Daughter, who told you to look beautiful and twirl your dress like so?
Daughter, who told you to dance when the music plays and blow kisses to the wind?
Daughter, who told you to wrap tiny hands tighty around Daddy's neck and shower him with a million kisses?
Daughter, who told you to scout Mommy's closet for high heel shoes and put bows in your hair?
Daughter, who told you to color rainbows on your cheeks and paint pink on your nails?
Daughter, who told you to giggle when little boy stares and speed up heart beats when he comes near?
I am a Mother of Daughters.
In the life of my girls, I wonder where the world's impact ends and my legacy begins.
They flip channels and see beauty skin deep and lyrics that woo boys. They read magazine covers in grocery store aisles and whisper "I want to be that beautiful, too." Eyes capturing makeovers of the face, but never the heart.
They see me dance, so they dance. They hear me sing, so they sing. They hear Daddy call Mommy pretty, and wait to be noticed too.
My daughters do as we do and say as we say.
Will my influence thunder strong over the noise that surrounds? Will my prayers cried out take residence in their hearts? Will my words be authentic and desired above the rest?
They seek to be loved and cherised.
They seek to be beautiful and adored.
They seek to be wanted and worthy.
I want those things, too.
In pages of holy words, the beauty of the Lord is sought and gazed upon. Earnestly desired and beheld above the rest.
Yes, beheld. God desires we behold his beauty. That we have a devoted youthful affection only for Him.
My daughters deep longings are rooted in the image of God who created her. To be like Him. The words we speak are the beginning of this sacred, high calling of Mothers. To edify and beautify and grow the garden of their hearts.
What words will tell your daughter today? What will you leave unsaid?
What truths will you tell her? And do you know what lies she will need to forget?
Tell her she is loved and more precious than rubies.
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."
Reclaim beauty from the world. Tell her she is beheld by the Maker of All Things Beautiful.
This powerful video, "Beheld" is a kaliedescope of words and images that wound and heal the hearts of girls and women.
Beheld from Marianne Bach on Vimeo. (Subscribers, click here to view video.)
On the 2nd Thursday of each month, I'll be contributing perspectives on motherhood at MODSquad, an online community devoted to strengthening the hearts of our daughters for God. An amazing group of women convene there, so I'm definitely the lucky one! Join me today as I share my rocky start to motherhood and how "Corn Flake" became my nickname. Click here to read the post.
