Saturday was the grandfathers day to babysit the kids. First my dad came over to watch the kids so my mom and I could get in a little shopping, then my fil came over at 5pm so that Sandi, Celeste and I could go see the movie Enchanted. The movie was cute by the way. Nate left for Florida about 9am on Sat so I was anticipating a long boring weekend, but thanks to my nice dads it turned out to be very pleasant. Church was sparsely attended yesterday due to the holidays but it was good anyway.
There was a line in the movie where the servant of the queen asked the prince if he liked himself and the prince replied confidently "whats not to like?" It got me thinking about how many people actually like themselves. I am not talking about feeling Gods love for you or if other people like you. I am talking about good ole fashioned appreciation for yourself as an individual. Do I like my temperament and personality?, do I like myself as a friend, wife, mother? Would I want to keep company with myself? I think that there is a difference between self importance which would be arrogance and pride and an appreciation for yourself as a unique person created in the image of God for his glory on earth. So many times people feel shame if they like themselves because they think that they are loving themselves and somehow that must be sinful, or they don't like themselves at all and are filled with self loathing which is actually pride also because that is negative focus on yourself. I want my children to really like themselves without being self loving and prideful. I want them to have esteem but not from themselves but through the eyes of God. (God esteem) I hope to be able to teach them to see themselves realistically but humbly as well. I want them to know what their weaknesses are and be able to handle it w/o guilt and shame, but at the same time see their strengths and really like who they are. Overall I like myself and yet I feel slightly embarrassed to write that.
3 comments:
don't feel embarrassed. i think valuing or liking who you are in christ and functioning from that place of security is the only way we can truly love others and bring him glory, which is the whole point of being here. your so right about the self loathing part. it has no purpose whatsoever.
a quote i absolutely love, although i know the last part is a bit interesting.:)my boss gave it to me at work last year. LOL:)
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
Well, I really like you too!
ehh..you're alright, I suppose. :)
Hey--is thursday night good for you to watch our sad vietnam documentary? Maura said thursday night was good for her. Aren't you excited for her laugh-cry combo?
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