An Important New Year’s Apology from our Society

What if the “voices” of nearly every magazine cover, movie screen, billboard, and network program combined into one voice and said this directly to you: I have worked very hard to demean you from your earliest days.  It has been my utmost desire to see you defeated, hopeless, and longing for sparkly things that I’ve claimed would make you happy.  I have called you fat, ugly, poor, unwanted, and rejected.  I have flaunted images before  you that you cannot erase from your mind – that torment you even in your dreams.  I have hoped that you would be dissatisfied with everything you have…your home, your car, your furniture, your life, and especially your God.  I admit I have been ruthless in my attempts.  I have been relentless in my attack on your very soul.

My platform has been based upon lies.

Will you forgive me?

Forgive me for calling you fat and ugly.  Truth is you’re more beautiful than anything I could muster up.  Forgive me for rejecting what you have to offer – your gifts and talents are over-the-top amazing.  Forgive me for telling you that a brand new car or a trip to the tropics will melt your cares away – they really won’t.  Forgive me for attacking your morals – for tempting you to question the straight and narrow way which leads to life.  I’ve been hoping you would die.  And most importantly of all…forgive me for belittling your God.  He is the only True God, and I know it.

What would it be like if you received that apology today? Would it possibly set you free from the lies that keep you bound and broken?  What would you do differently this year?  Do you think you’d feel released to be you – the you God intended?

I’m pretty sure society’s apology won’t come this side of heaven, but I know it’s one we’re all owed.  So, when I see airbrushed models on magazine covers, scantily clad women on prime time programming, or any other image that tries to tear me down, I’m going to imagine them all crying out from behind their prison bars: “Forgive me.  I know not what I do.” 

And then I’m going to walk on with my head held high as befitting the daughter of the King…into my true destiny.  Won’t you join me?

1 Corinthians 3:19: For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.

Blessed the Biggest at my Biggest

For years (lots of them), what I wanted most for myself was to be thin, and I know I’m not alone.  I fantasized about it, prayed about it, cried about it, and spent lots of money on it.  It’s fair to call it an obsession – one which nearly destroyed my life. I’ve been miraculously set free from the lie that being thin equals being beautiful – that being thin means having true value.  Today as I was thanking God once again for this freedom of mine, I had a divine realization – one of those you just know comes straight from the heart of God.  It dawned on me that nearly all of the biggest blessings in my life came at times when I was…well, my biggest.

When I met my husband Bill for the first time I was chunky.  When I had each of my three children I crossed the 200 pound threshold with ease, and this year – with the scale revealing numbers that once would have left me a depressed mess – one of my longest held dreams is coming true: I’m having a book published that will actually be in book stores!

It’s epically ironic (never used this expression before, but it fits) that at a time in my life when I’m nearly my heaviest, I’m the happiest.  I love how this fact flies in the face of society’s lies about beauty and worth.

And I love that God is such a rebel – that He chose to bless me as a pudgy gal rather than making me thin like I’d begged Him to for years.

Isa 55:8  "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD.

Yay! for God's ways, huh?  I’ll take them over mine any day.