Pretty Words ~

1 Corinthians 6:19-20  Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?  You are not your own, for you were bought with a price.  So glorify God in your body.  ESV

This morning started with a text from a lifelong friend of mine.  It seems that we fell asleep before we finished our conversation last night.  One thing led to another and we ended up talking about this blog. Belinda has been my rock throughout this whole writing venture. She is the most encouraging person I have ever come in contact with.  She has a gift of saying the perfect words  at the perfect time to tie a knot in my rope when I’ve reached the end of it.

Belinda is a mother to two young children whom she homeschools.  Her husband is self-employed and they are neck-deep in a home remodel.  I asked her how she held it all together and maintained her sanity.  As we talked together, we realized that there are times when we have a gift of sounding really pretty to someone on the outside when inside, we are feeling really ugly.

I’m a fixer.  When someone comes to me with a burden, I have just the right thing to say.  I have a stockpile of “you can do it” and “you got this” phrases and problem solving skills just waiting to be shared.  It’s easy to see anybody else’s problems and offer words of encouragement to make it better, but I cannot fix myself.  As wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, or whatever we may be, I think that is how we are made.  We think that we need to put ourselves last so that we can take care of everybody else.  The Bible teaches us to encourage one another and lift each other up.  Helping others gives us such a wonderful feeling inside.  While I am genuine in my encouragement, it dawned on Belinda and I that pretty words to others when we are so stressed out and emotionally overloaded that our own personal lives are hanging by threads are just that….pretty words.  

Inside of every one of us, God is building a testimony.  If I’m so stressed out that I am difficult to live with, then my testimony is not very believable.  Perhaps it’s time to fix myself.

Dear Jesus, today I come to You asking for Your guidance.  As I begin the new year, help me to remember to schedule time in for myself.  I need to remember that it is okay to rest.  Help all of us remember that we are no good to anybody unless we are good to ourselves.  Help us to remember that we matter to You.  Our body is Your temple, bought and paid for by You.  Thank You for friends who help us see what we can’t see for ourselves.