the floor and in a child's hair, dishes in the sink, legos everywhere, Thomas the train tracks anywhere my child thinks a track can go etc. Now this is light compared to most days. Just giving a little insight to things. It is around 4 pm when we have to clean up for daddy to come home. Sometimes we are successful with a clean house. Most times not!

So what am I? What do I do? I am a servant of God, wife, mommy, a teacher, a playmate, a nurse, a housekeeper, a laundry attendant, a referee all rolled into one. And it's 24 hours a day! I don't get vacations, sick leave or holidays off. About Parenting says: a stay-at-home-mom would get $117,856 yearly salary. Whoa!
It is more than a full time job. But do you want to know something? It is not just a JOB. At a job you are expendable. I am not expendable. I am really EVERYTHING to this family! Let's face it if my husband were to loose me he would have to hire a lot of help. And it wouldn't be cheap! So no this is not a job. This is a calling. This is a lifetime investment of little people that I get to love. I get to see them every waking moment and not miss a first step, or a first tooth, or learning how to read. I get to do all this! I get to be there kissing boo boos. And I wouldn't miss it for all the earthy things so many treasure. I am so Thankful to God and my husband to be able to have this privilege. Because it is a beautiful privilege.