Addicted to plastic surgery

I should be in bed... instead, I'm hanging on the computer, listening to the TV. Of course, it's not like I have anything intelligent on (E! network). I couldn't even begin to tell you what show is on. It's mainly background noise.

Well, it WAS background noise until just a few minutes ago.

I have NO clue who Heidi Montag is. I have never seen the show 'The Hills'. What drew me in to her story is the fact that this young woman recently underwent 10 plastic surgeries. 10!!!

What horrible body image this poor girl has of herself that she felt as though she needed to 'correct' herself in such a dramatic way. It truly just breaks my heart.

Shame on our society for placing such high importance on looks & being thin. Who do we think we are to determine what is considered beautiful. Why can't we just be happy with what God has given us?

Mothers, grandmother, aunts & friends - we need to take charge here & stop allowing our daughters, sisters & friends to compare their outward appearance to photo shopped images. They need to know that they are made exactly the way God intended them to be. That they ARE beautiful! God doesn't look at what is on the outside, but what is on our inside.

Many blessings,
Allison

The price of beauty

I don't remember comparing myself to the famous women I'd see in a magazine when I was growing up. Yes, I did get Seventeen, but I didn't strive to be like anyone in it. Maybe it's because I was skinny back then. What did shape my 'view' of myself were my friends & family. I wasn't immune to a distorted self-view... far from it.

Raising a daughter in today's society is tough. The media has become more & more present & in-your-face. Images of 'beautiful' women are everywhere; magazines, billboards, commercials, videos. We can't escape them. It's hard to counter the lies that society tells are young women.

Perfect example. Study this recent magazine cover of Demi Moore.

Notice anything missing?? How about her hip?

In yet ANOTHER Photoshop debacle, our beloved media manages to go a little TOO far with tweaking their cover.

It's no wonder our girls have a higher percentage of eating disorders. They are striving to be AN AIRBRUSH IMAGE! Impossible!! Unattainable!

If I'm honest with you, I'd say that I was happy for these errors. FINALLY, parents are armed with PROOF that the images seen in a magazine are fake.

Parents, grandparents & friends, I urge you to use this to your advantage with the girls in your life.

Many blessings,
Allison

True beauty

August cannot come fast enough for me... no, not just because my kids (and hubby) go back to school. Chelsea & I (and some friends) are going to a mother/daughter conference in Macon, GA for Secret Keeper Girls. It's a 2 hour conference specifically designed to teach 'tween girls' the true meaning of beauty; not what society says is beautiful, but what God says is beautiful. If you're a mom of a young girl - especially between the ages of 8 & 12 - then you'll want to check this out!!! Modesty, purity & fashion... can it get any better?

It can!!!! A christian artist named Jonny Diaz wrote a song that should be EVERY woman's anthem!

More Beautiful You

by Jonny Diaz

Little girl fourteen flipping through a magazine

Says she wants to look that way

But her hair isn’t straight her body isn’t fake

And she’s always felt overweight

Well little girl fourteen

I wish that you could see

That beauty is within your heart

And you were made with such care your skin your body and your hair

Are perfect just the way they are

There could never be a more beautiful you

Don’t buy the lies disguises and hoops they make you jump through

You were made to fill a purpose that only you could do

So there could never be a more beautiful you

Little girl twenty-one the things that you’ve already done

Anything to get ahead

And you say you’ve got a man but he’s got another plan

Only wants what you will do instead

Well little girl twenty-one you never thought that this would come

You starve yourself to play the part

But I can promise you there’s a man whose love is true

And he’ll treat you like the jewel you are

So turn around you’re not too far

To back away be who you are

To change your path go another way

It’s not too late you can be saved

If you feel depressed with past regrets

The shameful nights hope to forget

Can disappear they can all be washed away

By the one who’s strong can right your wrongs

Can rid your fears dry all your tears

And change the way you look at this big world

He will take your dark distorted view

And with His light He will show you truth

And again you’ll see through the eyes of a little girl

What a POWERFUL statement this song has! Reminding girls that no matter what your past is, God will wash it all away. Only He can right those wrongs. Beauty is not what the fashion magazines tell us.... to God, we are ALL that perfect 10 that we strive SO hard to be.

Many blessings,

Allison

Class of 2009 class trip

I was lucky to join my husband & daughter this past week on their class trip to Chattanooga, TN to Racoon Mountain & the Tennessee Aquarium. This was my first time there and loved it. Honestly, I was scared out of my mind to go to the caves. I have this irrational fear of enclosed places. Just the thought of going into an elevator with a group of people is enough to give me a panic attack. So how was I supposed to explore the caves of Racoon Mountain?

By the grace of God, that's how! Every time I started feeling that panic coming on I just prayed that God would keep me safe (however, having our tour guide continuously telling us how far under the earth we were wasn't helping - at one point, 138 ft.). There were a few tight spots that I had to squeeze through.. and I definitely had to duck down a bunch (5'11" not a good height to go caving).

I have NO regrets about going into that cave though. It was BEAUTIFUL!!! I am always amazed at the beauty God gives us here above the ground, but He has given us just as much beauty underground too. To know that those caves just started with a single drop of water. Indescribable!

I'll be honest, I know we have a multi-million dollar aquarium here in Atlanta, but the one in Chattanooga was, by far, the better aquarium. If you get the chance, CHECK IT OUT!!! The best part was that they had everything spread out in 2 buildings. LOVE IT!

Ok, so they don't have the cool whale sharks or the belugas, but the stuff they did have was just as cool. I even braved my fear of bugs & all things creepy/crawly/flying by going into the butterfly exihibt. I even had a few 'poop' on me (not sure if was really poop, but they left some colorful marks on my shirt). Again, another example of the beauty that God has provided because He loves us.

I even got to see my favorite animal of all time!!! The penguin! Too cute - I would honestly take one home with me if I could have found a way (not that Craig would have been too happy with me - then again, neither would Pablo). The girls that I was overseeing (not my daughter or any of her friends) were more anxious to go to the gift shop, so we zoomed through the exhibits.

There is even beauty under the sea (ok, the sturgeon is NOT a cute fish, but I really thought the jellyfish looked like a symphony moving so gracefully through the water).

It was an amazing day; one that I will remember for a long time!!! I can't wait to go again! :)

Many blessings,

Allison