The Road to Pretty is Paved in Pain

So, I am in the shower this evening scrubbing off the tape wads (gooey stuff left on the skin from medical/ paper tape or band-aids) when it occurs to me that Mom's words were really true: it's painful to be pretty! What started as some laser hair removal (courtesy of Wilson Aesthetics, 870-425-3737) has moved to some vein removal (again,Wilson Aesthetics  );  I 've had them shot down, and now zapped with a laser in order erase, or at least reduce, the signs that four full-term pregnancies have left on my legs! And frankly folks, it is painful!!! But I want to look at my gams without wondering where the capital is and which highway gets there fastest!!

I say this not to discourage you, but to warn you that the results are great, but, CRAP! It hurts!!! (Please note: some people do not consider crap a curse word, merely a descriptive term, or noun; in my house growing up, it was one of many on the verboten list. For the sake of this blog, I may use it to indicate strong feelings or emphasis. I am truly sorry if it offends; I kinda prefer it to other words I could say, and just ask God to forgive me when I use it - or any other - word. God is not surprised that I am a sinner. Really. For those of you that don't care, I'm greatly relieved that you find this side note a waste of time.) Anyone that's ever had their bikini area waxed (yes, I have) can tell you some of this stuff is medieval and cruel! And yes, I will still do it, in order to wear a skirt that doesn't skim the ground sometime in my future!!!

It is nothing unusual to starve, over-exercise, nip, tuck, lift, suck, augment, reduce, abrade, peel, wax, color, fade, inject, and plump our way to ideal beauty.  Which leads me to the all important question: who decides what beauty is?

Years ago, as I watched God heal me from an eating disorder that had consumed most of my life, I realized that the outer beauty meant nothing to God; He's after the inner kind. My focus on my reflection had led to an obsessed, driven, jealous, miserable person. Sure, there were extenuating circumstances that influenced my problem, but I believe God had a better way to handle it than I did! So, I stopped reading Glamour, Vogue, Skinny Models R Us, etc. in an effort to better actualize what God really has in store for me when He said healthy and beautiful (... still working on it, folks!). Now, I am not condemning anyone who reads these magazines or has procedures done to look better and feel better about themselves, because I have (well, duh! you know a-l-l-l about my hairy, veiny problems!) The body is a temple; I'd like mine to look less like it was in the path of a tsunami!

I WILL HAVE THESE UGLY VEINS ZAPPED B/C I HATE THE WAY THEY LOOK!!!!

 And I don't ever want to shave again, really. So, I will go for hair removal (really, genetics played a cruel, cruel trick on me!) I wouldn't mind having my boobs back, either (have you seen them? If you do, catch them, box 'em up and deliver them under armed guard... they are very sneaky...). But that involves pain, and I am not really fond of pain, hence this blog. I think a little botox might be OK. As long as we keep our perspective.  Are we beautiful to God, and is that our priority? Our daughters are watching!!

So, while I thought about what to write tonight, in the shower, I heard *The Hub clapping... thought one of the Masses' had done something great. Imagine how startled I was to look up and see him peeking into the bathroom at ME in the shower! That's right... he was applauding ME!! Now that, ladies and gents, is beauty...

*this actually happened; he probably needs new glasses, and the shower door IS frosted, but I think he's the greatest guy - despite some of the incredibly mind-numbingly dumb things he does sometimes!