I'm taking a little Summer break from The World Around Her, but you can still find me over on Porch sharing my favorite home decor ideas. Right now I'm obsessed with Pineapples! If you love this Summer trend too, then stop by and check out my round up of DIY projects featuring this tropical treat.
How is everyone's week going? I've been a little busy helping my boss get her new business up and running. If you haven't heard yet, The Game of Love is now shipping...yay! Today I have a lovely guest blogger sharing her Love Your Body story and again couldn't be more inspired to keep loving my body and all it's changes. Please welcome Ally from A Home Called Shalom.
I was the smallest kid in my class.
Always.
At a whopping 5'0" tall, I'm still the smallest adult in many venues- even more so in my hometown, where the average height for a woman is around 5'6". (Dutch people are tall.)
Sure, I've heard my share of short jokes, been teased a bit, but you know? Being short hasn't ever really bothered me. In college, I really started to embrace and celebrate the fact that I was tiny. Five feet tall and 100 pounds. And it didn't bother me at all.
In fact, it's kind of been part of my identity. Being short is my "thing." Being tiny in general is my "thing."
Then things changed. I got married, started working from a desk, and developed a condition called PCOS- which caused me to quickly gain more than thirty pounds. I'm still short. But I'm not "tiny" anymore... and in fact, my height made my weight gain more noticeable and more concerning. My acne is worse than it was in high school. I'm growing hair on my chin.
To top it off, the PCOS means that I will struggle with infertility.
Basically, my identity was shattered- first with the weight gain, then with the infertility.
For about a year, I really struggled with the idea that my body had let me down.
Not only do I look a lot different physically, but my future also looks a lot different than I expected it would.
Honestly? I hated my body for "doing this" to me. For ruining my image of myself. For stripping me of my identity.
Here's the thing.
My body isn't working the way it's supposed to, no.
But should my identity be so wrapped up in something that is so fluid? So fickle? So ever-changing? I don't think it should be. As a Christian, I know--
I am not my body.
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Taking care of myself physically is important, and this body I've been given is a gift, and I need to honor God in how I use it.
But it will change. It will sag. It will wrinkle and breakdown and ultimately, it will fail me.
If my identity is found in my height, in my dress size, in my hair or my skin, I will never be satisfied. I will never live up to be the person I've been created to be.
My identity is who I am through Christ.
When I begin to focus on my true self, on my true identity, I find that I give myself more grace. And I know that I am not my own- that I (my body and all) have been purchased with the blood of Christ. If he thought that I'm worth it- with all my lovely chin hair and zits and stretch marks- who am I to think otherwise?
I am short. I am overweight. One of my toes is slightly smaller than it should be (and my sister calls it my 'alien toe'). I have acne, and stretchmarks on my tush. My ovaries have lots of exciting cysts on 'em.
But I also have lovely blue eyes, a nice smile, great ankles, and servant hands.
And I love my body- just the way it is.
Ally Vermeer spends her time wearing tie-dye, answering phones, listening to summer camp songs, and watching turkeys outside her office window. She writes about life at a Bible Camp, counts her blessings, and shares her thoughts about finding peace and wholeness at A Home Called Shalom. Oh, and she's on her tippy toes in this picture!
Are you a visual person, do you need to write things down in order to stay organized, to remember what's going on for the month, and what items to pick up from the grocery store?
Well, if so you're in luck because I have rounded up a few of my favorite planner and to-do list printables for you, check them out...
How is everyone's week going? Have you started writing down your goals for this month yet? Tomorrow I'm sharing a few of my favorite planning and to-do list printables if you need a little help getting started. Today, however, I have another amazing Love Your Body story for you. This one is from my incredibly talented friend Kristal Lee of Atutudes Handmade Tutus If you are new and don't know about my new series check out the intro here and the other guest post stories here, here, here and here!
Why I Stopped Trying To Attain The Unattainable And Started to Love My Body
A lot of freedom comes after the age of 40. Having been married to my soul mate for almost 23 years now, I have learned to be comfortable in my own skin. I used to get jealous of other women and worry that my husband would stray. Not for any good reason other than my own insecurities. I loved him more than anyone in the world and never wanted to lose him. But once I hit 40 I finally came to the realization that we are meant to be together. He loves me with all of his heart and soul. I know this without a shadow of a doubt. And I feel the same about him. No one else could ever replace him. Those shoes are far too big.
Now hitting my 44th birthday, I am coming to the realization that I can never again be as perfect looking as I did in my 20’s. I used to have the “thought to be” perfect 36-24-36 measurements. As we age so many things change as women. Our metabolism slows down. Our skin starts to lose its elasticity. And that is normal and okay. On the positive side, you finally start to get self-confidence. You care a lot less about what other people think of you. You are able to focus on forging your own path in life. It is so freeing to finally be able to be yourself. To admit you have flaws. To be real.
There have been many stories that I have seen lately about how the fashion magazines edit the photos on their pages into complete submission. I believe this video from AdWeek is a great representation of how they do it. Even celebrities and super models have stated that they really look nothing like the photos that are published. So before you beat yourself up, please take the time to watch this video and see how that version of “perfect” is attained.
I am so thankful for role models like Megan Trainor and Amy Schumer. All About That Bass is such an uplifting and freeing song. It’s a lucky man that gets to handle that bass. I love the way Amy puts her comedic spin on the issues and the crazy things we as women do on her show Inside Amy Schumer. You have to laugh because it is so true!
We as women should celebrate our bodies, in whatever shape they are in. They are beautiful and wonderful. The give us children. I don’t know any mom out there that would trade her child to get her flat tummy back. It is crazy to beat ourselves up for not being perfect. No one is perfect. I don’t get paid to look like a celebrity. If it were my job, then maybe I would obsess over it. But I am going to give myself a break. And I urge you to do the same. I love my body. I am 5’6” at 158 lbs. I wear a size 12. But I think I look pretty damn good for a 44 year old. And I look a lot like other 44 year olds I know. We all would be considered imperfect by the Hollywood standard. But I challenge you to fall in love with yourself and create a new standard with me.
Now go and do something you've always wanted to, do something you didn't get to cross off on last month's goals, just go and do it now because tomorrow is not guaranteed.
