"I'm Such a Beautiful Girl"

A few weeks ago Pumpkindoodle stood in front of my mirrored closet doors awaiting her bath. Uninhibited by clothing she danced and twirled while singing a whimsical song spontaneously created for that moment. “I’m such a beautiful girl. I have a beautiful body, such a wonderful beautiful body. Because God made me and he made my beautiful body. Ohhhh, I have a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, bodeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!”

The Professor smiled at me and said, “Do you think she’s going to have some vanity issues?” After initially responding with laughter I shook my head “No, I think she’s going to be just fine. God did make her beautiful and it is lovely how she is still young enough to see that beauty. I hope she never loses this feeling. Unfortunately, this world is going to beat her up one day and then she may sing sad songs.”

It’s my prayer that my sweet baby girl will always see herself as God’s masterpiece. That’s what His omniscient eyes behold when he looks down at her twinkling green peepers and button nose. His wise eyes view me the same way…though I mentally rip apart what he miraculously sewed together.

Make no mistake, vanity is ugly, but self-loathing isn’t any prettier. Both are forms of self obsession and pride. Vanity is looking into a mirror and placing confidence and worth into its reflection. A healthy perspective is looking into that same mirror and seeing the beauty of God’s handiwork. That’s not vanity and it’s not self absorption. It’s relying on the Creator and not in the earthly image of the created. It’s truth, truth found in the Word. Psalm 45:11 reads The King is enthralled by your beauty. Honor Him, for He is your lord.

Is an artist honored if someone throws mud on her painting and labels it trash? Is a writer honored after a critic ridicules her soul dripped prose? How then can God be honored when we scowl at our short noses, complain about not fitting into a ridiculously small size, and hide our smiles fearful that someone will notice our crooked teeth?

I’m not writing this because I have it all together. I’m writing this because I should know better, but I far too often take to heart the words of fashion editors instead of believing the author of the universe. I need only catch a glimmer of a salmon sunset to understand that God knows beauty. And He’s enthralled by mine...how marvelous is that? My daughter knows this and I’m going to pray that she never forgets it. And I’m going to begin praying that my doubt will be penetrated and swept away and what is known in my brain will be lived through my heart.

The next time you look into the mirror take a deep breath and with a childlike faith sing this little ditty to the tune of Jesus Loves me.

“Yes I am beautiful. Yes I am beautiful. Yes I am beautiful my Creator tells me so!”