Now that we have moved, we live in the same town as one of our daughters and her family. On Mondays, our granddaughter Mia comes to our house at 9:30-ish.
After some chatting and having Mimi (that’s me!) finish getting ready for the day, we head for dance class. I find the rides to and from dance class to be very interesting and informative, often bordering on the hilarious as well!
Mia has what I call, “presence”. She is extremely expressive and talkative, confident of her opinions, and expresses them clearly and without reserve! I find her delightful.
For the sake of not showing favoritism, I want to point out here, that she isn’t the only grandchild I have that is like this, just the one that is here.
How she defines beauty
Today, she showed me her new tights. They are a variety of shades of pink…and something neutral that I’ve forgotten, turns out it is gray!
She said, “Mimi, when I go to dance class, they will look at me and see my bootiful new tights and know that I’m bootiful!”
When she went to class, a little late, did she wait for compliments? Did she ask how she looked? NO!
Why? Because she knew she was bootiful! She knew those tights looked bootiful on her. Her mom had bought them, she loved them, and she knew she looked bootiful! She really didn’t need to have anyone tell her she was beautiful. She just went on with her life, knowing she is!
The same goes for her hair. To her, beautiful means that she will have long hair. That’s it. She has fine hair that doesn’t stay in a barrette or headband. It is difficult for it to last in a ponytail. So she is often pushing it out of her face. But she doesn’t care. Her hair is getting long and she is bootiful. That’s all that matters.
I was laughing tonight as I was telling my husband about some of her conversations today. As she paused in the car, bowed her head and thanked God that she was bootiful and had long hair…it reminded me of something else.
What does GOD think about me vs. what I think about me?
It reminded me of the things GOD says about me if I am “in Christ.” To Him, I am beautiful. I have the record of Jesus when I stand before GOD the judge. He delights in me, His daughter.
That voice in my head says, “I am a sinner, a failure, a loser.” It starts down the long list of my failures and what makes me unworthy to stand before the Father.
But Jesus comes and says, ” Your qualification to stand before the Father has nothing to do with you and your “accomplishments.” You stand complete and righteous before the Father because the record you have is my perfect record. When I died on the cross, I took your horrible record and gave you mine. All your sin has been paid for by me.”
I don’t have to be timid or fearful any longer. Whether I feel it or not, the truth is that I AM complete in Christ. I can move forward through life just as Mia does because she thinks and knows she is “bootiful.”
I no longer have to live in fear, but can confidently ask for what I need of my Heavenly Father. Because I know He loves me and will give what is best for me.
At times, it can be helpful to learn from watching our granchildren, or children. They are so blatant and unvarnished. They haven’t developed all the sophisticated tendencies that we have…fortunately.
What is holding you back from enjoying your place “in Christ”?
Insightful illustration; wonderful application!
thanks babe:)
What a wonderful post! He delights in us indeed!
thanks Katharine:)
Why is it so hard to believe we’re bootiful!??
Lani, sometimes, we’re looking in a mirror and don’t have the perspective of those who love us. all we can see are the things that are wrong. don’t you think our heavenly Father sees us with eyes of faith? he knows our failures, but he sees us through the eyes of love and delights when He sees the ways we mature and are becoming more like Him:)