We all know beauty fades and won’t last forever!  The outside is not what’s important it’s what’s inside! Beauty means to me, having a heart that is pure and full of love. Have you ever met a drop dead gorgeous woman or man that you were like star stuck by, to only find out they were an arrogant, selfish, or a hateful person. I sit and hear people talk all the time about other people saying things like, did you see that person, look at that outfit she had on, or did you see her picture.  Did we stop and take a look inside that persons heart or soul to find out how amazing they are? You better be asking yourself how you can start to love others and yourself with a pure love and not one that is wrapped around beauty on the outside, because in a blink of an eye you can lose it all! I have heard of women one day having the most amazing hair, and the next day losing it all because of their chemo treatments. I have heard of many stories where tragic accidents happen and peoples looks are altered drastically forever. See beauty and hair don’t matter when you are fighting for your life, it’s to live one more day and make more memories with your loved ones.

I spent the whole Easter weekend with my amazing, strong, independent, and absolutely beautiful five sisters. When the time had come to take a sister photo we took one and that was it. I later on looked at the photo to see how horrible my hair looked and the way I was standing was not flattering whatsoever, but guess what I posted it even though it was not flawless.  It was about the memories and not the way we all looked. I did have a hard time wanting to post it which seemed silly to me, but I pushed past that feeling and did it anyways. That very night my sister texted me saying can you take down the one of she and I, and I was like nope, because it was all about the memories and not the perfect picture. She was like okay no worries. So that tells me we all struggle with this idea of letting go and just living life not always filtered. I promise the world is not as hard as you are on yourself.

So the very next day, I am back with my family and we are taking Easter pictures, and of course we took one of all of the sisters together again. The photos were on my sisters camera and she posted the photos on her Facebook page the next day for me to see the one’s of myself and almost die! I know for a fact I am not pregnant, and I have a super flat stomach, but the photo sure looks like I have an alien in my stomach the way my dress was laying. I can’t imagine what it would have looked like if I had taken it after we ate Easter dinner! Just kidding, but for real,  I literally wanted her to immediately take it down so I messaged her and she was like what do you mean I was too busy looking at how amazing your legs were to worry about zooming in to see what your talking about! I promise that was such a hard picture to see but again I know it’s because God is trying to tell me something about not caring so much about what I look like or better yet what others think of my outside appearance. I think God was trying to teach me something about vanity by having all these photo mishaps.  Did you know that vanity is a Sin! Yes “vanity” means that something is meaningless. It has no value, and therefore, it is a waste of time to chase after it. You heard that right it is a waste of time. Here’s the one of me looking a hot mess and I am even letting the world see all the flaws! I just don’t care, or better yet,  I am learning not to care so much about the things that don’t matter.

I just know I am feeling called to share this and I am hoping it blesses someone out there who is trying to be perfect in the worlds standards. I have news for you not one person is flawless! I have never liked my feet, my boney knees, my nails, or my one ear lobe that has a larger earring hole. Nine years in Mary Kay were I wore huge heavy earrings that made one of my holes larger. I have decided to just embrace being healthy, living a balanced lifestyle, and loving God with all my heart and soul. It is far more important than to strive for perfection you cannot obtain. Someone will always have better hair, a better body, better lips and can dress better than you so why even try.  God gave me a slogan I have always lived by since I was fifteen years old, “JUST BE YOU” ! I even had a license plate that had that on it! If you went to high school with me at Loudoun Valley High School you would know what I am talking about!