Better Than Botox
Today, I received an e-mail notice that I had received a 5 star rating on an article I had written and posted on another site called Article Blogs, a site I had forgotten about, back in March of 09. I'm posting it again, to have a record of it on Treasures Treasures.
Yesterday I went home to visit my mom and dad for their fifty-ninth wedding anniversary and to check up on my mom who has been sick with an unknown illness (maybe Parkinson’s) for a long time.What began with a change in her gait five years ago is now obviously a shuffle, which thankfully yesterday was not so bad.Yesterday was an unusually good day for her.She was calm, not anxious; more focused, not scattered; able to walk without her walker; dressed with clothes on instead of pajamas; and was able to walk up steps onto the deck so I could take pictures of both mom and dad and so dad could take pictures of me and moma beside the ginkgo tree which, oddly enough, grows through the middle of the deck. She was even able to ride twenty-five miles away to eat supper at Shoney’s. Thank-you, God! It was a beautiful day in many ways—the weather, the skies, the trees, the flowers, the birds, and moma.
Most people who ever knew Moma would say she was a beautiful woman “in her time.” She was tiny with a very “well-endowed” body, if you know what I mean, which was characteristic of the women in her family, except for her mom, who, for some reason at that time in history, had to wear a band around her “bosom” because large breasts were frowned upon.Just like today, huh? J Even though she was tiny (maybe one hundred pounds), she was strong and smart enough to build a wrecker—lay the floor, build the boom and derrick, weld it together—even paint it. She worked at Bob’s Auto Supply with my dad who started the business in 1955 which was the year I was born.They sold tires, batteries, at one time did radiator repair, did front-end alignment, tire rotation, sold every part to a car you could possibly imagine, and had a body-shop department which is where moma built the wrecker, as well as did many other things I won’t mention, since I’ve probably listed too many things already. Daddy employed several men, only two women and my mother could have been put into either catergory. She was just that strong and physically fit.Her hair was, and still is, beautiful—full of body, easy to style and easy to maintain.“In her time” I believe she depicted, without even trying, what every woman wants today--tiny body, great shape, great job, surrounded by men.
Why do I say that?
According to Dr. John LoMonaco, an ABPS-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon practicing in Houston, Texas, author of the Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Guide-Statistics, in 2008, Americans spent approximately $12.4 billion on cosmetic procedures alone.
The top five surgical cosmetic procedures in 2005 were:
1.Lipoplasty (Liposuction) with 455,489 procedures performed.
2.Breast Augmentation with 364,610 procedures. up nine percent from 2004.For the first time, we categorized saline vs. silicone augmentation. 83.4 percent of respondents used the saline device, 16.6 percent the silicone implant.
3.Blepharoplasty (cosmetic eyelid surgery) 231,467 procedures
4.Rhinoplasty (nose reshaping)with 200,924 procedures performed.
5.Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) 169,314 procedures.
The top five nonsurgical cosmetic procedures in 2005 were:
1.Botox injections at 3,294,782 up 16 percent from 2004.
2.Laser hair removal at 1,566,909 up 11 percent from 2004
3.Hyaluronic acids (Hylaform, Restylane) at 1,194,222 up 35 percent from 2004.
4.Microdermabrasion at 1,023,931 performed
5.Chemical peels 556,172 procedures, down 50 percent from 2004.
Women had nearly 10,500,000 of the total cosmetic procedures performed in 2005 accounting for 91.4 percent of the total, declining 2 percent from 2004.
The top five surgical procedures for women were Lipoplasty (liposuction), Breast Augmentation, Blepharoplasty (cosmetic eyelid surgery), and Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), and Breast Lift.
*Lest, anyone become offended here, some of these surgeries ARE medically necessary such as cosmetic eyelid surgery which my sister-in-law Brenda had because her eyelids were obscuring her vision, breast reduction surgery because of problems caused from the weight of the breasts, etc. and I’m sure there are others I don’t even know about, that are caused from being medically necessary. But, I would guess, approximately 99.9 percent of the surgeries performed today are not medically necessary and are the ones I’m addressing.
People between the ages of 35 and 50 had the majority of procedures: 5.3 million and 47 percent of the total.Those between 51 and 64 had 24 percent of the procedures, patients between 19 and 34 had 24 percent, those 65 and older had 5 percent and 18 and under accounted for 1.5 percent.
The most common procedures for those 18 and under were Laser Hair Removal, Microdermabrasion, Rhinoplasty (Nose reshaping), Otoplasty (Cosmetic ear surgery) and Chemical Peel.
Three observations I want to make about these statistics are:
1.People between the ages of 35 and 50 had the majority of procedures, which is where most of us reading this article are.
2.Those 65 and older had the least.
3.Even teenagers eighteen and under were in this group…in 2005.Think about how many more there must be today.
How do we define beauty today or better yet, how does God define beauty?
Peter tells us in 1 Peter. 3:4-5a “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.(Thanks to my husband, I am VERY guilty and I must confess). Instead, 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. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. ”When I went to the Interlinear parallel New Testament in Greek and English to see what “made themselves beautiful” meant, I found two other phrases that God must have meant for me to see by going there. The literal Greek words are, “Of whom let it be not the outward of plaiting of hairs and of putting round (on) of gold ornaments or of clothing off (with) garments adorning. But the hidden of the heart man in (?by) the incorruptible [adorning] of the meek and quiet spirit, which is before- God of great value. so For then indeed the holy women – hoping in God adorned themselves…The two phrases I noticed were: “the hidden of the heart man” and “hoping in God.”
What is the “hidden of the heart” man? Isn’t it the part we don’t see--the part that is incorruptible and isn’t it ironic that the part that is corruptible is the part we spend so much money on? Why are we spending so much money on that which will not last?Why are we throwing money away?
In the parable of the rich fool Luke tells us the rich fool says,
“’This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’”’
“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?”
“This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.”
What, then, does it mean to be rich toward God?
Luke tells us in this same passage by quoting Jesus. And I ask that you read this entire, lengthy passage as though you had never read it before, with an open heart and mind.
“Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
“Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothesthe grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Instead of “Purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted,” are we not exhausting ourselves, trying to make the money that fills our purses so we can spend money on our bodies that are destined to wear out? Is that not where our treasure is?
What are we hoping for?
The second phrase that captured my eye as I was reading The Interlinear New Testament was, “hoping in God.” “They, the holy women of the past, with a meek and quiet spirit, hoping in God, adorned themselves.” Hoping in God they adorned themselves-—not hoping in themselves were they adorned.
Hoping within myself to be beautiful is useless. Striving to be beautiful anywhere except through God is meaningless. It is only when I realize that true beauty comes from within and not from without that I can really be beautiful—a beauty that is priceless. No amount of money can buy for me what God has already given me.
My friend Ruth and I try to go to the gym every day to walk on the treadmill, but I usually make it about once or twice a week and she makes it at least three times a week. It’s a time when we love to talk and share what’s on our hearts, laugh and be together.Last week we had a conversation that went something like this:
“Do you want to go to the gym today?”
“No I can’t.”
“Well why not?”
“I’ve just got other things to do today that I think are more important?”
“But don’t you think going to the gym is important?”
“I do but I think we put too much emphasis on it.I think there’s better things to do.”
“But don’t you think it’s okay to take care of our bodies?”
“Yes, I do. But I think we put too much emphasis on our bodies.” And we looked up 1 Tim. 4:8: “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”
The conversation continued:
“But don’t you think wanting healthy bodies is important?”
“Yes, I do. But I think exercising our minds is just as important?”
“Well don’t you think that going to the gym and exercising our bodies not only makes us healthier but boosts our self esteem, because we look better and we feel better about ourselves?”
“No, I don’t think it boosts our self-esteem because our self-esteem comes from within. It comes from knowing God and loving myself because of how he sees me.”
“But don’t you want to look nice? Don’t you get your hair colored, buy expensive make-up, like to dress up and wear nice clothes?”
“Yes, I do. But that doesn’t boost my self-esteem. I believe, Ruth, that I want to think my hair color, expensive make-up and nice clothes boosts my self-esteem, when in reality my hair color, expensive make-up and nice clothes boosts my vanity. And that builds my ego, making me trust in myself and not ‘hope in God’.”
“Ruth, I believe God has already given you on the inside what you are so desperately seeking on the outside by going to the gym. You already have what you’re seeking to possess.”
Beauty is not gained by cosmetic procedures, botox injections and going to the gym.
Even though my mother is fading away, she has an “unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” Did you see that? God SEES an unfading spirit whereas we SEE what is fading away. Whereas she was beautiful on the outside “in her time” she is even more beautiful today because of that “hidden in your heart” beauty she has on the inside.
What a waste to spend treasure on that which will not last when we already possess a treasure we cannot buy.
Yesterday I went home to visit my mom and dad for their fifty-ninth wedding anniversary and to check up on my mom who has been sick with an unknown illness (maybe Parkinson’s) for a long time.What began with a change in her gait five years ago is now obviously a shuffle, which thankfully yesterday was not so bad.Yesterday was an unusually good day for her.She was calm, not anxious; more focused, not scattered; able to walk without her walker; dressed with clothes on instead of pajamas; and was able to walk up steps onto the deck so I could take pictures of both mom and dad and so dad could take pictures of me and moma beside the ginkgo tree which, oddly enough, grows through the middle of the deck. She was even able to ride twenty-five miles away to eat supper at Shoney’s. Thank-you, God! It was a beautiful day in many ways—the weather, the skies, the trees, the flowers, the birds, and moma.
Most people who ever knew Moma would say she was a beautiful woman “in her time.” She was tiny with a very “well-endowed” body, if you know what I mean, which was characteristic of the women in her family, except for her mom, who, for some reason at that time in history, had to wear a band around her “bosom” because large breasts were frowned upon.Just like today, huh? J Even though she was tiny (maybe one hundred pounds), she was strong and smart enough to build a wrecker—lay the floor, build the boom and derrick, weld it together—even paint it. She worked at Bob’s Auto Supply with my dad who started the business in 1955 which was the year I was born.They sold tires, batteries, at one time did radiator repair, did front-end alignment, tire rotation, sold every part to a car you could possibly imagine, and had a body-shop department which is where moma built the wrecker, as well as did many other things I won’t mention, since I’ve probably listed too many things already. Daddy employed several men, only two women and my mother could have been put into either catergory. She was just that strong and physically fit.Her hair was, and still is, beautiful—full of body, easy to style and easy to maintain.“In her time” I believe she depicted, without even trying, what every woman wants today--tiny body, great shape, great job, surrounded by men.
Why do I say that?
According to Dr. John LoMonaco, an ABPS-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon practicing in Houston, Texas, author of the Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Guide-Statistics, in 2008, Americans spent approximately $12.4 billion on cosmetic procedures alone.
The top five surgical cosmetic procedures in 2005 were:
1.Lipoplasty (Liposuction) with 455,489 procedures performed.
2.Breast Augmentation with 364,610 procedures. up nine percent from 2004.For the first time, we categorized saline vs. silicone augmentation. 83.4 percent of respondents used the saline device, 16.6 percent the silicone implant.
3.Blepharoplasty (cosmetic eyelid surgery) 231,467 procedures
4.Rhinoplasty (nose reshaping)with 200,924 procedures performed.
5.Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) 169,314 procedures.
The top five nonsurgical cosmetic procedures in 2005 were:
1.Botox injections at 3,294,782 up 16 percent from 2004.
2.Laser hair removal at 1,566,909 up 11 percent from 2004
3.Hyaluronic acids (Hylaform, Restylane) at 1,194,222 up 35 percent from 2004.
4.Microdermabrasion at 1,023,931 performed
5.Chemical peels 556,172 procedures, down 50 percent from 2004.
Women had nearly 10,500,000 of the total cosmetic procedures performed in 2005 accounting for 91.4 percent of the total, declining 2 percent from 2004.
The top five surgical procedures for women were Lipoplasty (liposuction), Breast Augmentation, Blepharoplasty (cosmetic eyelid surgery), and Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), and Breast Lift.
*Lest, anyone become offended here, some of these surgeries ARE medically necessary such as cosmetic eyelid surgery which my sister-in-law Brenda had because her eyelids were obscuring her vision, breast reduction surgery because of problems caused from the weight of the breasts, etc. and I’m sure there are others I don’t even know about, that are caused from being medically necessary. But, I would guess, approximately 99.9 percent of the surgeries performed today are not medically necessary and are the ones I’m addressing.
People between the ages of 35 and 50 had the majority of procedures: 5.3 million and 47 percent of the total.Those between 51 and 64 had 24 percent of the procedures, patients between 19 and 34 had 24 percent, those 65 and older had 5 percent and 18 and under accounted for 1.5 percent.
The most common procedures for those 18 and under were Laser Hair Removal, Microdermabrasion, Rhinoplasty (Nose reshaping), Otoplasty (Cosmetic ear surgery) and Chemical Peel.
Three observations I want to make about these statistics are:
1.People between the ages of 35 and 50 had the majority of procedures, which is where most of us reading this article are.
2.Those 65 and older had the least.
3.Even teenagers eighteen and under were in this group…in 2005.Think about how many more there must be today.
How do we define beauty today or better yet, how does God define beauty?
Peter tells us in 1 Peter. 3:4-5a “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.(Thanks to my husband, I am VERY guilty and I must confess). Instead, 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. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. ”When I went to the Interlinear parallel New Testament in Greek and English to see what “made themselves beautiful” meant, I found two other phrases that God must have meant for me to see by going there. The literal Greek words are, “Of whom let it be not the outward of plaiting of hairs and of putting round (on) of gold ornaments or of clothing off (with) garments adorning. But the hidden of the heart man in (?by) the incorruptible [adorning] of the meek and quiet spirit, which is before- God of great value. so For then indeed the holy women – hoping in God adorned themselves…The two phrases I noticed were: “the hidden of the heart man” and “hoping in God.”
What is the “hidden of the heart” man? Isn’t it the part we don’t see--the part that is incorruptible and isn’t it ironic that the part that is corruptible is the part we spend so much money on? Why are we spending so much money on that which will not last?Why are we throwing money away?
In the parable of the rich fool Luke tells us the rich fool says,
“’This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’”’
“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?”
“This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.”
What, then, does it mean to be rich toward God?
Luke tells us in this same passage by quoting Jesus. And I ask that you read this entire, lengthy passage as though you had never read it before, with an open heart and mind.
“Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
“Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothesthe grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Instead of “Purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted,” are we not exhausting ourselves, trying to make the money that fills our purses so we can spend money on our bodies that are destined to wear out? Is that not where our treasure is?
What are we hoping for?
The second phrase that captured my eye as I was reading The Interlinear New Testament was, “hoping in God.” “They, the holy women of the past, with a meek and quiet spirit, hoping in God, adorned themselves.” Hoping in God they adorned themselves-—not hoping in themselves were they adorned.
Hoping within myself to be beautiful is useless. Striving to be beautiful anywhere except through God is meaningless. It is only when I realize that true beauty comes from within and not from without that I can really be beautiful—a beauty that is priceless. No amount of money can buy for me what God has already given me.
My friend Ruth and I try to go to the gym every day to walk on the treadmill, but I usually make it about once or twice a week and she makes it at least three times a week. It’s a time when we love to talk and share what’s on our hearts, laugh and be together.Last week we had a conversation that went something like this:
“Do you want to go to the gym today?”
“No I can’t.”
“Well why not?”
“I’ve just got other things to do today that I think are more important?”
“But don’t you think going to the gym is important?”
“I do but I think we put too much emphasis on it.I think there’s better things to do.”
“But don’t you think it’s okay to take care of our bodies?”
“Yes, I do. But I think we put too much emphasis on our bodies.” And we looked up 1 Tim. 4:8: “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”
The conversation continued:
“But don’t you think wanting healthy bodies is important?”
“Yes, I do. But I think exercising our minds is just as important?”
“Well don’t you think that going to the gym and exercising our bodies not only makes us healthier but boosts our self esteem, because we look better and we feel better about ourselves?”
“No, I don’t think it boosts our self-esteem because our self-esteem comes from within. It comes from knowing God and loving myself because of how he sees me.”
“But don’t you want to look nice? Don’t you get your hair colored, buy expensive make-up, like to dress up and wear nice clothes?”
“Yes, I do. But that doesn’t boost my self-esteem. I believe, Ruth, that I want to think my hair color, expensive make-up and nice clothes boosts my self-esteem, when in reality my hair color, expensive make-up and nice clothes boosts my vanity. And that builds my ego, making me trust in myself and not ‘hope in God’.”
“Ruth, I believe God has already given you on the inside what you are so desperately seeking on the outside by going to the gym. You already have what you’re seeking to possess.”
Beauty is not gained by cosmetic procedures, botox injections and going to the gym.
Even though my mother is fading away, she has an “unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” Did you see that? God SEES an unfading spirit whereas we SEE what is fading away. Whereas she was beautiful on the outside “in her time” she is even more beautiful today because of that “hidden in your heart” beauty she has on the inside.
What a waste to spend treasure on that which will not last when we already possess a treasure we cannot buy.
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