Are you thinking about Botox injections, a tummy tuck, a rhinoplasty, gastric bypass or a butt lift? Are you planning to get ready for a reunion, wedding or other type of gathering and be just twenty pounds lighter and fit into that new outfit? Have you decided to “throw caution to the wind”, and update your look with a beauty makeover?

Feeling and looking good is part of loving yourself, and those around you that you impact because of your health maintenance. When we do not consistently plan for success, we very clearly run the risk of falling into failure. Planning is a Good Thing.

These outer coverings which were never designed to be more than temporary. Like that brand spanking new car that is driven of the lot, the moment those tires leave the dealership it begins to depreciate. So to do our bodies from the moment we enter this world we begin our race to the finish line. There is growth; magnificent and tremendous. When babies are born they go through such a stunning transformation from being dependent on their incubator that takes care of  every need to learning language, expressing their feelings and becoming the terrific two year old that spouts “NO” with all of the vigor of someone who’s very life depended on delivering that message. We grow to a place where our hormones react before we are even aware of what is happening to our flesh and blood dwellings. As time continues to advance we all too quickly move, seemingly in regression to a place of being dependent on caregivers to help us navigate this planet.

We are all; regardless of gender identity, eye or hair pigment, or country of origin, here on this planet for a brief time, appointed once to die. (See Hebrews 9:27) Yet there is a time when we, without these bodies designed for our time here on earth, will continue. The unseen parts are eternal. You are an eternal being as am I. While we did not get to choose who or how we would be here, here we are. We can wait until there is little or no time to prepare ourselves (mind, soul and spirit) for the next phase of our journey. We are allowed freedom of choice.

Second Corinthians 4:16 reminds us that we are to look beyond the outward flesh, which will perish and look into our inward man. The Apostle Paul reminds us in verse 18 some things are temporal and others are eternal. Dare to go to Corinthians chapter four, ask God to show you what He has for you to see there in His word.

Hebrews 9:28 informs us that we are to wait for Jesus the Christ; the one who gave His life to remove the consequences of sin from us. When we wait in anticipation of something we are looking forward to, something good for us, we think about the event, what we will say or do when the wait is over. As we wait for the return of Jesus the Christ we must be aware that He will not be focused on our outward appearance, He will be looking at the condition of our inward parts. Our hearts, not the blood pump. He will look to see how we have worked with the tools He has so lovingly provided for us.

Our physicality is here today and will be gone on a quickly approaching tomorrow. Have you put off needed work on your inside parts? When was the last time you worked to improve your unseen parts? Is your main focus on the temporal or perpetuity? Our exterior is rather limited and most directly connected with our earthly gene pool. Our interior is directly connected, through our freewill, to our Heavenly Father and has tremendous room for growth. The exterior is here today, the interior will be there for endless tomorrows. Are you planning for now and later?

Take Inventory and Take Action!

Love,

Deborah

“Lighting the path to loving your neighbor as yourself.”