I decided to celebrate spring by painting my toenails. First, in case you’re wondering how a woman with limited sight and no color vision manages to beautify her toes, I’ll let you in on two of my secrets:
1) I choose color names wisely (for example, my personal favorite, “Wine with Everything”)
2) I’m very flexible (have you ever watched a contortionist?)
But that’s not really the point.
Okay, where was I? Oh yeah, preparing to wrap my leg around my head in order to see my toes.
All my props were in place: polish, clippers, lotion, plastic tub of warm soapy water, complete with a few squirts of scented bubble bath . . . the works. Just as I pressed Play on the DVD player so I could cry my way through Finding Neverland for the 10th time, in walked Nathan.
“Can I do it too?” Nathan plopped his 5-year-old body down beside me and attempted to role up the leg of his jeans. Suddenly he stopped, eyeing the bubbly water. “Is this a girlie thing to do?”
Immediately, my mind replayed a scene from the last time I let him soak his feet while I gave myself a pedicure. As Nathan dangled his stalky legs in the floral-laced water his 16-year-old brother, who had just returned from youth group, viewed the scene in horror and demanded, “What is this?!”
He looked so cute sitting there on the floor with his jeans rolled up and one shoe off. Besides, he was five! So I assured him this time, “Guys soak their feet sometimes. It’s okay.”
Nathan kept his feet in the water long after I’d removed mine. When I started massaging my feet with lotion he asked “Can I have some-a-that?”
“Sure.”
As if fearing that big brother might overhear, he whispered, “Is it a girlie thing?”
I whispered back, “I won’t use a girlie scent.”
He removed his pruney feet from the water and flopped them across my lap. I massaged his feet before starting on my nails.
“What’s that stuff?” Nathan reached for the polish bottle.
My husband, who had remained silent up to this point, bellowed from the back of the room, “You are not painting his toes.”
“It’s nail polish,” I told Nathan. “And that would be a girlie thing to do. How about if I clip your toenails?”
He lost interest at that point and left the foot-soaking tub for a tub filled with LEGOS. I continued my pedicure and chick flick in peace. As cheesy as it sounds (I can be pretty cheesy), I thanked God for making me a girl. I’ve always been a girlie girl. As a little girl I truly believed that my dolls had feelings. For one entire school year I refused to wear pants. I love to paint my nails, wear lip gloss and pink, slather my body with essence of flowers and fruits of all varieties, and fill my house with pretty things. The fact that God gave me boys reveals the depth of His sense of humor. But my house full of guys also provides me with plenty of reminders of how wonderful it is to be female.
Think about it for a minute. Sure, we deal with our share of unpleasant stuff, but oh the good that outweighs the bad. God uses us to bring life into the world. We have strength that men don’t have. For example, I read somewhere that we have a higher tolerance for pain, better night vision, and a stronger sense of hearing than guys do (all of which will come in handy when you have kids). When we cry, men melt. Our clothes are more fun. And we get to wear accessories. I love accessories!
The Bible is filled with proof that God used women in unique ways—that we are special to Him. What could be better than that?
What do you love most about being a young woman? I’d love to hear from you!
Now, go paint your nails or smooth on some scented lotion. Enjoy being a girl!
Jeanette
1) I choose color names wisely (for example, my personal favorite, “Wine with Everything”)
2) I’m very flexible (have you ever watched a contortionist?)
But that’s not really the point.
Okay, where was I? Oh yeah, preparing to wrap my leg around my head in order to see my toes.
All my props were in place: polish, clippers, lotion, plastic tub of warm soapy water, complete with a few squirts of scented bubble bath . . . the works. Just as I pressed Play on the DVD player so I could cry my way through Finding Neverland for the 10th time, in walked Nathan.
“Can I do it too?” Nathan plopped his 5-year-old body down beside me and attempted to role up the leg of his jeans. Suddenly he stopped, eyeing the bubbly water. “Is this a girlie thing to do?”
Immediately, my mind replayed a scene from the last time I let him soak his feet while I gave myself a pedicure. As Nathan dangled his stalky legs in the floral-laced water his 16-year-old brother, who had just returned from youth group, viewed the scene in horror and demanded, “What is this?!”
He looked so cute sitting there on the floor with his jeans rolled up and one shoe off. Besides, he was five! So I assured him this time, “Guys soak their feet sometimes. It’s okay.”
Nathan kept his feet in the water long after I’d removed mine. When I started massaging my feet with lotion he asked “Can I have some-a-that?”
“Sure.”
As if fearing that big brother might overhear, he whispered, “Is it a girlie thing?”
I whispered back, “I won’t use a girlie scent.”
He removed his pruney feet from the water and flopped them across my lap. I massaged his feet before starting on my nails.
“What’s that stuff?” Nathan reached for the polish bottle.
My husband, who had remained silent up to this point, bellowed from the back of the room, “You are not painting his toes.”
“It’s nail polish,” I told Nathan. “And that would be a girlie thing to do. How about if I clip your toenails?”
He lost interest at that point and left the foot-soaking tub for a tub filled with LEGOS. I continued my pedicure and chick flick in peace. As cheesy as it sounds (I can be pretty cheesy), I thanked God for making me a girl. I’ve always been a girlie girl. As a little girl I truly believed that my dolls had feelings. For one entire school year I refused to wear pants. I love to paint my nails, wear lip gloss and pink, slather my body with essence of flowers and fruits of all varieties, and fill my house with pretty things. The fact that God gave me boys reveals the depth of His sense of humor. But my house full of guys also provides me with plenty of reminders of how wonderful it is to be female.
Think about it for a minute. Sure, we deal with our share of unpleasant stuff, but oh the good that outweighs the bad. God uses us to bring life into the world. We have strength that men don’t have. For example, I read somewhere that we have a higher tolerance for pain, better night vision, and a stronger sense of hearing than guys do (all of which will come in handy when you have kids). When we cry, men melt. Our clothes are more fun. And we get to wear accessories. I love accessories!
The Bible is filled with proof that God used women in unique ways—that we are special to Him. What could be better than that?
What do you love most about being a young woman? I’d love to hear from you!
Now, go paint your nails or smooth on some scented lotion. Enjoy being a girl!
Jeanette
2 comments:
I love being a girl too!!
Of course, God gave me three little girls so we've got serious estrogen around here! But I love every bit of it...
I may STOP getting pedicures and start doing my own toes. I have a boo-boo next to my big toe because the girl jabbed me. Now my toe is red and it hurts!
Yes, I do love being a girl. I have two girls and a son (who is fishing right now.) :-)
♥Julie
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