Redifining beautiful:)

Word of the Day: Beautiful: 1. ?

What image seems to come to mind when you think about the word beautiful?

Reeeally think about it?

When I think of the word beautiful, I see Kate Hudson. She is absolutely stunning! Everything from the blond, curly hairs on her head, down to her perfectly pedicured feet just shines!

Maybe for some of you teenagers, its a girl you see at school. You know, the type that seems to have it all: money, good looks, and has all the guys wrapped around her finger? And you wish you could get up in the morning, look into the mirror, and see her face.

Or you mom's out there? Do you ever wish you could go back to the days when you graduated from high school? Before you had to worry about relationships, children, making payments on time, or work? Back to the days when you felt you were in your prime, and now so many of you feel like you've just let it all go?

"Some days I like him. Most days I hate him. But I do have to admit, he's honest. He'll always tell me if I have food in my teeth or a booger in my nose. He isn't afraid to let me know if a certain shirt is too tight or if a color doesn't compliment my skin. I appreciate the honesty, but he is deceiving all the same. Deceiving because anytime he tells me, "Just get this cute shirt and feel better about yourself" or "Just lose five pounds and be forever happy," it doesn't work. I'm never good enough for him.

I try not to hang out with him too much, or else I can easily fall into his trap of discouragement- 'Jenna, I see that cellulite back there. Your skin is looking pretty oily these days. Those teeth need some whitening!' I try to block out his lies that tell me I'm not good enough, that I'm not beautiful, but its hard."

(Hmm, does this sound like anyone you know?)

"I'm sure you've all met him. He tends to pop up in all sorts of places: bathrooms, cars, department stores, gyms. And I'm sure you've felt some of these same insecurities when standing in front of him.

His name?

Mirror."

I know I've been in this place too many times to count. Girls today refer to magazines, commercials, and billboards to give them their definition of what beautiful really is. In fact, sometimes, I wonder is the word beautiful could ever describe me.

Here is the dictionary definition of beautiful:

Beautiful: adj. 1. having attractive qualities that give great delight or satisfaction to see, hear, think about, etc. 2. excellent of its kind. 3. particularly graceful, lovely, or pretty....

Hmm, it seems to me that mirror along with his partners in crime, TV and magazine determine what being beautiful really means. I feel that women struggle to see themselves as beautiful because of all of these definitions. We can get confused, caught up in them.

What we must realize is that mirror, TV, and magazine forgot the most important definition of all. what beautiful really means:

Beautiful: what God sees when he sees you.

Our fashion sense is not what makes us beautiful, nor does our body type, skin color, posture, make up, clothes, or hair.

We are all beautiful, and what helps make us beautiful is knowing that God loves us and sees us for who really truly are. He can see past all our wrongs, and years of wear and tear.

In this world, that we are presently living in, beauty is always accented by accessories. Having the coach purse, perfect boyfriend, or that new t-shirt from Forever 21. Whatever it may be, we use these things, to try and make ourselves feel better.

Now I'm not saying that accessorizing is a bad thing, its just how you go about doing it, and what you choose to accessorize with.

This is a list of my top eight Life Accessories and was inspired by Jenna Lucado!

1.) Security: trusting that no matter what, we have a God who loves us.

2.) Identity: in knowing who we are and whose we are.

3.) Value: knowing we are treasured.

4.) Love: knowing God's love for us so we can love others.

5.) Self- control: for making good decisions.

6.) Peace: in believing God is in control.

7.) Joy: in knowing the Source of all joy.

8.) Contentment: in who God made you to be.

I have found that wearing these accessories makes me beautiful inside and out! This week make it a personal challenge to stray from the lies and hoaxes we see and hear on television, in magazines, and in the mirror.

For myself, I know this will be a struggle, but with God, I can do anything. I've made it my personal challenge (and I know this will be something I'll need to work up to) and I really hope that together, we can find beauty inside and outside ourselves with our life accessories and most importantly...God!

I hope you have enjoyed my Monday motivator! Now go out there and so that mirror whose boss!

Yours Truly,

Caitlyn