"Precious Are Thy Thoughts of Me"

     I was standing in the checkout lane at BJ's the other day, waiting for my turn at the do-it-yourself registers. It was my first time out after four days of being snowed in and though it felt good to get out, I think everyone else had the same idea in mind: go to the store and stock their empty cupboards. The lines were long, and the registers were being temperamental and did not want to scan coupons, so I prepared myself for a long wait ahead of me. As I looked around, I could not help but notice the magazine rack that was a short distance away. Though I was not interested in reading any of them, the titles of each stood out in bold letters and as my eyes passed over the words I could not help but feel saddened by the hopeless and nothingness they seemed to offer. Magazines offering diet help, sat alongside the food magazines  that offered exciting recipes for yummy desserts and newfangled dishes that probably only changed one ingredient from the recipes I had at home. Then there were the fashion and makeup magazines, offering new looks and makeovers that could make you look younger and more beautiful again, and alongside those were the bold titles stating, "He cheated on me!" Divorce file announcements and hateful words splashed across each row, with hardly anything cheerful to say about marriage, nor were there any encouraging statements about faithful spouses. 
     I must admit there have been fleeting times when I wished I could look just like those models, who appear to be so beautiful and flawless, thin and perfect, with hair that shines and swishes as they move gracefully along in their perfect, expensive outfits that fit right in style. Yes, I know they have makeup specialists who help them, and then there are the computers that take out the blemishes and touch up anything the editor does not want the world to see, yet once in a while, when I am having a bad hair day or certain parts of me seem to stick out like a sore thumb, that fleshly desire returns where I wish I could look "that good", but then the thought comes to me, "Are they truly happy?"
     Even though we are mortal and live on a fallen earth, the Lord has a way of reminding His children that He loves us and there is only one way to be happy. Those models may have the perfect body, but they are still struggling with a failing marriages, a cheating spouses, and unhappy and rebellious children. A perfect body does nothing for anybody but give her more cause to worry, and more upkeep to maintain. How much time does she really have to spend with her family? Does she actually sit down and have dinner with her husband and children, or is she working out during that time, or starving herself to maintain that look? Is that why her marriage is falling to pieces? 
     All these thoughts flooded my mind as I stood in line that day, and I was suddenly very content with the way God made me. He has a purpose for me, one that He knew before I was even a twinkle in my parent's eye. I love the verses from Psalms: 
     "For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in
continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee."
Psalms 139:13-18)
     I always get goosebumps when I read the verse that talks about how He saw me being formed in the womb, yet He had all the details written down in a book that described what I was going to look like, what my personality was going to be, and every detail of my life. His thoughts are precious to me and it says that the sum of them is GREAT, more than the number of the sand. How awesome is that? I am wonderfully created, and then it goes on to say, "...marvelous are thy works!" I am His creation and He considers me 'marvelous!'
     So, I am content with my life. I am so thankful that I have a God Who loves me, loved me before I was born, enough to die for me on a cross so I could be forgiven of my sins. I am extremely thankful the Lord gave me a wonderful, thoughtful, loving husband who loves me just the way I am, the way God made me. I am unique and I am content with that. I am special to the Lord and that makes my heart sing. Who needs the help from the hopeless people in the magazines? I have the best Artist, Author, and Help anyone could every need - that is my God.

     

 

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