KEEPING UP APPEARANCES

     I think we all have the fairy tale as  little girls when we pass by the big houses in the car, that we imagine who lives there and what their life must be like.  We imagine, dream, and hope that one day it will be use with the perfect home, the perfect husband, and the perfect children. As we grow older, we realize that the dream is a little harder to obtain than just clicking our heels together, but nevertheless we endeavor to achieve it.

    I've talked with and seen both sides of the equation and the outcome of trying to obtain this "thing" called the good life. On one end of the dream there is the woman who came from nothing, never had anything to speak of,  and hustles everyday just to make ends meet. For her, its all about survival and that is the mode that she stays in. There is no  looking to the future and planning ahead because "the day has enough trouble of its own" Matt. 8:32. I know you are asking yourself, so then what is the appearance that she is trying to keep up if she has nothing to "keep up?'
    
     On the other end of the spectrum you have the woman that seems to have it all. A great and lucrative job, the husband, the big house, nice luxury sedan or SUV, the 2.5 kids, and even the dog! By all appearances she has it all! Don't get me wrong, you have worked hard and sacrificed a lot to get to where you are and are proud of it as you should be, but the question remains how much are you sacrificing of yourself to keep it? when you sit on your couch in you den and look around at all that you have accomplished, why in the pit of your heart do you still fill empty and unfulfilled?

    No matter which end of the spectrum you are on, and all the countless women and scenarios in between, the questions are still the same. Why do yo still feel unfulfilled? For the woman who is surviving the surface answer is easy. You would say, "Because I don't have what I need." but its more to it. The emptiness is still the same. It's a longing for something you feel as if you cannot get or reach, You keep up the appearance that you are tough and nothing bothers you and you are going to "get yours" no matter how much it takes. Its difficult to keep up the appearance of being tough or hard when you truly are very sensitive at the core. Its hard to keep up the appearance of having it all when within your heart you would give it all away if you could just be content and happy. The ironic thing is that the woman who has nothing is looking at the woman who has it all and believes that if she had all of the trappings of success she would be happy and content. While the woman who has it all looks at the woman who has nothing and dreams of a more simpler life without all the complications of "more money, more problems."
  
     When we take away the external and look at the core of who we are, we all have the same needs. Hiding behind the mask that grins and lies does not bring peace and wholeness to our lives. Learning how to not allow external circumstances dictate who we are and our worth is paramount. OUR PERCEPTION IS OUR REALITY  and we project our perception of ourselves into the world. what we are looking for is the love of Christ to fill that space that only He can fill. How do you begin to feel His love? Begin by being honest with yourself. the stuff, or lack thereof, does not define who you are. the extra Coach bag or pair of shoes will not fulfill the deeply internal desire to be loved. Be honest and be real. That's when the King of glory can come in.........