now that its finally....

....below 100 degrees outside, lets talk body image.


no but really. did you know it was in the 100s for a week here?!?!? that means heat index of 110's+ people. thats hot. and really hot if you're pregnant.

and actually, the whole temp thing has nothing to do with body image.
just thought i'd through the two together in a catchy little line.
you know, cuz im clever like that. ow ow.

ok, so if you've been reading this blog, you know that i am like most women out there. how? well......sometimes when i look in the mirror i don't like what i see.
i know, i know. it sounds very vain and conceited. but im quite honest, so i dont mind sharing that its something i struggle with.

then. getting pregnant. yikes. that through me in a whole new realm of 'whoa my body is changing and im not sure how to handle this' emotions.
you see,
when you're pregnant. it takes a bit, or at least it did for me, for your baby belly to actually show/be cute. so at first you grow a massive chest, your butt busts out of the seems, and maybe even your thighs too. then about 2 months later your belly begins to grow. phewwww.
but.
until your belly is bursting, you just feel big and uncomfortable and awkward, really....you continue to feel like that throughout the whole pregnancy. the belly helps. almost 98% actually. but there is still a little part of you that slightly dislikes the other large areas on your body...

those around you might not even notice these changes. but you do.

and, if you're like me, you tried to weigh yourself on a regular basis through most of your pregnancy.
seeing the scale just grow and grow, and having no real baby belly to show for it yet is a strange and difficult thing to get used to. and completely ridiculously pointless :)

but God is Good.....and clearly - he didn't want me to live like this. and He's given me the strength to slowly be happy with my image and weight - and even though you're thinking, "you're pregnant lindsey, you're supposed to get bigger" its still hard to accept.

and now, things are good. really....i'm excited to accept the challenge of continuing this quest to be scale-free, checkoutmybutt in the mirror-free, and to have positive thoughts about the body GOD gave me post-pregnancy. i couldn't have come as far as i have alone - i had help from HIM :) and hopefully He knows to give me a turbo burst of help during my post-baby body phase.

some tidbits to my new found freedom:

• mr leif hid my scale. for real. i don't know where it is, and i haven't tried to look for it. but its the best thing thats happened to me. its like i don't have to answer to this little white square that gives me number i usually don't like. and even if you do like it.......you get suckered into thinking, hmmmm maybe it'll go lower. no scale for me. its freeing. so if you have the scale syndrome. get rid of it. just try it. its fab.
• also, i used to do the whole stand backwards in front of the mirror and spin your head/neck around to check out your own butt......and then freak out and its massive growth spurts. but. now. i rarely do the wrap around check. and its great. just say no when you walk by the mirror. just try it. its fab.
• surround yourself with colossions 3:2 friends. and thsoe who are emotionally and supportive healthy people. people that don't talk constantly about body stuff. people that are just genuinely FUN and CrAZY and LIGHTHEARTED. people that will go get ice cream with you, daily (thanks mr leif) but really. i've noticed the company i keep has a REAL impression on what consumes my mind. and it AINT good to be vain and conceited and worry about how we look 24/7. do you have a colossians 3:2 friend? if you don't, find one. find 5. the time you spend with others has such an impression on you. oh. and make sure YOU are a colossions 3:2 friend to others. just try it. its fab.

btw.

colossions 3:2 - Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

and i better throw this one in there - cuz it goes hand in hand:

romans 11:36 - For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. cuz its not about us. its about HIM.

and have you heard the 'to you be the glory song'? well. pause my music player and check it out. every time we sing it in church i get all emotional. its a good one.

ok. im off to church.

hope we sing the glory song :)