True Beauty

I found this poem in the sidebar at "Making Jesus my Pearl":


THE BEAUTY OF A WOMAN
Author unknown

The beauty of a woman;
Is not in the clothes she wears,
The figure that she carries;
Or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman;
must be seen from in her eyes,
Because that is the doorway to her heart,
The place where love resides.

The beauty of a woman;
is not in a facial mole,
But true beauty in a woman;
Is reflected in her soul.

It is the caring that she lovingly gives,
The passion that she shows,
And the beauty of a woman;
With passing years - only grows!


How sweet!

This reminded me of another sweet quote I found once:


"For attractive lips,
speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes,
seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure,
share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair,
let a child run his fingers through it once a day.
For poise,
walk with the knowledge you never walk alone."


~~~~~

And what says the Bible concerning beauty:

Proverb: Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

~~~~~

Isaiah: "He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him."

~~~~~

Peter: Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.

---

Want a shocker? Check the contests called "Fountain of Age" at Worth1000.com, where folks have used Photoshop on some of our most beautiful celebrities, so that we can have a guess at what they might look like when beauty fades...

It's July 25th. Do you know where your "Christmas Spirit" is?

I just got to thinking about how we all felt and were acting around the 25th of December. It was all about gifting others, being thankful, being with family, making the house pretty and preparing special foods. Music was all uplifting and joyful, and we had our minds on higher things. Are we still celebrating, I wonder? Lots of busy me time and lazy summer break time. We've got to keep that Spirit stirred up in us, all the year long.

Are we thinking more of others?
Does children's laughter make us smile?
Are we thinking less of self
while serving others for a while?

Lest we forget - let us always be reminded of what God put us here to be.


At Christmas

Edgar Albert Guest (1881-1959)

A man is at his finest towards the finish of the year;
He is almost what he should be when the Christmas season is here;
Then he's thinking more of others than he's thought the months before,
And the laughter of his children is a joy worth toiling for.
He is less a selfish creature than at any other time;
When the Christmas spirit rules him he comes close to the sublime.

When it's Christmas man is bigger and is better in his part;
He is keener for the service that is prompted by the heart.
All the petty thoughts and narrow seem to vanish for awhile
And the true reward he's seeking is the glory of a smile.
Then for others he is toiling and somehow it seems to me
That at Christmas he is almost what God wanted him to be.

If I had to paint a picture of a man I think I'd wait
Till he'd fought his selfish battles and had put aside his hate.
I'd not catch him at his labors when his thoughts are all of self,
On the long days and the dreary when he's striving for himself.
I'd not take him when he's sneering, when he's scornful or depressed,
But I'd look for him at Christmas when he's shining at his best.

Man is ever in a struggle and he's oft misunderstood;
There are days the worst that's in him is the master of the good,
But at Christmas kindness rules him and he puts himself aside
And his petty hates are vanquished and his heart is opened wide.
Oh, I don't know how to say it, but somehow it seems to me
That at Christmas man is almost what God sent him here to be.

"As I Pass Through"

A poem from a gracious older lady, known as "Granny" to a dear lady friend of mine

I want to leave a little cheer
A moment to laugh and sing
A little lightness in the heart
To replace the hurt and sting
I want to smile instead of frown
Smell roses instead of dust
And where there’s so much doubt and fear
I want to put a little trust

I want to laugh and dance and sing
I’m free – I’m free – I’m free
I want the word to feel much better
When it looks at me
I want my husband to be proud
To say that I am his
And to be proud that I’m the mother
Of his lovely kids

I want a beautiful diamond ring
To flash about awhile
Then I want to trade it for a doll
And give it to a child
I want to see the sun come up
And feel the morning breeze
Smell the coffee in my cup
And pray upon my knees

I want my daughters to feel loved
when they are there with me
Or many, many miles away
To be happy and joyful and free
I want them to know I’m proud of them
And the wonderful things they do
I want to earn their respect and love
And make them proud f me too

That I’m not an out-law in-law
I want my sons-in-law to know
And that I too would give my life
For the ones whom they love most
I want to spoil my grandchildren
And hold them to my breast
I want to tuck them in their beds
When they lie down to rest

I want to hear their giggles
And chatter of little words
And see their happy little faces
As they play in their world
I want to meet my mother
Inside the great white throne
I want to hold her close to me
And hear her sing a song

I want to see my daddy
And kinfolk who aren’t here
Sometimes I miss them so very much
And wish that they were here
I want to do so many things
One body just can’t do
I’ll do a little, God, each day
And leave the rest to you


© Estella Grace Watts