As women, we are beautiful creatures

OK so I admit, Dave and I haven't been to church on Sunday mornings in about 4 weeks. Yes yes I know, I'm a horrible Christian. It's not because we don't want to, honestly it's because we have had so much "stuff" going on we just haven't made it. BUT I will say this, I do catch the Pod casts they put online through the week. Our pastor, WOW! I guess everyone is always biased to their own but this guy just feels like he is always talking directly to me, individuals I mean.

This past week was for women, it was called Beautiful; you can hear it here: http://theavenuechurch.com/media--resources/messages/

The thing is, not only does he talk about women and all the things we find important but he talks about what we value as women, or better yet, what we find OUR value in. Some examples, our looks, if we have a boyfriend, how clean our house is, how cute our kids are dressed, what our children are involved in (cheer leading, sports, etc. and yes I know I say "we" even though I don't have kids), what kind of clothes we wear, what our hair looks like, how we feel about our bodies, all that stuff. And what's interesting to me, is even though he isn't a female he hits it all right on!

For example, I'll tell you something I find "my" value in. I have always been someone, a woman, who finds my value in my work. How good I am, what my superiors think about me, am I replaceable? Am I the best in the dept. or market? I am a natural competitor when it comes that stuff because my work ethic, integrity, and performance is something I think that is of value.

Things I don't find my value in, friends. I have never looked to my friends for value. I love them, no doubt about it but I don't value the time they spend with me to make me feel important. This might explain why I'm a bit of a loner, I would rather go shopping by myself or hang out alone watching TV. It's not that I DON'T want to hang out with my friends, it's just that my value, what makes me feel important does not come from them, if that makes sense. I guess I find it bothersome at times. I don't find it important to have the latest and greatest stuff all the time, that actually annoys me. Sorry, just being honest. Sometimes things just feel so high school, who has the best clothes, or the coolest car or phone. It's tiring trying to keep up with it and it's fake. So I guess that's why my value doesn't come from that. Of course I think it feels good to have nice things, my house is wonderful to me (I literally thank Dave all the time for providing for me to have a nice house), I have a nice car; we have lots of nice stuff. We have been very blessed.

I guess I feel like my value, (how I feel about myself) comes from my family and my job. If I'm not successful I do feel like I'm letting my husband down, my parents down, and my co-workers down. Although, my pastor addressed this too in the sermon. If we are consistently seeking value from other people, our children & parents & such we will always been disappointed because there will be choices they make that upset us and things they do that we dislike. Which is true. I have NEVER really been the girl who finds her value in men, just wasn't me. Although now that I'm married I find that to has changed quite a bit; of course you want your husband to think your attractive and make you feel good about yourself, what wife wouldn't? My parents are the biggest ones I feel like I place my value in. I want them to be proud of me, to know that I'm a person of moral character and integrity; and this to is wrong. Not that their opinion shouldn't or doesn't matter, but I know parents have certain expectations and hopes for the their children so I can't measure myself on that. I have to know in my own heart I am those things, and I do. It's just nice to hear it from them I guess.

But the real point to this sermon is that God is what we should be putting our value in, the fact that he always provides even when we don't think he does, he always forgives even though we don't understand how, and he always, ALWAYS love us even when we can not understand how he gives us unconditional love when we don't feel worthy of it. And I know this to be true, he does love me, even though I'm not perfect or make wrong decisions at times. And I know that what he promises to me is that my salvation and life after this is evident and true, so while we struggle to place our value and self-worth in the right place, which is with God; it's an ongoing battle.

I really hope you will listen to this sermon; I think it's a great one for women to hear. To know that we are worth so much more than we think and while we feel we aren't worthy, God thinks we are beautiful no matter how we feel about our looks, our bodies, our children, our social network, our status at work, whatever it might be. God thinks we are beautiful because we, as women, are beautiful creatures.