Real talk, these are the thoughts I had when I saw this picture that my husband snapped of me last week:
“Dang, I need to lay off the burgers and go to the gym.”
“Look out, world…WIIIIIDE LOAD coming through!!!”
“Everything is bigger in Texas, including ME.”
“Why did I have to be built Ford tough? Why couldn’t God have made me small and dainty… GRACEFUL EVEN?!”
“WHY. Why on earth is my husband attracted to me?”
Wow. I hate admitting those thoughts, but I think they’re important to share… because we ALL have them.
(Yes, even “HER”… )
Instead of seeing the joy of the moment, the memory of the fun we had last weekend on our little Waco adventure; I saw a reason to give more power to my flaws and feed my insecurities and not enough-ness.
Now, there is growth in the fact that in the moment I brushed it off and didn’t let it put me in a funk and ruin my mood and my day; but a week later looking back at it, these thoughts returned with an even less forgiving vengeance.
Why do we always do this? Honestly we squeeze the joy out of our lives by nitpicking every less than perfect detail and in turn, we ruin many perfect moments and turn them into opportunities to spotlight our insecurities and let disappointment reign.
RUDE.
I don’t know about you but I don’t want to look back at photos and see the memories of my insecurity instead of recalling the joy of life’s experiences.
We are our own worst critics. We’re our own body’s cruelest bullies.
So you want to lose weight to be healthier? AWESOME! You should go for it! BUT do not be mistaken; what you lose in weight you will not gain in worth and value.
(( LOUDER FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK ))
What you lose in weight you will not gain in worth and value!
What’s more difficult than losing weight? Accepting and loving yourself at every size, jiggle, blemish, and struggle.
I believe the same thing is true in every area of life; God has a plan for you in the right here and now. That means whether you look more like a before or after photo, whether you are on a journey to becoming your best self or if you aren’t… you don’t have to wait for Him to use you. He has a plan for right now.
You know what else? At any size, shape, and level of health – you are His masterpiece! You are His creation, made in His image.
Tearing apart the painting doesn’t quite honor the artist, does it?
Let’s start speaking to ourselves kindly, as if speaking to a dear friend. Those thoughts I had in the beginning of this post – I would never in a million years have had about a friend!
Let’s give ourselves the same kind of grace.
What if we love our selves as unto the Lord the way that we love others?
It seems as if it could be another avenue to worship our creator… speaking life into His creation instead of picking apart what it isn’t.
Let’s quit untagging ourselves in unflattering Facebook pics… we all have them… make like Elsa and just let it goooo. Look at a photo and see beneath the surface, see what the Lord sees in us.
Let’s speak life and love to those parts of our body that we so easily find flaw with. I know it sounds silly… but I’ll go first!
An Open Letter To My Thighs…
Dear thick thunder thighs of mine,
I’m sorry for being such a bully to you. I’m sorry for calling you a trouble spot. You may jiggle more than I would prefer, but you have gotten me a lot of places in my 27 years of life.
Your lack of a gap has saved me from dropping my phone in the toilet multiple times… you keep me from getting knocked over in a windstorm… #fordtough
Seriously though, you’re a product of many good times spent with friends and deep conversations had while sitting in booths or couches and enjoying sweet, delicious carbs. (You simply can’t hold deep life conversations whilst running now can you? And nobody celebrates anything with Kale, I’m sorry.)
I will do my best to take care of you, to move you more, to lean you out, to make you a little firmer; but I will do it out of love, and I will not hate you in the meantime for being imperfect. You are a part of me. And I am part of God’s creation, and He doesn’t make mistakes.
Love, me.
Our words matter.
Studies show that children who grow up with parents who affirm their strengths and speak to them positively are often healthier and more successful than those that don’t.
Some people even believe that plants grow when spoken to kindly.
How then, do you think our thoughts about our bodies could change by altering the way we speak to ourselves?
Why not give it a try.
<3
Leave a Reply