"Happy Mother's Day"

It has been so long since I have posted anything here... sorry! Liberation doesn't mean liberated from carrying on duties and responsibilities, it just helps you put them in proper perspective. As you put them in proper perspective you realize how blessed you are to have the ability to do what is required of you in everyday life. So my "blessings" have kept me pretty tied up. But I was determined that they weren't going to take the opportunity from me to wish all my wonderful sisters a Happy Mother's Day.

I hope the day brings you much joy!

May God bless you "REAL GOOD"!!!!!!

"I'm A Liberated 'Glitter Girl'"

(FYI: This is my opening post to help explain what the Glitter Girl Liberation is all about. New posts are added under this one.)

glit·ter (gl t r) n. 1. A sparkling or glistening light. 2. Brilliant or showy, often superficial attractiveness. 3. Small pieces of light-reflecting decorative material.
glit·ter [glit-er] v. 1.to reflect light with a brilliant, sparkling luster; sparkle with reflected light. 2. To make a brilliant show.

Welcome to my blog. At first glance you may be wondering what this little corner of the web is about- maybe you’ve figured it out?

If you’d like to find out go put on your fuzzy slippers, get a cup of coffee, ice tea, or whatever your preference is- and let’s talk for a while.

We all know that things aren’t always as they appear. Take these two rings, for example, they both appear to be diamonds, but one isn’t. The difference is not in the size, or the shape or the color of the ring. The difference is in the “quality”. One has great value and the other is just for show. It’s hard to tell the real from the fake unless you give it a closer inspection and you know what you are looking for in order to spot the difference. The genuine diamond shines all the way through. The fake one only shines on the surface. It sparkles (glitters) but only gives an illusion to make you think that it is something that it is not. It’s showy but has a superficial attractiveness.

Have you figured out what this space is about yet? If you think it’s going to be filled with a lot of “bling” and “show”, guess again. It may appear that way but it’s not. It’s a blog to help “liberate” women- liberate them from worldly philosophies, social peer pressures, opinions of man founded in unrealistic perceptions, the misnomer about true beauty and womanhood, and religious nonsense that has kept women from truly being everything that God has destined them (you) to be. These forces will try to tell you that this is what makes you “shine” (glitter). They try to tell you that you are a “nobody” and of no value if you don’t follow suit and conform to their mode.

Women can be compared to these two rings. The one that was fake (“glittered”) best fits the first definition- it has only superficial beauty but no real value, even though it is prized by the wearer. This describes so many women in our society. They are perceived as “glitter” (attractive) because of their social status, because they follow the crowd, because they are politically correct, have the same values as everyone else in society or because of their outward beauty. The other ring “glittered” because it was the real thing- nothing superficial about it- genuine through and through. This describes a true “glitter” girl. She doesn’t have a facade, has beauty on the inside even if she doesn’t have it on the outside. Her beauty is not just “skin deep”. As a matter of fact, it may not be obvious who she is when they look upon her outside, but upon a closer inspection the difference is quiet obvious.

If we think we are something when we are nothing, we deceive ourselves. (Galatians 6:3) But the truth sets us free. (John 8:32) There is a deception that so many women have fallen into that says who you are and your value is determined by your appearance, popularity, wealth, material possessions, what you do, who you know, what your status in life is, etc. If that’s you this little space is here to help liberate you from that deceptive mindset so that who you are is not just “superficial” but the real thing.

Like the real diamond ring there are real “glitter girls”. They are more like the second definition. They “sparkle” with the light of Jesus because they are a refection of Him in the world. But many of these glitter girls need liberation too. They feel intimidated because they bought into the lie of the world’s definition as the true one and don’t feel they measure up. As a result they have hid their lights under a basket. Because they believe this they are being held captive. But the good news is… Jesus came to set the captive free (Luke 4:18). He came to liberate us!

Let the liberation begin!

"HATS... HATS...HATS!!!"

I have always loved hats. I loved them so much that my best friend bought me a box full of antique hats at an auction once and surprised me with them because she knew I liked them so well. Yes, I actually wore many of them! Some of the hats were wide brimmed, some were velvet, some had that fine black netting that came down over your face… they were sooo cute.

I don’t know why I liked wearing hats so much maybe it’s because of the way they made me “feel”. I would feel “pretty” when I had on a certain hat. Another would make me feel “glamorous”, or “sophisticated”, or even “playful”.

I chose which hat to wear according to where I was going and what I was doing… had to have them match everything else. I haven’t worn a hat in a while now, not one that you can see anyways. The hats I wear now days are invisible to the naked eye, but I am still sporting them nevertheless. (As are most of you.)

My hats include the “mother’s hat”, the “grandmother’s hat”, the “wife’s”, the “sister”, the “daughter”, the “friend”, the “listener”, the “confidant”, the “encourager”, the “teacher”, the “minister”, the “servant” and a host of other hats.

Like the hats I used to wear… I love these all too. I love them because I know each one is a “designer original”. Each hat that I wear has been designed for me by God… and fits me to a “t”.

Do I have a favorite? While I love them all, I guess my favorite is the “God’s daughter hat”. When I have that one on- which is all the time, never take it off- I feel “special”, I feel “loved”, I feel “important”. It also makes me feel that I want to “look my best” while wearing it because it’s a reflection of Him as well. How does that “hat” make you feel?

Thanks, Samantha, for reminding me what a "God's daughter's hat" looks like!!!!

"Shining Louder or Talking Louder?"

This weekend I took down the curtains in my office to wash them. I didn’t get them hung back up before the day was over, and would not do it on Sunday. So this morning when I sit down to the computer, the sun almost blinded me. My desk is under the window that faces east. (We all know what direction the sun rises from.)

As I was trying to work, in spite of the bright light that was coming in through the window, it made me think about Jesus who is The Light of the world and how as a Christian I am to be letting His light shine through me. This led me to wonder, “Are people able to ‘see’ Christ’s light in me or is it hid by what they ‘hear’ from me?"

Is the light hid or dimmed because of the things I say?—the unkind words, the criticism, the belittling statements, the harsh response, voicing my desires above anyone else’s, the nagging, the blaming, hateful words, fear, defeatism, etc.

Christ’s light should be shining brightly through us but it can be hid if our unpleasant words are speaking louder. People often remember what you “say” more than they remember what you “do”. So our words need to be shining brightly and they will if they reflect the glory of God. They do that when our words are wholesome, seasoned with salt, full of grace, kind, patient, edifying, compassionate, loving, full of blessings, encouragement, praise and so on.

I don’t want my words to hide His light… I want even my words to shine brightly for Him.

"Super Woman"

The other day I told my husband that I was feeling sluggish and needed an “oil change”. Sometimes you can burn the candle at both ends, run here and there, start early and go until late, stay on the go, attend one meeting after another, do everything that others expect of you and just run out of “fuel”. That’s how I felt last week.

I bring this up because most of us seem to have the mentality that we should be “super-mom” or “wonder woman”. Society tries to tell us that this is who we are. Remember the song, “I can bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan, and never let you forget you’re a man, because I’m a woman.”? Even when I look at the Proverbs 31 women, I feel I fall so short. Am I by myself? I am not talking defeat- I know I am victorious in Christ- I am just saying that I am not and can not always be and do everything everybody expects of and from me. And that being the case, I don’t need to try to conform to that or let the demands of others cause me to miss my true purpose and be the person God intends for me to be. I just need to make sure that my life is pleasing to the Lord and that I am in the center of His will for me.

So, it’s all right if I can’t leap tall buildings at a single bound; if I am not faster than a speeding locomotive; if I can’t be in more than one place at a time. I may not be super woman, but I am who He wants me to be and that is “super” enough.

"The Princess Test"

The other day I was thinking about a fairy tale that I had heard when I was a little girl- you may remember it- “The Princess and the Pea”. I call it, “The Princess Test”. You know the story, a prince wanted to get married but he had to marry a princess- a “real” princess, not a “wanna be”. One day a princess came to the castle but she didn’t look like a princess. They devised a test to determine whether she was a real princess or not. They invited her to spend the night, but the bed she was to sleep on had twenty mattresses on it. Unbeknownst to the girl the queen had placed a tiny little pea beneath the bottom mattress. In the morning, she was asked how she slept. She said she had a terrible night because something hard was in the bed and she was black and blue from lying on it. They knew she was a real princess because only a real princess could be as sensitive as that. So she and the prince were married and lived happily ever after.

I am a princess- a “real” one- because I’m the daughter of a King (our Heavenly King). And I began to wonder just how sensitive I am to even “little” sins. Do they “irritate” my spirit? Are they so much a part of my life that I don’t even notice them? Or do they make me uncomfortable? Does that unkind word, that thoughtless act, that angry thought, that “evil eye” look or that harsh word I speak even bother me? They should, but if they don’t… I failed the “princess test”… and I have to keep working on it until they do.

"Shave Your Legs!"

Ok, I confess… I HATE to shave!! I don’t know who- or why- ever came up with the idea that women should shave their legs! Honestly, it is a PAIN! (Oops, it sounds like I am complaining- better watch that- Father doesn’t like complaining!) I guess I should put it this way- while I don’t like to do it, I am thankful that I can.

Since it’s not one of those things I like to do, why do I do it? Surely, I am “liberated” enough that I don’t have to do what everyone else is doing? Shaving is not one of those things that I do for myself. I do it for my husband. He likes my legs shaven. He doesn’t like to be stuck by “porcupine” needles, or rub up against a “Brillo” pad, or not be able to tell if he is rubbing his own leg or mine.

The reality of it is, most of what we do we do for others- it’s not about us. (Shaving is not about me- I can live without it.) As daughters of our Heavenly Father our lives are not about us, they are about: Him and them! What we do, the way we conduct our lives, should always be putting others first- their comfort, their needs, their happiness. I know, this sounds so contradictory to what we are taught and what society tells us. But this is what the Bible teaches. Therefore, this conduct is what is pleasing to the Father.

Is shaving a big deal? Will it be the end of the world if I don’t? Can I live with unshaven legs? But will it make my husband happier if I do?

“Love each other as brothers and sisters and honor others more than you do yourself.” (Romans 12:10- CEV)