Creating Beauty

Reading through an old Victoria magazine of my mothers is like taking a walk in a world of beauty. This old publication was full of beautiful gardens, homes, customs, clothes, people and writing. Of course, it was essentially a woman’s magazine, written for and by women. It inspired dreams.

Read most women’s magazines today and the emphasis given to beauty is predominantly personal or physical beauty. I agree that one of women’s gifts to the world is their personal beauty, but it is fleeting (if we are only talking about the skin deep variety), and only a small part of what we have to offer.

The most wonderful and lasting gift we have to offer the world is our ability to create beauty, both in places and in people. This gift is ours at birth, being made in the image of God as we are, and when it is nurtured and set free within us we have the potential to make the world a very lovely place.

Even the most humble home can be beautiful: let me count the ways!

clean and uncluttered, neat as a pin
smelling of home-cooked food,
decorated with colour, interesting treasures, keepsakes and photos,
a pretty garden,
gracious hospitality,
good conversation,
smiling, happy children.

I have seen many a shack in our travels that looked so inviting and friendly because of a pretty garden ( not to mention a mansion or two that looked sterile and cold) and been in a few that had all the ingredients above. I have talked to many women too, who make you want to be best friends straight away. There is a restful, confident radiance about them, a sense of peace with themselves, an unhurriedness. I’d rather be with these women and in their homes than any other, any day.

 Satan, the destroyer of beauty, has invented some pretty clever lies to rob women of the time and desire it takes to create beauty. Such as,

“It takes money to create a beautiful home…(you need more)”

“You can’t be a woman of influence/power/interest at home… (only working women have that)”

“No-one ever notices whether your home is beautiful or not… ( leave the mess, who cares anyway?)”

“Anyone can raise children… (you need to do something more challenging)”

“Money won’t buy you happiness, but it sure helps…(you need more)”

“It’s sexist to suggest only women are made to create beauty …. (men and women are just the same.)”

The temptation of career and money, power or fame is so great that many women are trading in their abilty to create beautiful places and people and things to chase personal ambition and reward. They are often full of rush and busyness, tired and rarely at peace. The world gets uglier and we all miss their beauty.