Living Irresistibly

A quote by Coco Chanel came across my Facebook feed this week:  "You can be gorgeous at thirty, charming at forty, and irresistible for the rest of your life" .  Since I am no longer thirty or forty, being irresistible for the rest of my life is rather appealing and encouraging!  And it seems from the liked responses, I am not alone.
What do I mean by "living irresistibly" and what does this have to do with Spiritual Living?  
First of all, being irresistible, especially past forty, goes beyond physical appearance, youth, or the absence of wrinkles.  And that's good news for those of who would like to age gracefully...and slowly, very slowly.
For a woman to be irresistible, I think she must first feel irresistible. She must embrace that she can indeed be irresistible in spite of her age, her weight, the wrinkles, or the sags.  It is the view on life that is the game-changer!
And who says any woman has to relinquish the fun and delight of getting her hair highlighted or her nails done.  Of wearing her favorite colors or fashions.  Of walking with a lilt in her step, even if her "high" heels must be lower than two inches.  
What is most important, though, is that this mindset emphasizes the beauty of a woman's character.  Those crow's feet were planted there by smiles.  And those forehead furrows...by deep concerns and thoughts.  The twinkle in her eyes is more irresistible than jewelry.  A woman's beauty comes from within.

The Scriptures shared that wisdom centuries ago:  

Proverbs 31:10 (AMP)
A capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman—who is he who can find her? She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls.

1 Peter 3:3-4New International Version (NIV)

3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. 4 Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

Grandmothers and their grandchildren know this irresistible beauty.  Grandkids are not put off by graying hair or wrinkled hands.  They love the petal soft skin of Grandma's face and her soft pillowy hugs.  Her beauty comes from within, and everyone is warmed by the glow of her joy.

Now, some of us are not grandmothers yet.  And that's okay.  But like a fine wine, let's hope we mellow with time and become more exquisite....irresistible.  

Grace to Be and Room to Become

The thought for today is from Eldredge’s book Captivating: "Real beauty offers others the grace to be and the room to grow."
To me, that best expresses the beauty and grace that Jesus brought to the many he encountered on earth, especially to the sinful: Zacchaeus, the woman at the well, the woman caught in adultery.

And how rare to experience that kind of beauty in a person. The grace to be (acceptance and love for who I am right now, no matter what) and the room to grow (the freedom to be who God designed me to be and not what others want me to be or think I should be, to meet their needs or their expectations). The saying “Please be patient with me. God isn’t finished with me yet” is a longing for that kind of beauty.

Real inner beauty offers others life and rest and hope. That is what Jesus brought to each sinner at the end of his or her destructive path: beauty for ashes, hope for despair, life instead of death.

I have also been pondering what my part in my journey is this past year. With my dog Jazzy (read Sept. 24'06 and Oct. 1'06 blog),I observed how she likes to take the lead, instead of following mine, whenever I try to take her on a walk with me. Her persistence to lead robs us of a pleasant experience together. And yet, I am so like Jazzy when it comes to walking with God. I desire to walk with Him. Follow Him. But I become impatient and lurch ahead---thinking that I have to contribute somehow to the journey process.

This week as I asked God the question (again), what is MY part in all of this? Out of the silence, He answered, “None of it...except to love me—be in love with me. And love others in that way too.”

My head still wrestles with this answer, but not my heart. My heart knows this is the true answer to the question I have been asking.