30 Days of No Make-up: Day 11

Happy Monday Ladies! I hope you had a wonderful weekend!

Well, my weekend was not as traumatic for me as I imagined it might be. Funny how we can make such a big deal about things when they're really not. But I'm sure none of you can relate, right? ;)

From the beginning, I've had a few reasons for taking on this challenge and one of them I haven't yet discussed on here. It's for my two precious baby girls, Emma who is 5 and Lucy who is 8 months. I know the struggles I've endured with my body image and being secure in who I was created to be. It made me want to forge a new path for them to follow. I want them to always be thankful and secure in their beauty.

It's beyond sobering when you're applying your make-up and your daughter says, "Mommy, can I have some make-up on too?" To which I reply, "Oh no, honey. You're beautiful just the way you are." Then she says it..."So mommy, why do you need make-up then?" Gulp.
How do you tell them that they don't need make-up because they're already so beautiful while yet continuing your pursuit of comfort behind this mask of color? Again, not that I think make-up is all together bad, but when it becomes a crutch or security, it is detrimental at best. It was at that moment I knew something had to change. I can't live by the "Do as I say and not as I do" principle when it comes to this. (Although I do when it comes to eating brownies for breakfast. Anyone relate?) :) But seriously, I can see what a downward spiral it begins for my girls when I set this example. So, I had to make a decision. I had to decide what I was going to do to change this.

When I think of the assault our society launches at women, day after day and every moment therein, it makes me sick. And when I think of my girls being impacted by this the way we all have been, the mama bear in me rises up to protect my girls. Protect them from these lies! Interesting that we all know that these truly are lies but yet fail to embrace them as such, or rather choose not to embrace them. Why is that? What am I, what are you, what are we going to do about it? We can't simply go on this way and expect things to miraculously change. Because it's just going to get worse. The world stands too much money to lose to stop fighting this battle. But we stand to lose entirely too much and our daughters even more so if we don't take some action. So, what can we do? What might you be able to do today to change your thought process? To be confident and comfortable in your own skin and to begin to be thankful for who you are?

Last night, my husband took Emma out on a little date. She's a wonderful little chatterbox and she just randomly told my husband that she likes her dimple. Pretty much makes my heart leap for joy and brings tears to my eyes I must say! But it challenges me to find at least one thing today that I like about myself.

How about you? What is at least one thing you like about yourself? Find one today and make it a point to find at least one every day this week, if not more!

30 Days of No Make-up: Day 8

Happy Friday Friends,

If you've been with us on this challenge since Day 1, congratulations! You've completed one full week! How do you feel? I'd love for you to share your experiences and what you've learned so far! Feel free to share on the blog or on facebook. Let's inspire one another! Oh and if you'd like to share a picture of your beautiful face, we'd love that too!!!

This weekend will likely be my biggest challenge yet. I attended church last weekend without make-up and it turned out to be no big deal, even though I felt a little insecure. But this time is different. Throughout the weekend I will be in front of a few thousand people. Gulp. Not that I am the focus whatsoever because I do not desire to be so, it's just the thought of being seen by all those people without make-up is scary. I seriously wonder if someone might think I am ill. :)  But, I move forward waiting to see what lessons await me.

Have a fabulous weekend beauties! See ya Monday

JoAnne

P.s. If I'm being honest, I was looking forward to only posting a picture once a week. However, now that I haven't posted since last Friday, I realize today is another picture day. Anyone else dread picture day? And that was WITH make-up! Dreaded or not, here it is. Again, I would really love it if you would post your picture too!

 

30 Days No Make-up: Day 7

Wow! It's been 7 days already. Although I am missing wearing make-up a little bit, I am also enjoying having extra time in the mornings and not pondering whether or not to throw on some make-up before heading out the door for this or that. Extra time to spend with the Lord, my kiddos or my hubby. That's definitely a worth while trade off!

I don't think it's a mere coincidence that before I went to sleep last night a little "Devotion for Mom's" book that I haven't picked up in probably over a year caught my eye on my night stand. It's a very quick little read, 2 minutes or less, so I grabbed it before I closed my eyes and headed for dream land. As I finished it up I smiled as I was reminded that this is just so the character of the Lord. The devotion fit perfectly into this 30 day challenge and even more so with what I've been learning this week.

Let me share...

In the devotion, the writer is talking about Sparrows. They're a sweet little bird but there's tons of them. So, to the majority of people, it's just another bird. A dime a dozen, or as this person puts it, worth only pennies to some. However, upon further investigation, the writer discovered that there are 17 species of sparrows and beyond each one, 30 sub-species! And not only is each one not identical to the other in appearance but also in song. Not one of them ever sings the exact same song. Incredible.

As she progresses in her story she reminds her readers that we are each much more important to our maker than a sparrow. That He has created each of us so uniquely. Here's the part that grabbed me the most, pertaining to our challenge... " Too many times we judge our own worth by what we believe others think of us. That kind of thinking gets us into trouble because our value then depends on how we look, what we achieve, or how well we perform."

You and I, we were made so unique, not one like the other. We were made for greatness! Just like the sparrows, that greatness can look different from person to person, but trust me friend, you were made for more than hiding behind make-up, clothes or hollow achievements. What shadows are you hiding behind today that you need to step out from behind. Stepping into the "marvelous light" we talked about yesterday.

Today can be the day, if you choose.

30 Days of No Make-Up: Day 6

As I cleaned up the breakfast dishes yesterday, a worship song I haven't heard in awhile popped into my head. It's called "Marvelous Light" and as I pondered the words of the song, a few boldly stuck out to me. "Into Marvelous Light I'm running. Out of darkness, out of shame." It reminded me of this journey I/we are on. The facade's we often hide behind can consume us at times, leaving us in darkness that has come from shame or may even create shame in a new way. I feel like in this journey I am stepping into the light of freedom from hiding behind something that isn't me. It was something meant to enhance who I am, not define me. I certainly don't want to be defined by a facade of something I hide behind, but rather, I want to be defined by who I was created to be, who I am as a person and who I am in Christ.

Within these moments yesterday morning, I was also reminded of a verse in 1 Samuel that says "...Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7.  I often choose to blindly compare myself to women who appear to be perfect, perfect hair, body, dress etc, while forgetting that I am only looking at the outside. I can't see their hearts. I can't see where they've been or are now. I don't know what they may be hiding behind or from. If I would just choose to step back, stop comparing myself and be content with who I was made to be, not only would I be reminded that there is no "perfect" person but maybe, just maybe I would have the opportunity to see each woman for who she was created to be. Maybe it would even be an opportunity to encourage her with uplifting words. What have I been missing out on when I am focused on myself and longing for the "perfection" that doesn't even exist?

Today I feel like I have uncovered what has been a pretty good smack up side the head for me. Not only have I taken for granted who God created me to be because I've been too consumed with wanting something I can't have, but I've missed out on opportunities to appreciate other women for who God created them to be, from the inside out.

Wow.  Pretty sobering, huh? Today my challenge for myself is this... I am going to step back and take the time to step into this "Marvelous Light" and appreciate all the "very good" women God has created. :)

30 Days of No Make-up: Day 5

A friend of mine, Heather,  did this same sort of challenge a few months ago on her own and I received an email from her last week when she saw our challenge. Here's what her realization was as a whole... "After about 2 months, I felt much more comfortable in my own skin.  Now I can take it or leave it and be okay.  It's funny, my kids never really noticed or mentioned the change.  All they, or anyone else, really cares about is how you treat them." Very thought provoking! 

I read an article a few months ago about this same sort of thing. The woman's point at the end of it was that, we can doll ourselves all up on the outside and look perfect, but if we don't have a smile, love, joy and common courtesy for others, nobody really cares. 

It makes me wonder how many times I have foolishly dressed myself, make-up, hair and all but forgot the most important thing. Love. How about you? Have you ever done this?

30 Days of No Make-up: Day 4

*Quick note: I am posting on day 4 because I won't be blogging on the weekends. I'm not slacking, I just reserve that time for my family. :) Oh and I will post a picture once or twice a week, not daily. Not because I am hiding, but just out of the fact that I really don't think you want to look at pictures of me every day, really.

* :) Another quick note: We want you all to know that we do not at all believe that wearing make-up is wrong. It certainly can and does have it's place and purpose, maybe even every day. We don't think that  this needs to be a life long or even long term commitment to not wear make-up. For some it may be life long or long term but that is an individual decision. This is simply a challenge to uncover and find freedom from hiding behind make-up or whatever else. To realize we are more than these things, get to the heart of who that is and be comfortable in our own skin.

Well ladies, I have indeed survived 3 days of not wearing a stitch of make-up. Three, whole, days! It's not like I thought this would be insanely hard, but a challenge nonetheless.

I managed a girls night out, a day out and about at events in town, church and a neighborhood bbq. And ya know what I found? Nobody said a word. Yes, I wondered if they were thinking I looked ill, exhausted or something else but didn't say anything just to be kind. Maybe that was the case, maybe not. But no one treated me any differently. They loved me, liked me and acquainted me just the same. A definite thought for me to ponder.

Friday I took a quick look at all the ways we are told we don't measure up physically in society. How we are continually bombarded with the idea that we have to be perfect and aren't worth much if we aren't.

At our launch party, Robyn Coffman, a local women's life coach and counselor reminded us that at the time of our creation, when He was finished, God stepped back and said that His creation of Man and Woman was "Good. Very Good". Not perfect. No human being that has ever walked this earth has been or ever will be, perfect.

The definition of perfect is this "to make (something) completely free from faults or defects, or as close to such a condition as possible".  As I read this definition I realized that we are chasing an impossible task. Even those who we think are perfect would tell you they think otherwise. I recently read about a woman donned as "The Human Barbie Doll". She's had over 40 plastic surgeries to attempt to achieve perfection. Honestly, it made my heart ache for her. Where does all of this madness end?

Society certainly won't make it end. So we, as individuals, have to come to terms within ourselves, to stop the madness. Learning to be content. To remember that we were created "Good, very good" and stop striving for perfection.

I am reminded just not of Psalm 139:14:
               "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know          
that full well.

I want to sit with these words today, let them resonate within my soul. Would you join me?

30 Days of No Make-up Challenge: Day 1

Last night marked a pretty pivotol moment for me. I, along with 5 other women removed my make-up with a commitment to not put any more on my face for the next 30 days. I have not gone without make-up for 30 days since I started wearing it at age 13. Which brings back scary memories of wearing concealer as foundation. Foundation so thick, not only did my skin look like it was a completely different color but I'm pretty sure I could have drawn art in it! That's just wrong....

As I reflect back on those days of "caked on" make-up I begin to see how I got to the place of hiding behind make-up. I was a typical 13 year old girl with the beginning stages of acne. Naturally, make-up seemed like the glorious solution to my problem! If I could just put enough on, no one would even see my blemish laden skin. Perfect! Now that I look back on it I wonder why no one ever grabbed a wash cloth and scrubbed all that nasty stuff off my face! Holy toledo! :) I digress...

Unfortunately, we live in a fallen world filled with imperfections. We're bombarded by the notions of perfection everywhere we look. TV, billboards, facebook, magazines, plastic surgery, sporting events. It's everywhere. Lurking around every corner waiting to assault us with the message that we just don't measure up.

But here's the thing... Who ever said we were supposed to be perfect???

Let's think on this question for the weekend and I'll see you Monday...

This is me, Day 1 with my 5 year old Emma who wanted to join me in the picture :)