Be-YOU-tiful

The more I reflect on our Blessed Mother, I am perplexed by how far we have all come from understand the true meaning of beauty. In the recent years, I realized that if you want to know what is most sacred in this life – look at what is most exploited by society. Feminine beauty is by far one of the most exploited creations I have seen in my short life time. Between the television shows, advertising commercials, billboards, magazines – the list goes on. Our society makes us think that our feminine beauty has a price tag on it – the greater your beauty, the more worth you have on your price tag.

The truth is – if we had a price tag on our feminine beauty – it would simply read – priceless. Why? Because we were all made uniquely in the likeness and image of our heavenly Father who fashioned us for His liking in His perfect image for a purpose in this world that only we can do! If we truly believe that our Father in heaven is perfect – we should in fact embrace the fact that we are perfect the way we are made – in our external and inner beauty.

Have you ever heard that beauty is in the eye of the beholder? Therefore – be “held” by God. For He tells us in the sacred scriptures that we are beautiful – therefore, if beauty is the eye of the beholder and you are beheld by God – you are be-YOU-tiful.

Regardless of how much makeup you put on, what you wear, or how you do your hair –there isn’t anything you can “make” yourself more or less beautiful than you already are.

If all women knew how beautiful they are inside and out – I believe the world would be a different place. If we knew we were loved, we wouldn’t waste time worrying about things that don’t matter. We wouldn’t waste so much time on our physical appearance – we would spend time working on our inner wardrobe. By working on our inner wardrobe we would love others better. By loving others better, it compels them to also know they are loved and in turn love others better. As a result, we have a domino effect of love. If everyone knew they were loved, would so much evil exist in the world?

May we all know – especially women – that we are LOVED – so we are able to fully let others around us know that they are in fact LOVED. So, BE-Loved and Be-YOU-tiful.

The MAGNAMIMOUS impact of being “little”

Observing the actions of a child may make it easy to see the importance of being little – whether it’s peeking through life with their big eyes of wonder, dancing and running with a care free spirit, or loving with a simple and pure heart – it reminds us of the importance of being little. If I so admire the qualities of children – why do I strive to be complex and big – even in a desire to impact the world and change it for the better?

This whole week at the clinic I kept brainstorming how I could use all the nutrition education and knowledge that I’ve learned to help the people in this community. Yet as I continue to seek and ask questions – trying to find a way to transfer my knowledge and education for the betterment of health of those around me – it seems as if the doors have yet to open.

 Slight frustration shed upon me until I spent the afternoon with about 15 children in their compound. As I sat next to three of the children – gently covered in dust, playing with a “Moto-car” that consisted of a juice bottle as the car, bottle caps as wheels and was pulled by a stick, or playing a combination of dodge ball and pickle in the middle with a ball of old and torn socks wrapped around plastic bags – I began to wonder why my “big” knowledge and education must always take precedence in my life.

 While playing in the compound – my three year old buddy Chimembo ran off into the road –that kid is fast. As I chase after him being the over-protective woman I am – I found myself running side by side with this three year old boy I just met – and feeling on fire for Christ – remembering those times in Columbus that I ran with a bunch of goofy Catholics or running my first half marathon side by side with my friend Dave. And this little boy’s impact on my life is one that he’ll probably never know of – he renewed my spiritual fire to run the race for Christ and reminded me the importance of remaining little.

 This little boy – in this little way – impacted my life – in such a magnanimous way! If such a small and little experience could have a profound impact on me – why must I always seek and search out complicated and complex ways to help? What a blessing to be little!