Planted for Splendour....

Growing up in a household of all girls was certainly fun even though it did have its disadvantages. I am glad that my sisters and I had very few arguments and we grew  up friends and remain best friends. I am the middle child and one day my younger sister, Fiona, kindly pointed out that she was not sure where I got my genes from as I was unlike her and our older sister, Jackie in that I didn't colour my now greying hair and I rarely wore makeup or jewellery. It takes me no more than 10 minutes to get ready to go out while they both take at least an hour just to get over the threshold to go to local shop! 

 

Me with my sisters and our dad.

Yes, I am different from them in that respect, I do care much less than my dear sisters about how I physically appear on the outside to the big wide world. Yet it's not that I don't care about my appearance  I do; I just don't wear additional layers or trappings probably out of laziness more than anything else to be honest.
 

But what I do care about is being beautiful and blossoming just as my God desires for me. I want to reflect His image and glory back to Him and on to the world around me.

 
Of course, while I am not often too over concerned with just how people view my outward appearance in comparison to the latest supermodel I can be so over concerned with how people view me and who I am and what I do and say.
We so often strive to clean up our inside, to get our act together as much as we do our outside and maybe it glitters for a while but have you realised it tarnishes way too quickly?

Why? 

Because when I do it, when I clean myself up and make me look good inside or out, it's all about self image and not the image of my Creator and Saviour Jesus Christ.

For that I need to be deeply rooted and planted in Jesus, the living water, the spring of life. To be pruned and grown by Him alone. Then I will mature strong and beautiful and even in the midst of any storm I will be able to withstand and blossom as He desires for me.


 

I am reminded of an amazing image of a magnificent tree standing strong and as the branches spread and sway like arms lifted high in praise to the rhythm of His heartbeat and the wonder of His grace.  I can hear His voice calling me on like a gentle whisper in the wind as the breeze rustles through the leaves of the tree and I bloom out of the seed planted deep in me.

 

 

                                                                       photo cred: Rame McSherry

Planted and rooted deep in the LORD I am being made beautiful inside and out as He makes me beautiful in the right time. For I am His creation; it He who has formed me and not myself that I may reflect His splendour and glory.

May my beauty radiate the life I am in Jesus, may I allow the creator to create, to make me strong and beautiful in His image rooted, planted by the river. May I be fruitful in season and all for His resplendence and glory.