Picture Perfect.

I am a girl.

Yeah, I know, I'm definitely stating the obvious. And because I'm a girl, I'm attracted to pretty things. In reality, I think everyone, regardless of gender, is attracted to pretty things or things/people they find beautiful, but I think females are more obvious about it.

Today, Matt and I were running errands, looking for clothes (just jeans for him) because it was tax-free weekend in Arkansas for back-to-school clothes and school supplies. I had been wanting to find a maxi skirt that would actually look good on me, because they rarely do, so Matt willingly went with me to a few more shops so I could possibly find one. I tried on a few at several stores, even before today, and had found none that looked good on me. The last shop we went to was filled with really cute clothes that reflected the newest styles coming out. At last, I found a maxi skirt that looked promising! I went into the dressing room to try it on. I tried on one size, and it didn't look right. So, being hopeful, I tried on the next larger size. It fit me better, but still didn't fit right. I looked at myself in the mirror for a good 3 minutes or so while I argued inside my head: should I get it, or should I put it back on the rack? The more I kept looking at myself, the more it just didn't look right on me, so I ended up not getting it. Not a big deal, right? It happens to everyone.

We got in the car, and I started thinking to myself: "Why did I have to have such big hips?" and "Why didn't my body look 'right'?" were popping up like a virus in my mind. It was as if I was supposed to be able to fit that skirt, but I had somehow failed. Thoughts of "I need to exercise more, that will fix me", etc. also filled my mind, like I needed to fix my body.

I have always had a low image of myself. I know everyone went through an awkward phase in their life, but I feel like mine lasted longer and was way more awkward than most people. I didn't have a lot of friends in middle school, and I was made fun of for how I looked. I was the tallest girl in my class, and I was not thin. I had braces for a little over 3 years, and had a really bad haircut that was always greasy all the time.

Over the years, little by little, I've gotten over my awkwardness, grown up, and gotten somewhat over the need to look drop-dead gorgeous. But I still have my moments when I struggle. However, I know I'm not alone.

Women young and old have always felt the need to be beautiful. What we desire most is to be looked at as a goddess. We want to BE desirable and to be cherished and loved. So what do we invest ourselves in? Makeup. Clothes. Shoes. Nail polish. Teeth whitening trays. Curling irons and hair straighteners.

Don't get me wrong, I've really started appreciating dressing nicer and wearing/experimenting with makeup and such. I think it's a ton of fun to go shop with friends and get all dressed up and the like. I don't think it's wrong to do those things either. But those things should express who YOU are, not what everyone else is doing. Not what society thinks is cool. If you really like something that's in style right now that isn't unflattering or something that makes men's eyes wander, then of course it's great! It's when your life is covered up: when what you're putting on your face, body, etc. is all a lie. If you're hiding from the real you, then what good is it? We don't get to know the really cool person beneath all of that stuff. I know Matt loves me for who I am, and so do my friends. I don't need to dress a certain way or wear my hair/makeup a certain way to get their approval or make them like me more. I know God loves me without all of those things, too. My family loves me. So, who do I need to impress anyway?

I know this is a message we've all heard since we were twelve. I know guys struggle with this as well. I also know that no matter how many times we get preached at, it's hard. We want to look good for other people so we'll be liked. OR, we don't like ourselves, so we change who we are completely.

Fashion changes. "What's in" changes. The person beneath doesn't. Or at least they shouldn't. 

Humility, gentleness, graciousness, love, joy, and above all, Christlikeness. Those are things that are purely contagious. Those are things that make a person attractive. 

If I don't like who God has created me to be, I'm pretty much just telling Him that what He created wasn't good enough.

Ouch.

Colossians 3:2 commands us: "Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." Things from earth in general are temporary. Will they matter in the eternal perspective? Of course not.

Ladies (and gents), let's focus instead more on training in godliness.