​“Inner beauty is great, but a little mascara never hurts.” — Unknown

I’ll be honest – I agree with that statement, just a little. If I had to choose only one thing to take with me on a trip, a tube of mascara would be it. Ever since I was mistaken for a boy the summer before seventh grade I made sure that sticky black stuff was in place 24/7/365, thus securing my sense of beauty and acceptability in the world. Inner beauty isn’t as easily seen.

Well, I’m not twelve any more but those feelings of insecurity can still creep in when I least expect. Like a few days ago, when I went on a little bike trip.

I wear the same makeup for a bicycle ride as I do for work, but on the warm Fall afternoon I decided to go for the natural look, just applying mascara and some eyebrow pencil. After all, you wouldn’t be able to see my lashes or eyebrows without it.  As the pedaling intensified so did my output of perspiration. No surprise there. And I had to remind myself to breathe through my nose, not my mouth, so I wouldn’t inhale those ever-present, nasty gnats.

It was a good afternoon of fun with my hubby and daughter and a healthy workout for all. We were almost at the end of the ride when a little bugger flew directly into my left eye, stopping me promptly in my tracks. I wiped and rubbed and plucked. Blinked incessantly. Wiped and rubbed again. Asked my hubs to see if he could tell where it had gone. He said he didn’t see it. I asked if I had any makeup smeared under my sweaty eyes. No. It’s all good, he promised.

Feeling that good sort of tired and hungry we packed up our stuff and stopped at a restaurant before we headed home.

When it came time to order I looked the waitress in the eye, smiled and made my request. She smiled back at me, her grin increasing as she turned to go. We ate our meal and went to pay the cashier. As I made conversation with her I made eye contact and noticed an unusual sparkle in her gaze as she also grinned at me.

My daughter and I looked around the gift shop and we both found something to buy. Again I engaged in lighthearted chit-chat with the cashier all the while noticing that her smile had that same quality as the other two ladies in the restaurant.

I dashed into the bathroom before we left. When I finished washing my hands I looked up into the mirror. Oh my.  A one-eyed woman stared back at me.

My left eye was blank. Dull. Ugly. David’s earlier appraisal was much more generous than I would have given.

Thank goodness I found out now and not when we first got here. Could I have looked anyone in the eye had I known? A younger me would have been mortified and distressed at my undoing, keeping eyes down until I was safe at home. Instead, I chuckled at the cockeyed image in the mirror and thanked God that my behavior hadn’t been affected by my personally embarrassing condition.

1 Peter 3:3-4 says, "Your adornment must not be merely external--braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; 4 but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God."
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I’m still working on this, I’ll admit. I haven’t yet left the house without my mascara well applied. But I’ve learned that vulnerability is a venue for God’s Grace. True inner beauty reflects His love in the eyes of the beholder.

Why is it that the littlest minds amongst us can think the biggest thoughts? Ask the hardest questions?

A few years ago my 4 year old grandson’s ever-flowing stream of consciousness was flooding our cramped Jeep as we headed to the park. We managed to fit the five of us in a vehicle meant for four and my grandson, Gavin, was squeezed into the back seat between me and his mom, Evie. He chattered on about random things, mostly about Minecraft, when he asked his mother a random question.

“Mom, why did God create cancer? I hate cancer.”

Evie blinked in surprise as she comprehended Gavin's desire for truth. She lovingly gazed at him and offered this reply, “Maybe Grandma can answer this one. I get to do it all the time.” I caught the slightest wink and hint of a smile as I scrambled my brain to come up with a suitable reply for a 4 year old. Yeah, good question, Gavin, I thought.

I breathed a quick prayer, God, please help me as I answer him.

I began at the beginning. God created a perfect world. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, sin corrupted that perfect world and with it came cancer and a myriad of dreaded diseases. God didn’t create cancer, but He does help us to deal with it when we trust in Him.

Gavin thoughtfully nodded, silent. Sunday School had taught him about Creation and the Fall of Man, but he needed something right now to hold on to. He needed to hear the hope that resides within me.

Hebrews 6:19 says, “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a {hope} both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil.” When I blurt out my inquiries to God, just as Gavin did to his mom, He reminds me of the sure and steadfast hope I have in Him and His Word, and there I am held steady.

4 things to remember when conversing with a child:

1. Don’t ignore the question and pretend it didn’t happen. Consider a child’s question as a vote of trust in who you are and your response to them. Each question offered up is a like a field of thought waiting to be sown with truth and love.
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2. Don’t say their inquiry was silly or stupid. A response like this will shut and lock the heart’s door quicker than anything. Once shut, it may take years of committed prayer and shows of love and interest before that child is willing to listen to anything you have to say.

3. Don’t say that they are too young to understand the answer. Just like we wouldn’t hand an Encyclopedia Britannica to a 4 year old and expect him to comprehend, it the same holds true for a response to a difficult question. Replies should be age appropriate (don’t use big words) with enough basic information to satisfy curiosity.

4. Don’t be afraid to say that you don’t know the answer. Invite them to join you as you search out the Scriptures and learn something new, yourself. Children learn by observation and imitation. They love being included in grown-up stuff. And who knows, they may teach you something you would never have considered before.

“Come, follow Me.”

These are the words of our Savior, Jesus Christ, beckoning His disciples to begin their journey with Him; to leave the known and delve into the unknown. We, who are the called, have been issued the same invitation. Jesus calls to us and says, “Come, follow Me.” And so begins our walk of faith.

Come - We are facing Him, turned to Him in relationship. In effect, we are leaving the old life behind. Jesus invites us to come to him daily and learn of Him, of His meekness and humility.  It is only after we come to Him in humility that we can go to the world and preach the gospel of salvation in His name.
Think about it: Jesus calls us to come not just once, but daily. How is your relationship with Him right now?

Follow - Our focus is set on the One who leads us. We are not in the lead position. We move in obedience to His will. As we follow Jesus we will journey from glory to glory as we are being transformed into His image. He may or may not change our physical location, but He will definitely cause a metamorphosis in our souls. 
Think about it: Not being in the lead position means not being able to see the big picture. Is there an area in your life where you’ve run out ahead of Jesus to find your own way?

Me - Jesus speaks to us directly, extending a personal invitation. His invitation is exclusive. We are not to pursue other disciples or leaders, but Jesus alone. Although we may find wonderful examples in others who follow Jesus beautifully, their lives are not to be our goal. We must be close enough to Jesus to hear His still, small voice speaking to us, as it says in Isaiah 30:21 “Your ears will hear a word behind you, "This is the way, walk in it," whenever you turn to the right or to the left.” The Word of God is the primary means by which we know God. Read and study God’s Word directly.
Think about it: Have you followed the teaching or writing of someone over the Word of God? Do you check out what they have to say on a matter before you pray and soak up the Scriptures?

We are each called to journey with our Savior on a life-long walk that is uniquely suited to each believer’s development and growth in Christ. Sometimes, we are tempted to compare our walk with another’s, evaluating and comparing progression, perfection and punctuality. However, the evaluation lies within Jesus’ jurisdiction, with the fruit of Spirit as evidence of our walk’s success. But it isn’t enough to begin the journey well. We must finish well if we want to receive the reward. The Apostle Paul encourages us in Philippians 3:14 where he says, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
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So then, “let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23)  We are called to walk a faithful walk with a faithful God.