“If only our eyes saw souls instead of bodies, how different would our ideals of beauty be.”

I recently saw this quote on Facebook and absolutely fell in love with it!  It couldn’t have come at a better time since I’m struggling to get on the “eat clean” bandwagon and trying to work out more…but, of course, I am!!  It’s January, isn’t it?!?!?!

UGH!!!  In the last few years my body has decided to wage war against me and I feel helpless against this attack!

Unless you’re over 40, you might not understand how much your body can change overnight.  Not only is it harder to maintain or lose weight, but you CRAVE the crap that’s causing you to gain it in the first place!  What the heck?!?!?!

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. Isaiah 40:8

The battle of the bulge is real and I haven’t figured out yet what to do about it!!!  Grrr…  Why can’t broccoli taste like chips and queso?  I just don’t get it!

Like most people, I place a lot of emphasis on how I look, so figuring out what I can and cannot eat going forward is something I’m committed to learning because I really don’t want to buy a larger wardrobe.

Not that I’m obsessed with my looks (anyone who has seen me on the weekends can attest to the fact that I clearly don’t care that much), but I do have a standard in my head that I’m trying to live up to and right now I’m failing miserably.

The problem is not that I want to look my best, but that I spend more time worrying about the muffin top than I do on things like loving God’s people, getting to know God better, or fixing my heart on Godly desires.

Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. 1Peter 3:3-4

It’s no secret that outside beauty fades with time, but the beauty of our hearts defines what kind of lives we lead and the type of people we really are.

I want to live a beautiful LIFE!!

Unfortunately, our culture places value on slim figures and perfect features, where God places value on gentle and quiet spirits.  What a dichotomy!!!

The right answer is that I need to get my priorities straight!

Eating right and working out aren’t bad things, but they aren’t the most important things.

In fact, I’ve always thought that a smile can change the beauty of a person’s face (regardless of what they look like) and that smile comes from within and has nothing to do with their waistline.

Plus, we all know those handsome people who get uglier the more we get to know them!  Who wants to be that?  Not me!

So in order to live that beautiful life, I guess I need to watch what I eat so I can be healthy, exercise so I can feel good, read my Bible to learn how to live, and talk to God to make sure I’m on the right path.

Placing the emphasis on a beautiful heart will last an eternity, where working only on our outside attractiveness is a losing battle because of age anyway!!!

What one are you spending your time on?

Some Wisdom for Today:  Proverbs 31:30 – Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.