Cleanliness is Next to Godliness...and Beauty

Today is the victory of a long-standing enemy of mine. CLEANLINESS.

Yes, indeed, I finally waved the white flag.

When I was young, I thought like a child. To be cared for, and to be followed by an adult wherever I go. But now that I am older, should I still choose to be a child? I should start taking responsibility for the things that I have, and the things under my name.

As the bible, the church, and my mother persistently told me, "Cleanliness is next to Godliness". Argh! But cleaning is such a boring duty! Or so I thought.

But my ambition to be a better person and a better Christian won over....after a decade of fighting back. Now I understand why cleanliness matters so much--not just because of personal hygiene. It also trains you to be physically fit in times you need it, it warms up your brain whenever you need to think of how to organize things and where to put what so that everything will be efficiently set, and it boosts your self-esteem. While I was cleaning my area, I felt beautiful. (Strange, no?)

I really pray that this new determination of mine to be clean and organized is not some "Ningas Cugon" thing. I want to keep this despite being so super lazy!

Speaking of feeling beautiful; it is so strange but lately I have been feeling quite beautiful! Err...I don't mean that in a vain kind of way. But in a spiritually confident manner. In the weeks before, I've been so riddled with my own problems that I hadn't noticed the frown marring my face. But now that I've been spiritually refreshed, (thanks to the book I was talking about in the previous blog post, and my handy-dandy Bible) I feel like everything has become lighter.

You know the song that goes, "You make me feel like a natural woman~"? All that's left is to play it as a background music to wherever I'm going. I feel feminine, like a beautiful woman. Unlike what I usually felt three years ago, when I dressed like a boy, hung my head low and made no attempt to clean myself up. Those were the days when I'd feel like I was a boy, and that I could never possibly ever become as beautiful as the pretty girls in school. I was fine with that. Note the word "was".

But you know, you have to be true to yourself! If you like wearing pretty dresses, then wear them! If you feel good with wearing bright pink everyday, then why not? Being happy with how you look is important with being happy in general! But you also have to question yourself: is wearing make up REALLY going to make me happy? Or am I just trying to hide a flaw that I don't want anyone else to see?

I am not against wearing make up. I wear it too whenever I have to. But it is true that some times make up becomes a means of covering up insecurities. What you don't notice is that sooner or later that very make up you keep wearing becomes a mask that cripples you from accepting who you are for what you are. This insecurity clutters up your mind, and your heart. Preventing you from coming out of that darned shell.

I personally believe that wearing make up too often results in the fast aging of your skin. I can proudly say that in my youth, I didn't even know how to put on blush. Eyeliners were atrocities and face powder was a bother! I sweat a lot, and there were many times I looked like crap, but in the end, it served me fairly well.

Now, after puberty, my complexion is quite young for my age. As is with my other friends who were all adamant that make up was for girly girls. Hahaha!

Some mothers ask me for advice they can tell their daughters about how to take care of their skins, and what beauty regimen should they follow. I tell them to be simple and healthy (Meaning Clean their bodies!) Eat the right, natural foods from the earth and wash whenever you feel dirty. Keep it simple: don't put too much on because they aren't usually needed. If you still have problems with your skin, consult a dermatologist. Because they know what they're talking about. Another important thing (which I unfortunately find hard to follow) is to drink UBER plenty glasses of water. It cleans your blood, drains your waste, and hydrates your cells.

1 Peter 3:3-4
“Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty that depends on fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should be known for the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.”

Beautiful is not a standard shown in the magazines. It's not white skin, or perfect round eyes, long lashes or a small waistline. Beautiful is the reflection of a person's inner well-being.

Thus the reason for my feeling beautiful for the past few days. Being surrounded by His Holy Spirit really cleans up the clutters in my heart and mind. I encourage others to try it too. Immerse yourself in the love He offers and see how you turn heads when you walk around. There is an aura about a woman, despite physical appearances, that contributes greatly to how mesmerizing she becomes to other people.

Proverbs 31:30
“Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.”

Give it a try. You might like what you find. ;)