The Why and How of Making Beauty a Priority | Guest Post by Trina Holden
Homeschool
Audio By Carbonatix
Trina Holden is going to be a guest on my radio show, Living Inspired, this coming Thursday. Be sure to tune in to the show at 3:00 Central. Welcome Trina to my blog today!
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As a mother to three small children—soon to be four!—I simply can’t do it all. I’m constantly weighing priorities in order to invest my time in what matters most.
During a busy season last fall, I found myself reevaluating the time I spent pursuing beauty. I decided to do a quick keyword study of “beauty” in Scripture to see whether God encouraged, or at least sanctioned, the pursuit of beauty my daily life.
What I found amazed me. From Genesis to Job, Psalms to Revelation, I saw a beautiful God celebrating beauty in every place, in every moment, and in every creature He created. Although sin has marred creation’s original beauty, we can see that God is working diligently around the world to redeem hearts, working to restore and reclaim the beauty of His creation.
Beauty is a priority to God, and as His children, it should be a priority to us! Catching sight of God’s passion for beauty has moved me beyond permission to dabble in pretty things to a commission to act as an ambassador of His beauty to the world around me.
So what does this look like on the busy days?
Celebrate Beauty. A sunset, a flower, a smile—we can choose to notice every one of His fingerprints, letting each and every ounce of beauty in our day be a chance to celebrate and praise our Father. It doesn’t take a lot of time to lift my eyes to a nice view or a the latest crayon masterpiece, but it always refreshes my spirit.
Collect Beauty. Being intentional about surrounding ourselves with beauty nourishes our souls because it reminds us of our Father’s character. I clean my living room as a treat to myself, I put those fistfuls of dandelions in prominent vases, and I wear my favorite color {almost} every day to keep beauty close at hand.
Create Beauty. Whether it’s a pleasingly-plated meal or a becoming outfit, words arranged on paper or rows cultivated in a garden bed, we should determine to create at least a little bit of beauty on a daily basis. Actively engaging in the creative act allows us to be ambassadors of beauty to those around us, pointing their attention to our creative, beautiful God.
Since realizing just how important beauty is in my Father’s heart, I’ve made time here and there for more celebration, collection, and creation of beauty. The results have been an increase of joy in my heart, my home, and my relationships. I’m thankful for the call to keep beauty a priority!
In my new book, Embracing Beauty: Practical Style for Every Season and Shape of Motherhood, I encourage and equip you to embrace beauty in the area of personal style. Although geared toward the style-challenging years of mothering little ones, the tips for choosing a personal color scheme, selecting accessories that work, and building a wardrobe frugally are applicable to anyone! You can get your copy here.
About Trina: trinaholden.com
