Well, I have already had several friends contact me about the picture on the front of the book I recommended. I knew a little about it, but I tracked down ‘the rest of the story.’ This picture was made in 1985 and was called simply AFGHAN GIRL. It was on the cover of National Geographic. To read the rest of this interesting account go to the website below. I tried to link to it, but it’s just not happenin’. There you will see her as she is today. Those eyes…aren’t they amazing?

www.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/afghangirl/

This is a book that I bought recently for a Christmas gift. And, actually, I gave one to my Mom last year, too. The title is PORTRAITS by Steve McCurry, a photographer for National Geographic. He says, in the foreword, “In PORTRAITS I look for the unguarded moment, the essential soul peeking out, experience etched on a person’s face…For me, the portraits in this book speak a desire for human connection, a desire so strong that people who know they will never see me again open themselves to the camera, all in the hope that at the other end someone will be watching…someone who will laugh or suffer with them……From an outpouring of pictures over 20 years, these are the faces I cannot forget.”

Friends, this is an awesome book. There are young faces and old…beautiful and ugly…rich and poor….happy and sad. But on them all, you see that “unguarded moment” where humanity peeked out. You can almost FEEL what they are feeling at the moment.

If you have someone on your gift list who appreciates beauty, who loves to travel, who can look at a picture and see something deeper…this is the book for them. The only place I have ever seen this book is at World Market, and it sells for $19.95.

(I beg the forgiveness of my photographer son who would have most certainly been able to get this picture without the sunspot…but alas, he’s off shooting a wedding.)
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FIRST in a series of recommendations for gifts you may not have thought of. I shop all year for Christmas, and I love it when I find the PERFECT gift for someone.

“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas”…and I love it. Christmas is such a wonderful time of year, isn’t it? We all seem to be a little closer to who we should be all year.

My friend, Kat, has started my Christmas celebrating off with a bang. She has awarded me with a Christmas Spirit Award. Thanks, Kat. I am so honored.

The SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS AWARD: What exactly is this award? Quite simply, it is for those who have a generous and giving nature. Those who care about others. Those who have a kind word to say or a broad shoulder to lean on when others need that. Pass it along to those wo have touched your heart with their kind and giving and caring nature.

And, so I will pass this award along to Angie at With Faith…Angie and Nancy Grayce at Too Wonderful For Me. Merry Christmas, Ladies! Go here to get the code for award.

Today my friend, Kat, posted a video on her blog. It is something you should see. Go ahead and watch it…I’ll wait.

Welcome back. As I said in Kat’s comments, little girls do not get to be little girls anymore. Granted, I did not raise girls, but some things we should just know. It is surprising to me what some parents let their daughters wear. I’m sure you know what I mean…little girls who wear clothes that a teenager would wear. Skin tight leggings, off the shoulder tops, high heeled shoes…for heaven’s sake, and eye shadow, and lipstick. It is atrocious to see some little girls clomping around in shoes obviously designed for someone 10 or 12 years older. They can’t even run around and play. And then you see them in these long dangly earrings that are just an accident waiting to happen.

Why should this obsession start so young? Little girls already are talking about “looking fat.” It is bad enough that we adult women fixate on size and weight, must our little girls worry and stress over it while they are still babies? Is it because they hear us talking: “Do these pants make me look fat?”, “Oh, no, I can’t have dessert, I’m trying to lose weight.” , “I wish my hair wasn’t so flat, or curly.”, “Will you look at these freckles/age spots on my skin…they’re so ugly.”
We MUST learn to love ourselves…whatever shape we are in…and pass that love on to our daughters, and neices, and grandaughters. It is such a crock that we are handed daily by all types of media…we must look younger, thinner, smoother, tighter, taller or we do not measure up. Measure up to whose standards? Do we even KNOW what our own standards are anymore…or have we adopted the world’s ideas of beauty and perfection? Do we tend to think the “pretty people” are somehow more worthy of our attention? I am in favor of getting and staying healthy, and I think exercise is great…for mind and body. But, there are some of us who will never fit into a size 6 again no matter how much we diet and exercise. But, if we are the best we can be…that should be enough. And if all we, as adult women ,do is obsess about this, if it colors everything we say and do, how can we expect our little girls to have any other attitude? Which little girl that you know will be passed over because she is a little chubby? Which of your daughters or grandaughters or neices will not be thought of as ‘good enough’ because she is not wearing the cool shoes or clothes or purse? If we allow our 4 and 5 and 6 and 7 year old girls to dress like teenagers, why are we surprised when they want to act like teenagers? They are missing out on the chance to grow through the normal stages of girlhood…to find out who they are and what they think. And us moms of boys…we are just as responsible to teach our young men, that all women are to be respected and valued. We must teach them to look at the whole woman…not just the outside.

Oh, the responsibility we have. But, first we must accept ourselves and learn to love the person we are now. I am not where I would like to be in regards to weight…but, I am where I am at this point in my life, no less worthy, because of a few extra pounds. I can deal with the problems and obstacles before me…and I can be proud of the choices I make. I can stand tall and proud of ‘me’ even with a few rolls around the middle. This body has seen me through many trials, good times and bad, 3 sons, a husband…..and even though it gets mighty weary sometimes…it’s still going. And, I thank God for it. Every young girl in our world today, regardless of size, shape, or color should learn from the youngest age that they are of great value…they are worthy of all good things..they…themselves…their soul…NOT their size.

Well, this post started out as one thing and ended up somewhere else, didn’t it? Thanks for listening.

Thank you,Lynne, for passing this award along to me. I feel very honored. I have heard it said that “a mother’s knee is a child’s first classroom.” And I do believe this is so. What an opportunity we as mothers have to ‘change the world’, as we guide little minds and hearts toward doing the right thing in this big world of ours. My children are grown now, but I feel I still have a measure of influence on them. How fortunate I am to have the relationship with them that I do. When they come to me for advice…or just as a sounding board, I still can guide and lead them with my advice. Oh, what a change we would see in America if all Moms would take this as one of their most important jobs.