In His Image

I'm really glad I didn't write this blog yesterday like I had originally planned to do. I'm such a procrastinator though. And while I do have ideas for blogs, I don't always get them written out. I have this one idea still going from February. Yeah, I should probably write that one down. But anyways.

Say this with me. I am made in God's image. I am made in God's image. I AM made in God's image.

We said this three or four times today in church. The past couple of weeks we've been talking about what holiness looks like. I understood the sermon, but I always seem to get something different out of the sermon than most people. I don't know why that it is, but it just happens that way. I think most people get what the pastor talks about and just leaves it at that. I get what the pastor talks about and usually it goes elsewhere. Today his sermon did just that with me.

I was asked by some readers if I would put a picture up of what I look like now versus when I had braces. But the thing with that is I can't just put up a picture. I have to put it up for a reason. Isn't it reason enough that I was asked to put it up? Not to me it isn't. I have to have a topic going through my mind. That topic started last night while I was playing a game on the computer. That's usually how ideas start with me.

I am made in God's image. What does that mean to you? Maybe you think you're ugly (low self-esteem and low self-confidence, been there, done that), but if you're made in God's image, are you really ugly? Is God ugly? No I don't think so. I was thinking about hair color today and what color hair God has. Don't ask me why, but I was just thinking about it. I think this is correct or else it explains why I didn't do so well in physics last year, but if you take all the colors in the light spectrum and mix them, you get the color white. Now that really isn't the same as hair color, but it explains to me why I think of God as a big, bright, white light. So we're made in God's image right? I don't think you're ugly. Self-esteem and confidence issues are just a part of growing up I guess.

I have said it before that I don't care how I look. I may not have said it in any of my blogs, but I've said it to some of the younger girls in my youth group. I kinda regret saying it now because I do care about how I look, but it's not my top priority.

Oh no! My hair is out of place. It's all frizzy. My make-up is smeared. I look so bad right now.

I don't really care if my hair is out of place. It happens. And I don't wear make-up except for certain occasions. In my picture up there, I had make-up on, but not a lot. I'm not into the excessive amounts of make-up on my face. It's kinda gross to me. Besides it's just a mask. I think you're hiding who you really are when you use excessive amounts of make-up. I prefer the natural look.

I think natural beauty is the best beauty. You were made in God's image. I think natural beauty stands out more so than the fake beauty.

And don't compare yourself to supermodels and celebrities. They're fake.

I remember as a freshman being insecure and stuff, but I didn't turn to make-up. I think it's probably because my mom always wanted to put make-up on me, but I refused. I don't like the feel of it and it's just gross to me. Oh and I do freak out when I get a huge zit on my face, but I don't try to clog my pores by hiding it with make-up.

I have kinda lost my train of thought here, but you know what? I think I want to share a poem with you that I wrote last year for English class. It's called Look in the Mirror.

Look in the mirror
Who do you see?
Is it you, you see?
Or maybe it's me you see
Or maybe it's I you see
Who am I?
A girl
A reader
A writer
A comedian
A helper
A planter
An organizer
A Christian
With integrity
With acceptance
With good health
With a legacy
A leader underneath it all
With musical talent
Who am I?
Chelsea
Not originally from around here
Born of Ohio
Old life
Old Catholic school
Old friends
Let's move on
Michigan
New schools
New friends
New church
Found a new way of life
Fun new adventures
Look in the mirror
Who do you see?
Maybe it's not you that's there at all
Maybe it's just me
Looking into the mirror
Finding who I am

Look in the mirror. Who do you see? Do you see ugliness? Do you see holiness? Do you see a pretty face? What do you see when you look in the mirror?

Sometimes I see an image of God. Other times, not so much. And I'm sure you've felt this way too if you're honest enough with yourself.

One last thought I'm thinking about now. Don't think of yourself as ugly. I thought I was ugly for the longest time. Why don't the boys think I'm pretty? That was a common question for me when I was younger. I think I'm over that one now. I'm happy I'm not dating right now. When you think you're ugly, you tend to be really negative. This year has been a new year for me. I've stopped the ugliness thoughts and got to the pretty thoughts.

I am pretty. I am beautiful. I am made in God's image. And I am a work in progress because God's not done with me yet. And He's not done with you either.

Remember, we are made in God's image. I'm tempted to put that on a sticky note on the mirror in my bathroom. I might just do that too.