Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Project 31 Day 16: Write a letter to your daughter, or a young girl in your life. Tell her what beauty means.


My little Adeline,

Right now it’s hard to imagine you as anything but the adorable little bug you are. When I used to dream about you, I always pictured a cute little peanut, but I never imagined that you’d be this beautiful. I don’t think my mind really understood what beauty is until you were born. 


You are beautiful because you are. Simply because you live and breathe, you are beautiful. Your smile is breathtaking, your laugh intoxicating, and your eyes are mesmerizing. When I watch you, I am in complete and utter awe at the fact that you exist, and that God chose to give you to your Daddy and me. You are a gift from his heart to ours.

I want you to remember something always: beauty is not something to work for, strive for, or pay for. The "perfect" body, flawless makeup, or a great outfit or accessory may help you feel pretty, but it will be temporary. Real beauty simply is. When your heart and spirit is full of life, when you embrace the glory of who God made you to be, that is being beautiful. Right now, beauty is not a concept you could even begin to understand, and yet, deep down inside of you I know you have a natural and innocent knowing of what beauty really is. I see it when you discover something new, when your gaze gets caught on something that particularly strikes your fancy. When something catches your eye and you study it and smile at it and get excited over the fact that it is there, there is beauty in that. There is beauty in the way you delight in being delighted in. There is beauty in the way you discover the world anew each day, facing the morning with a smile so bright it betrays the joy that’s in your heart.

As you grow up, your ideas about beauty will be challenged because we live in an imperfect world where truth is distorted. You’ll be faced messages about beauty that will toy with your mind and mock you, messages that will twist the way you see and understand what beauty really is. Don’t let it. Don’t let yourself slip into believing the lie that you’re not enough. You are enough, just as you are. When you find yourself being challenged by what the world has to say about you, or about beauty, or about what it means to be a woman, remember what God says about it and focus on that instead. Remember this verse: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” Phillipians 4:8. What is true is who you are, at the heart of you.

Your name means "Pleasant; of the nobility. Noble. From the Old German 'athal' meaning noble." We named you Adeline after your Great Grandma Maier, but it truly is an appropriate name for you. After all, you are "of the nobility" because you are a daughter of the King. And the King is enthralled by your beauty, Addie. If you don't believe me, ask Him. He'll tell you, just like He told me. 


I am so full of hope for you, my dear little Addie Grace. Great things lay ahead for you, and I can’t wait to watch as you blossom more fully into the beautiful you God designed you to be. I’m so happy I get to be your mom. I love you, sweet baby girl.

No comments: