TWO

I think that the word beautiful is beautiful in and of itself!

beau-ti-ful : [byoo-tuh-fuhl]

–adjective

1. having beauty; having qualities that give great pleasure or satisfaction to see, hear, think about, etc.; delighting the senses or mind: a beautiful dress; a beautiful speech.
2. excellent of its kind: a beautiful putt on the seventh hole; The chef served us a beautiful roast of beef.
3. wonderful; very pleasing or satisfying.

–noun

4. the concept of beauty (usually prec. by the).
5. (used with a plural verb) beautiful things or people collectively (usually prec. by the): the good and the beautiful.
6. the ideal of beauty (usually prec. by the): to strive to attain the beautiful.

So, think about it ... when you experience something beautiful through an image, a song, a word, a book, a movie, or an interaction with another person, what happens to you ... how does it impact you - what emotions stir in you? Better yet, when you are the recipient of being told that you are beautiful, what does that do to you? Does it give you a little spring in your step?

I have been calling my niece Emily "beauty" since she was a baby (she is now 10) and every time I see or talk to her the first words out of my mouth are: "hi beauty!" ... Upon hearing these words, her eyes light up, she smiles slightly and I can see in her a sense of joy and delight because she is found beautiful by me. After pausing for a few seconds, I always follow it up with "but you are SO much more than another pretty face ... God created you perfectly in his image, I love your tender heart, I love that you care so much about other people and I love your desire to do your best in everything that you do ... that is why you are so beautiful to me my sweet Emily" ... and then I see in her face a sense of affirmation because she knows that I find her beautiful not only on the outside but most importantly for who she is on the inside.

And then I sometimes remind her of the following verse:

Psalm 45:11

The King is enthralled by your beauty; honor him for he is your God.

So tell me ... what in this day do you find beautiful?