So Here's The Deal.......

Greetings and Holykisses,

No words.
I've just had no words.

Until today!
:)

God's been using a few Christian women, to really speak truth into my heart the last few days. It all started with beauty, but it wasn't all lipstick n rouge. (Although it was some of that as well.) I was reminded about true beauty, and how God really does say a lot about our looks and how we should dress in His word. Funny how His timing is so perfect because, all the things I heard, interconnected as well with the "Women of the Bible" bible study we've been having here at the house. You see; last week, our lesson covered Eve, and also Lydia the seller of purple!

We're told in Acts 16 that Lydia was a seller of purple cloth. I don't think the bible says this; but I wonder if Lydia wore purple as well or merely sold it? The coolest thing about her to me is Lydia worshiped God, and He opened her heart. -I'm just guessing, but Lydia being one of God's girls;... I figure she was a proverbs 31 woman. Her character sure points to that.

Scripture tells us that the Proverbs 31 woman was clothed in fine linen and purple (vs 22) and (v25) says she was also clothed with strength and dignity. These ladies were beautiful inside and out don't you think? Verse 30, goes on to say that "Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised."

The Word has introduced me to several beautiful Sisterchicks. Sarah, ...Rebekah,...Esther,.. Rachel;- among... others. It's so interesting to me that even though Esther was beautiful to begin with, she had to go through 12 months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women. 6 months with oil of myrrh, and 6 with perfumes and preparations for beautifying women before she could be presented to the King. It takes me about a half hour in the bathroom every morning to get ready for the day. This is how long it takes to shower, deodorize, brush my teeth, rub in Oil of Olay, brush on the Bare Minerals, spray Amazing Grace, and blow dry, and straighten unruly hair.*- sometimes longer. --My thoughts even now keep wandering to the beautiful Esther: In this society, I could never measure up by the worlds standards. But maybe Esther didn't feel like she was good enough either? Maybe in some ways, her world and ours wasn't so very different?

Women in general go to great lengths trying to look a certain way, and yet without any of that God loves us. He's not looking to see if our accessories match, .... nor checks the label on our handbag. He says, we're wonderfully made! So as I look back on the past week, and things I've read, heard and learned, I realize more than anything one important truth. What we look like to others, or wear is just ... man's opinions. I agree some colors etc may look better on us than others, but it's still: human preference... Your way of putting on makeup, may not be my way. And vice versa. Your products, and things you like ... --I may not. -- As for dress; I happen to like to wear my beat- up, old "fat baby" cowboy boots. I know the Fashionistas of the world would frown on them These boots have many miles on them; and often have cow manure stuck to the bottoms; yet they serve me well! They're my Jerusalem Cruisers; ... my gospel shoes, and I even wear them to the grocery store! I happen to like them; my husband likes them, and they get cleaned up before I go places.

Oh; there's another fashion no no I keep thinking of: There's this favorite tshirt I wear several times a week. It has a white bleach stain on the back now, but now more than ever it's my most favorite shirt. I didn't throw it away when it got the big spot on the back of a shoulder. It was still valuable to me. It still had worth. The white spot now reminds me that Jesus washes us whiter than snow. - And, when I wear it, I don't even have to see the stain. It's BEHIND ME! I'm moving forward yall,.... even though
I know OTHER PEOPLE can see my stain.

Okay, thank GOD for this last verse because this is where GOD really, really really really speaks to me: It's in 1 Samuel when God had Samuel go out to the House of Jesse to find and anoint the next King. Samuel looked on Jesse's sons and thought "Surely the Lord's anointed stands here before the LORD." vs 6.

"But the LORD said to Samuel, do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7

Real beauty goes far deeper than skin. Real beauty is all the way through... from the inside out. "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my Mother's womb." Psalm 139:13

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well." Psalm 139:14

Oh, and I have to share with you a cool thing God did to give me affirmation: This is but another way, that He's lavished His love on me. He's so good!!!
I have a friend in Texas that I met blogging, and we know God purposed our paths to cross.
While I was meditating on God's idea of beauty,... this had come in the mail from my friend.

"Which Girl does Jesus love?"
She made it for me, and said to hang it from my rear view mirror. Notice the PURPLE heart?

Man looks at the outward appearance.

But my LORD
looks at my heart...
and ....He loves me!
And can I just say?
He Hearts
you
too.