"Aren't you thankful for makeup?"

One morning, a day like any other, I was getting ready for work, staring intently in the mirror while I put on eye shadow, mascara, blush . . . you know those essential beauty aids we ladies have come to rely on.

My then 4-year-old came into the bathroom where I was so diligently working. He stood at the bathroom counter watching for a few minutes.

“Mom. Aren’t you thankful for makeup?”

There are some things that require no reply. But at that moment I remember thinking, “Perhaps not as thankful as you seem to be - (you sweet little stinker)."

“People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Sam 16:7

When David was chosen to be king, as the youngest brother, he may not have looked the part in the eyes of those watching this process, but the Lord was looking for something beneath the exterior. Duly noted. That’s important to remember.

And yet. We also know that our lives, our outward appearance, countenance may be the only Gospel some people will ever “read.” Or may be the first chapter in the book of Jesus for them.

Bottom line. Yes. I am thankful for makeup. It helps me. I imagine others I meet are too, they just may not know how much.

Present the best of yourself – whenever you can.

It really may matter – to you and to them.

Looking toward the Big Picture

Do you like to do jigsaw puzzles?

My daughter began doing little jigsaw puzzles when she was 2 years old. She loved them. She did them fast. Fortunately, they were inexpensive so we had quite a few. But I needed to make them a little more challenging for her when she was 3 or 4 yearsold, so I would take 5 or 4 of her puzzles and mix them together. She would then separate the pictures and do them that way.

By the time she was in elementary school, 500 piece puzzles were no problem. They just took a little longer.

These days, in only 2 hours, she does 1000 piece puzzles like this:



Seriously, she completed this puzzle in less than 3 hours. She’s amazing. Her puzzle technique is unusual and fun to watch too.

She is about to graduate from college in a few months with her degree in elementary eduation. As she completes that piece of her journey, we are excited to watch her step into this final semester where she will be student teaching some first graders in a school about 20 minutes from the house. Those little ones are in for a treat as “Miss Allen” comes into their lives. She’s a teacher – a passionate, driven teacher. Her heart’s desire can be summed up in the words of a 4th grader on the last day of her time in his classroom this past fall: “Miss Allen, You were a great teacher. You helped me understand everything.”

As parents, we are so proud of her. She is a beautiful, talented, intelligent, brilliant young lady. Her future is full of impartation and investment into others. She can’t wait to get at this calling on her life full time.

While she enters this next chapter in her story, it has also challenged me to examine whether I am taking time with others to help them ‘understand everything.’ Where am I imparting, teaching, encouraging and investing in others?

Where are you?

You and I have what it takes to fill in some of the pieces for those around us. A kind word, wisdom imparted, or a prayer prayed will help someone see a bigger picture.