thank each of you that fb messaged, emailed and commented yesterday.
i climbed into bed last night exhausted and really sore
after two days of working out in the morning and then again in the evening.
i'm heading out on a hike as soon as i press the publish button.
i pulled up a design blog and saw images of gorgeous ( slender of course)
women in amazing clothes, fabulously styled hair
and incredibly high heels.
i think i slumped a little when i saw the images.
i started thinking about my recent emotional/workout/whatever slump
& realized
that we all can so easily get tangled up in the "be all things to all people" game.
the mom who looks and dresses fabulously,
keeps the gorgeous home
cooks these amazing, healthy, green, fiber full meals
never has a fuss with a friend
meets sales quotas
has increasing blog readership
recites philosophy, literature and scripture.
whose husband finds her increasingly sexier the older she becomes...
the whole package....to all people....all the time.
it's just natural to want to be the best we can be
at all things.
to be good stewards and make good choices
for our smiles and our waistlines to be proof of those.
so last night i even looked at dan & said...
you sure you think i'm gorgeous?
aren't you disappointed with me?
he has loved me the same no matter how i look, how i act
what i do and don't do.
i'm not sure how he loves so unconditionally but he does
& somehow, the later on that list above, he does. or at least he's a great liar!
i'm reading "choose joy" by kay warren
& last night, in my sore achy slumpy self
i read the following:
"Your God is there with you. the warrior-Savior.
He will rejoice over you with happy song,
he will renew you by his love,
he will dance shouts of joy for you"
zeph 3.17
she goes on to say...
"he doesn't just smile at you...he sings and dances with shouts of joy for you.
he knows all about you.
he knows how often you fail to get it right,
he knows the times you earnestly desire to shine like a star on a dark night
but don't quite make it.
he knows the truest intentions of your heart
he sees when you're trying....
he knows what no one else will ever know.
&
his response to all he sees within you....
he dances for you with shouts of joy!"
wow.
so this morning,
i'll dust myself off
take two aleve
& head out to exercise.
i won't let those yucky thoughts try to rob my joy today.
whether or not i make a healthy green meal or not
have a great day
& remember
He's smiling at you
no matter what you do today
no matter what you accomplish
no matter ...
He's smiling at you
:)
Posts
27 comments:
Oh Amen. Amen Amen Amen All we can do is try to be our best every day. And some days won't be as good as other days. Love you girl. Thanks for the good word.
Love this Paige. Your wisdom helps me and so many other people. I sure hope He smiles and the "trying" part cause I sure do fail at the accomplishing part a lot!!!
While I do always want to better myself as a person...I do not get caught up in comparing myself to others I don't think I could blog if I did. God gives us all our gifts and our weaknesses for a reason. We are perfectly imperfectly designed. So I know I'll never be that perfect blend of Martha Stewart/sexy/playful Mom/interior designer/gourmet cook/brilliant writer/fashionista etc... I can be the best me God intended me to be though....if I lean on HIM to get me there.
Hope you are feeling GREAT today. I just finished my exercise and am sipping my strawberry smoothie:) You go girl!!!
Awwww -- love this post! Thanks for sharing. You are amazing!
You've just made my day! It's so lovely to hear that people feel the same way as I do sometimes and that there can be comforting and wise words to bring me out of a 'slump'. Your words have been VERY timely - exactly what I needed to hear. Thank you!!
Paula x
Thanks for inspiration! I'm going to remember this today as I'm out making sales calls trying to build my business & think to myself I'm good & being smiled on from above! Blessings to you & yours!
thanks for sharing this! i am fighting right now to be the best to and for everyone...and failing. but i love that He sees me, and still loves me. that is what i needed to hear. have a great hike.
What is it with us women, wanting to do all, be all and have it all?? Makes me crazy that I put that kind of pressure on myself!!! Thank you for the timely word and YOU CAN DO THiS! We all hit slumps. THankfully you recognized it and are conquering it - power to the she, sister!!
On of my absolute FAVE scriptures! I've been struggling with the same things lately. I've worked so hard since January & have lost 20 lbs. but I see one picture that's not so pretty and I get so discouraged...thinking..."I've worked so hard & I still look like THAT!" makes me wanna shove food in my face & avoid the gym all together...but I won't...I can't...it's not a life God has called me to. He's transforming me and I have to do my part! I can't give up. So...thanks for the encouragement...thanks for reminding me that God delights in my...He sings & dances for Joy over me!!
Keep it up sweet friend! I believe in you :-)
YES! SO grateful that God spoke to you and revealed once again His joy for you. He's so good!!! Thank you for sharing as we all can use that reminder.
Just wondering if you have had your thyroid checked? I feel silly asking a nurse that question, but it can be responsible for a lot of those same symptoms. Love the scriptures you have shared. One of my faces is the "lift you up on wings of eagles" verse.
OK, that was not supposed to be "faces" but auto-correct won't let me shorten "favorites" (shakes fist at computer!)
you are that girl..to me ,you have it all..a adoring husband, beautiful girls, your talent and gifts, your health , you are that girl that we all think WOW!
Thank you, thank you for these lovely thoughts. I needed this today.
exactly! so true - great reminder too!
have been feeling a bit similar lately - not exactly in the same ways as you but struggling to feel that I am enough. And realizing that we cannot be all things to ALL people! Its not possible, at least for me - I have to be ALL to Him and to me, then my kids after that, I don;t worry!
Big Hug Paige!
xoTiffany
Now you are talking......that is so true. You are beautiful in all our eyes. (((((HUGS)))))
Oh and I should add - it is exhausting too - trying to be ALL things and I have found that when I settle into who I am and what I need to do - it feels SO much better - joy and peace surround me and exude from me!
xoTiffany
eh perfect is so overrated! i was praying this morning and i said- God, you know this might be all I do right today, don't cha. LOL! I like to think He winked at me, with the- that's good enough. LOL
Love ya sister friend.
xo
I bet Dan doesn't look quite the same as when you first met, a few more grey hairs maybe, times of being slender and times of being a bit fluffy. Bet you have never cared one bit and have always found him handsome. THAT is how he loves you so. The way that you love him.
I really admire you (you want to lose weight and feel less sluggish, so you DO something about it and workout REALLY hard) but I am also a little worried about you. That sounds like an awful lot of working out, I think you can overdo it. Perhaps you just need to do different excercise than what you have done for years, I hear yoga is wonderful . . .thinking about taking it upmyself as I know 3 women who have transformed their bodies, and I do mean transformed, and they feel great.
I always feel sluggish when the heat really hits.
Louise
I so needed this today! Thank you Paige!
What a wonderful post my friend and by the way I think you are one of the most gorgeous mums I know...Loving you sweetie xo
AMEN..
Wow Paige! How did you know I needed to hear these words today! Well, everyday lately! He is working through you and I am so thankful for that! I think you look great! Wish we lived closer, I could use a good a workout buddy! He is smiling and so am I:)
love the encouragement mom. you're wonderful.
xoxo
What an awesome post! Love it. :)smile.
jodi
Oh, Paige, this is one of your best posts ever. You touched on so many points. I just complete a blog series on body image and feeling worthy. I'm now more conscious of everyone's feelings of unworthiness now across Blogland... across real life.
I cling to the words of a man once emailed to my husband - "Never forget that your identity is only in what Christ secured for you on the cross."
Whew.
Awwww... Beautiful!!!!
I am sorry I missed your other post, I was here, trying to reach perfection (but not quite achieving it...)!!!
I also read in a book recently, that if we are not well with ourselves it is because we are distant from God, as WE are part of HIM and HE loves as just the way we are. Sometimes things happen and we distance ourselves but like today you are closer to HIM and loving yourself more... Dan sounds like a great guy... Hugs
I havealways felt that I could never quite measure up to the vision of the perfect woman in my head. Lately, things have gotten increasingly more difficult and tonight has been especially hard. Thank you for these encouraging words. I needed them.
Ruth
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