I work really hard to make sure I am not repeating negative things to myself when I look in the mirror. This is a habit I have been working on for many years. There was a point in my life that God made it clear to me that he didn't appreciate me insulting his creations, and that I am one of his creations. Sometimes, however, it is a hard habit to enforce. Sometimes, I get up in the morning and I have only negative and whiny things to mutter at the mirror. Sometimes, I look in the mirror and see that awkward teenager again, with ears that stick out, an overbite, freckles, an overly long neck, and a dash of orange hair to call attention to it all. On those days, I content myself with either silence, rehearsed words, or sometimes a song that was on a cassette we listened to often throughout childhood, "God made me like I am, a special God design. Everything God made is good, I'm really very fine..."
Yesterday was one of those mornings. I especially struggle with thinking nice thoughts about myself on days where I'm suffering from an onslaught of acne. Ten years ago, I thought this battle would be over, and it is really quite disheartening at times to realized it's almost as bad as it was then. To add to this, i wasn't feeling well. This morning, I contented myself with silence(a common occurrence the earlier in the morning it is), put on mascara and sunscreen, got ready for church, and left. I am new at church, so I still cringe a little when the leader says, "Go ahead and stand and greet those around you." Usually, I march in and find an empty spot, and ask if they mind my sitting there, because I hate to sit alone. Feeling lurkish, I had chosen a seat on an empty aisle, in the last row of the section, on the far side of the church. So, upon the order to greet people, I did the necessary standing up, intending to wait a few seconds and sit down to simmer in the funk again. It didn't work.
One of the older women who first welcomed me into the church saw me, and crossed the room to give me a hug. That felt good. Then, the woman who really was the first person to welcome me, hurried over shortly afterwards to give me a hug. That felt good too. I started thinking maybe, in spite of my bad attitude, I might just surface for some of this cheerful air. Then, she placed her hand on my face, and leaned in as if to tell me a secret, and whispered, "You're so pretty!" She smiled and looked me directly in the eyes, and then it was time to sit down.
It was a good thing it was time to sit down, because the compliment caught me so off guard, a slight breeze might have knocked me over. Were I the crying sort, I might have done so. Instead, I just marveled. All of a sudden, I felt pretty again. It was as if she had reached into the mud pit, and pulled me out by my scruff, sprayed me down, and left me in the warm summer sun to drip dry. It felt blissfully good. And realizing the fact that God loved me enough to put that on her agenda, felt equally good.
Compliments are strange things in our culture. Usually, we brush them off, because we are pretty sure it was just the polite thing to say, or something a person had to say to fulfill their duty as friend, mother, or some other relative. When good manners do not call for a compliment and we truly feel that it is genuine, it is amazing the impact a compliment can make. It can make a day. Often we think good things about each other, but don't say them, because it would feel awkward. The compliment that pulled me out of my pit was a good wholesome reminder that I should also be on the look out for opportunities to encourage others. After all, I'll never know just how much a person might need it at that moment.
"A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver." Proverbs 25:11
I don't know if this situation is what Solomon meant this verse for, but I feel like maybe I needed an apple yesterday, and someone was kind enough to provide it.
Yesterday was one of those mornings. I especially struggle with thinking nice thoughts about myself on days where I'm suffering from an onslaught of acne. Ten years ago, I thought this battle would be over, and it is really quite disheartening at times to realized it's almost as bad as it was then. To add to this, i wasn't feeling well. This morning, I contented myself with silence(a common occurrence the earlier in the morning it is), put on mascara and sunscreen, got ready for church, and left. I am new at church, so I still cringe a little when the leader says, "Go ahead and stand and greet those around you." Usually, I march in and find an empty spot, and ask if they mind my sitting there, because I hate to sit alone. Feeling lurkish, I had chosen a seat on an empty aisle, in the last row of the section, on the far side of the church. So, upon the order to greet people, I did the necessary standing up, intending to wait a few seconds and sit down to simmer in the funk again. It didn't work.
One of the older women who first welcomed me into the church saw me, and crossed the room to give me a hug. That felt good. Then, the woman who really was the first person to welcome me, hurried over shortly afterwards to give me a hug. That felt good too. I started thinking maybe, in spite of my bad attitude, I might just surface for some of this cheerful air. Then, she placed her hand on my face, and leaned in as if to tell me a secret, and whispered, "You're so pretty!" She smiled and looked me directly in the eyes, and then it was time to sit down.
It was a good thing it was time to sit down, because the compliment caught me so off guard, a slight breeze might have knocked me over. Were I the crying sort, I might have done so. Instead, I just marveled. All of a sudden, I felt pretty again. It was as if she had reached into the mud pit, and pulled me out by my scruff, sprayed me down, and left me in the warm summer sun to drip dry. It felt blissfully good. And realizing the fact that God loved me enough to put that on her agenda, felt equally good.
Compliments are strange things in our culture. Usually, we brush them off, because we are pretty sure it was just the polite thing to say, or something a person had to say to fulfill their duty as friend, mother, or some other relative. When good manners do not call for a compliment and we truly feel that it is genuine, it is amazing the impact a compliment can make. It can make a day. Often we think good things about each other, but don't say them, because it would feel awkward. The compliment that pulled me out of my pit was a good wholesome reminder that I should also be on the look out for opportunities to encourage others. After all, I'll never know just how much a person might need it at that moment.
"A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver." Proverbs 25:11
I don't know if this situation is what Solomon meant this verse for, but I feel like maybe I needed an apple yesterday, and someone was kind enough to provide it.
Caitlin, I thought I had read all your posts when I first came to your blog, but apparently ran out of time and didn't get to them all.
ReplyDeleteI love this one.
I pray that today I will speak some "apt" words to someone. And of course, I thought of our Compassion kids when reading this.... just thinking how our words may lift them up in the same way.... makes me want to go write some "aptly spoken" to them.
But first. Some housework. :-(
Linda T. from OC