{InstaFriday & On My Heart...and a winner}

Okay friends I have to be honest, I kinda forgot about Insta Friday and On My Heart til last night right before we walked out of the house to go out of town.  I quick snapped some photos of things around my house I love to share in some what of a cheater fashion.  Wouldn't you know when I got to the car, in my impatience they never saved....still trying to figure out Instagram. Frustrated, I just figured I'd wait until I scrolled through to the one photo I got last Saturday.

Bella asked to participate in a Model Search at an Outlet Mall about 30 minutes from our house.  As Saturday morning approached I thought she was going to bail on me.  It was quite a big deal for her Daddy to give the okay to such a thing and even more that Bella would even want to...so not my girl's thing.  We got there on time...can I get an amen...and quickly signed in to be told it would be a 4 hour wait for her age group. What?!?! We decided to make the best of it and browse the stores.  Bella is obsessed on trying on heels and had to get a pick in these.

As it inched closer to the time for the youngest group we decided to go watch as we were losing steam in the walking.  Grabbing the only spot to stand and watch we stood patiently waiting for it to start.  We watched as kids walked the cat walk practicing fro their turn and Momma's gave last minute instructions.

My stomach churned and my cheeks got hot.  I scanned the crowd of people catching face after face of little ones from the 4-8 division made up in make-up, heels, and hair teased and hair sprayed to give Dolly a run for her money. And it just went up from there.  My heart for my little girl looking at everyone, I could see in her eyes that she was doing the comparison dance.  The longer we sat, the more I we heard.  We overheard Mom's coaching their daughters on winking at the male judge...teenage daughters.  We overheard the banter of the criticism of the competition. The snide remarks and not so muffled laughter if someone tripped a little or outfit wasn't as polished.  I kept Bella as busy as I could playing on my phone, whispering words of encouragement into her ears.  Sending silent prayers that her heart wouldn't be penetrated by the back biting surrounding us.

I don't know if the make up, the heels, or the hairspray are at all damaging to these little girl (and boys), but we as Mothers and society telling them that beauty is measured in physical characteristics and outward appearance is. As each winner was called in varying divisions of age, kids left the stage crying.  A four year old crying that because in their eyes they weren't good enough is wrong.

In the end my heart is guilty of judging too.  I let the experience serve as motivation to be more intentional with my little ones in setting their eyes on what Christ calls beauty.  On the way home I shared my heart with Bella and she with I.  It was a beautiful time to connect and invest and I was grateful.

Sorry InstaFriday readers if that was a little heavy for your Friday reading.

Thank you for all who commented last week!  The winner is...

 

Yeah Jess!  I will email you, your Shutterfly photo book later this weekend friend!

Linking up with Jeanett and Casey!

XO Jenni