Beauty in the real

This morning as I ran, I was fading fast.  This was a short run...only three miles but the run was hard.  As I willed myself to continue running, I saw something red "escaping" through the brown leaves and branches.  It was on the ground and caught my eye for just a moment. 

I quickly realized that it was the most beautiful red bird I had ever seen.  Although I had my ear buds in listening to music, I found myself saying "No little bird, don't hide, you're so beautiful." 

As I continued running, I wondered why that little bird was hiding.  I was concentrating on it's beauty not it's fear or apprehension of me.  The thought of how beautiful it was would just not leave me.  I kept thinking of how God had made it with such bright colors and so beautiful!

My thoughts quickly went to my life and how I hide if I am "not in my full state."  You know it....if you're at the grocery store and you're not wearing make up or you're sporting the most faded, maybe torn running gear.  I'm the worlds best at hiding in the most inconspious aisles until I can make my get away. 

During the episode with the running bird, I thought of a picture I saw on facebook.  My  friend Lindsay Witham, also my former Women's Ministry Director, posted a picture of herself.  She also teaches a Ladies Bible study and I assumed by the post that her picture [pre-makeup] had to do with her class.  The picture simply said something like  "keeping it real." 

I thought "Wow, that takes courage."  I could not do that.  I come from a generation were my mother advised us to greet our husband in the morning only after we were "cleaned up and made up." That means "full make up." Of course time and generations changed that. 

Anyway, when I saw Lyndsay's picture I thought "How cool that she recognizes her beauty even in her real state."  I am uncomfortable with my real state.  That day, I continued seeing more photos displayed of women  "keeping it real."   I remember saying "Whoa! Ladies, ladies, what are you doing?  You are letting people see the real you!" "No!" that is reserved for me and my "close" circle.

This morning, as that story came to mind, I remembered a scripture from Psalm 139 where it says "You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb..."  While I have characteristics from my mom and my dad, I want the real me to look like my Heavenly Father.  He knows the real me.  No make up, no facades, no pretension, just me like he created me. 

While he formed our eyes, he didn't choose eye shadow colors, and he gave us specific colored eyes  which many have changed with contacts.  He gave us eyelashes which women often change with adhesive lashes and so on and so on. 

I am grateful for all these ladies that had no fear of showing their real state.  In my Father's eyes, beauty is in the real!  I don't want to be like the little bird running, hiding from others I want to display the love of God just the way he made me. 

So if you see me in the store with no make-up or in faded, worn clothes, I won't run....just know "I'm keeping it real!"

I know full well my frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.  When I was woven together in the depts of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body...Psalms 139:15-16

Thank you Lindsay Witham