Posted in Lessons I Have Learned

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder....

One of our favorite stories is called
"My Mother Is The Most Beautiful
Woman In The World!"
By: Becky Reyher.

It is a storybook left over from my childhood days.  I remember my mom  reading it to me!  In it a young Russian girl falls asleep in the fields while her Mother is working and becomes lost.  As darkness begins to fall she stumbles into a clearing where other workers discover her.  She is so distraught from being lost she can barely speak.  The workers trying to help her ask her name and her parents names.  "Finally because her longing for her Mother was so great, she sobbed out:" "My mother is the most beautiful woman in the world!" 

One of the men exclaims "Now we have something to go on."

On order of the village leader all the beautiful women are brought to the little girl.  Each of course is very pleased that they have been selected to be in this group!  But, of course none of them are the girls mother.  Everyone tried to imagine who they could have missed.  "Just then a breathless, excited woman came puffing up to the crowd.  Her face was big and broad, and her body even larger Her eyes were pale little slits between a great lump of a nose.  The mouth was almost toothless."

Upon seeing her mother the young girl runs to her and they fall into each others arms.  "All of the villagers smiled thankfully"  the little girl declares "See I told you my mother was the most beautiful woman in the world!"  The group of villagers agreed with the little girl as the leader of the village reminds everyone the girl has proved the well known Russian proverb "We do not love people because they are beautiful, but they seem beautiful to us because we love them."

I'm amazed how often my kids tell me I am beautiful!  (Because, believe me I know there are much more physically attractive women around!)  My daughter especially tells me on  regular basis how beautiful I am!  What a gift!  A few days ago I said something about how much better I would look if I could lose some weight.  My daughter promptly informed me that she wouldn't like the way I looked if I was too thin!  I love that girl!!  My older son is complimentary too.  If I ever comment on someone looking nice he will always say "Well you look great too Mom!"  Even if I'm dressed in my P.J.'s and covered in baby spitup! 

So what makes me beautiful to my children?  I hope it is this....

• They know that I love them, no matter what!
• They know I will always be here for them.
• They know that they are hugely impotant to me.
• They know that I enjoy them and would rather be with them than anywhere else.
• They know that we have fun together.  I can laugh at them, with them and at myself! 
• They know that I care about their education enough to teach them myself!
• They know I frequently do things for them I really don't want to do.
• They know that I love their Father and that we work together to have a happy home.
• They know that I love the Lord and want them to love Him too!

Below is a wonderful poem Audrey Hepburn wrote when asked to share her "beauty tips." It was read at her funeral years later.

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness...

                                            ---Audrey Hepburn---

Dear God,

May I always seek to be beautiful in your eyes and live in the confidence that when I follow and honor You others will not be able to miss the beauty that comes from within me.  Amen

Thank you to Trish for forwarding the Audrey Hepburn poem to the Blubber Bloggers!