It's been a season of minor injuries. Bumps, bruises, scrapped knees and stitches. I've lost count of how many boxes of band-aids we have gone through.
Today we added another to the list. Our daughter, the little girl who tries to keep up with her 3 older brothers, fell off one of our kitchen stools and landed on her face.
I watched it happen in what seemed like slow motion, then a scream and blood poured from her mouth. I swooped her up into my lap and tried to calm her tears. When the bleeding finally stopped I could see that she had bitten her now-swollen lip. Then I checked her teeth.
Our baby girl with the most adorable smile, is now missing half her front tooth.
I called the dentist and was told that there was really nothing they could do. She's not even 2 years old and it's just a baby tooth.
When my heart finally stopped pounding I looked at our little girl and just cried.
She is no less beautiful to me.
I just never wanted my daughters to go through what I did. Classmates made fun of my teeth (and everything else) and it caused a deep insecurity in me that I still feel today. I stopped smiling. I tried to hide. My insecurities shaped my personality.
My baby girl is so full of joy. I don't want her to ever stop smiling.
How do we teach our daughters that they are beautiful? That true beauty comes from the light in their eyes and the joy in their hearts.
Today I became painfully aware of how insecure I really am. So many memories and hurtful words resurfaced along with the imperfections of a body that has birthed 6 children.
But the mirror is full of lies.
What is beauty?
"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment...instead let it be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit which is of great worth in God's sight." 1 Peter 3:3-4
Beauty is not the perfect smile, the perfect skin, the perfect weight. Beauty is not the airbrushed magazine covers.
Beauty is grace. Beauty is dignity and gentleness.
How do we train our eyes to see past the surface...how do we let go of the words that have hurt our hearts and cling to God's words?
"All beautiful you are, my darling, there is no flaw in you." Song of Solomon 4:7
truth,if we believe it they will.
ReplyDeleteI can identify. Just over a year ago, our then-4yo son slipped off where he was sitting and hit his mouth on the handdrum he was playing with. It chipped his front tooth. It's still that way today, and a little while after that we noticed the other front tooth had changed colors, and it turns out the nerve is dead to that one. Possible absess, but maybe not. Decisions, decisions. Get it pulled, or let it be? He hasn't complained of it hurting, so for now we wait, and see if the nerve will affect his grown-up tooth.
ReplyDeleteOh, how we hurt with our children. But the gift is that we can take the lessons we've learned - we're beautiful in spite of, and maybe because of, our imperfections! we're beautiful as we are! - and help our children learn them earlier than we did, so that they'll be prepared and suffer less. Prayers for you and your beautiful little girl.
This has blessed my soul IMMENSELY! Crystal, I cried reading this. You summed-up this Godly Mother's heart's cry for my four daughters."True beauty comes from the light in their eyes and the joy in their hearts" well said!
ReplyDeleteOh, and I hope Joey always knows that her smile, just like her Mommy's, brings joy, laughter, and comfort to her Aunt Suzanne! <3
I have nominated you for the Liebster Blog Award. Please come to my blog and read the post about this. :-)
ReplyDeleteThis was so beautifully written and spoke straight to my heart! I, too, have had many body insecurities that the Lord is constantly helping me with and I have two girls whom I think are so absolutely beautiful! I despise what the world attempts to make us believe is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI love this post on true beauty Crystal!
ReplyDeleteThat picture of all your little kids is so darling :) You are SO blessed. You're living my dream.
Blessings,
Leah Nicolette