From Frumpy to Fabulous

Frumpy to fabulous, a change from both the inside and out...

"I feel frumpy, oh so frumpy...", that had become my theme song recently. My typical look, when I am staying home for the day; sports pants, oversize sweatshirt, slippers, greasy ponytail, and no makeup. Who am I kidding? There are some days I don't even get out of my pajamas! My theory is 'why get all dolled up, just to stay home'. The problem? When a mom does this for so many days... err months, in a row, she can tend to feel flat out frumpy. Every time there was a knock at the door I panicked that it could be the cast of 'What Not to Wear'! I wouldn't put it pass my little sister to call me in to the fashion police.

As each day passed, I could feel my 'frumpiness' seeping into my attitude as well. I not only felt bored with myself, but down right gloomy inside. My once perky ponytail had turned into the equivalent of a horses mane, all dry and split. My bright, vibrant makeup was taken hostage by a single tube of chapstick. My cute, tight jeans now collected dust, while the stretched out sweatpants showed obvious wear and tear. I had done it! I had successfully met the stereo type of a stay-at-home mom! So I took matters into my own hands, and started with a haircut. After removing over twelve inches of hair, I got a bit of bounce put back into my step. Literally. How cutting hair can change your attitude is still mind boggling to me. But, I felt rejuvenated again, like a new me had surfaced. Don't get me wrong here...I am still in my sweatpants and slippers. Baby steps people!

Have you ever felt frumpy, empty, or lonely? Maybe for you it is not a simple haircut fix. Maybe you're a compulsive shopper or rely on comfort food to fill the void, yet still turn up empty once the feeling passes. I admit, there is something about a big piece of chocolate cake that temporarily satisfies my void. Key word is temporary. Perhaps the issue lays deeper than just a physical makeover. Maybe, just maybe, your soul is longing for a spiritual makeover. You've heard the saying, "Beauty comes from the inside out". There is truth behind that statement. I have met some really pretty girls that were so ugly on the inside, that there outward beauty began to wither in my eyes. Their attitudes and behaviors were less then desirable. On the contrast, I have met some 'not so attractive' people in my life (to put it nicely), that gleamed from the inside out, giving them a unique beauty all their own. I love to see the physical ways God created us all so differently. However, I do feel that God desires for our inward beauty to be similar...in His likeness. I find the only true way to obtain that is through proactive spiritual growth.

There was a time that I found myself searching to fill the voids in my life. I tried everything; friends, food, activities, habits, even love. Ultimately it was filled when I decided to run in a different direction then the rest of the world. I ran straight into the arms of God. It was then that my spiritual makeover could begin to take place. Sure a cute haircut is refreshing and makeup, jewelry and handbags are always fun! But, let's make sure we are just as concerned about our inner appearance, as we are about our outer appearance. When you examine yourself, which type of beauty shines the brightest?

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." Proverbs 31:30 (NIV)