First, let me say that viewing your picture are 800% is not the smartest thing one can do.  In fact, it’s right up there in the stupid area.

I got my pictures back just a couple of days ago and I immediately load those babies up and start viewing.  Some were okay — 5 our of 91 were okay.  But that’s my opinion and did I mention that I hate getting my picture made.  I would rather be poked in the eye with a stick, at least then there would be a reason my eyes were squinty.

I looked at the pictures as thumbnails at first and then I this brillant thought — oh, let’s just Photoshop and I opened them up and used the zoom feature.  For those of you unfamiliar, Photoshop zooms up to on gijillion percent. 

I stuck with only 800 percent — that was scary enough.  I figured anything above that was just more than my psyche could handle.

At 800% skin looks like pitted dried beef jerky

At 800% eyes look saggy

At 800 % wrinkles are prominent

And then it occurred to me — who in their right mind can see anything at 800%!  How stupid is this.  I just pulled those pictures back to the 25% and went on looking.

Here are a few: 

 

 This is me being all casual and stuff

I love the one where I’m falling off the stool — and that’s the stool underneath the jacket and not all booty.  Don’t you love the casual (staged) pic of me on the sofa — yep, that’s my house and I always leave the price tags hanging on my pictures.  Nope.  This is the beautiful interior decorators place where we took a few pictures.  But that’s my wall color! 

So, there are a few of the 91 — and trust me you don’t want to see all 91. It’s not fun. 

As I looked at these with that 800% zoom, I thought about how easy it is for us to find our physical faults, but we don’t use that same lens to look at our spiritual life. 

I wonder how that would look if I zoomed it up 800%?

I don’t angst over the skipped prayer time or worry that people will notice that I’m not obeying God in a specific area of my life.  Nope.  But I worry that people will notice the wrinkles at the edge of my eyes or my double chin.

It was eye-opening.  As much as I want to not care how I look (within reason) and focus my energy on my walk with the Lord, I don’t.  I do care about having a double chin and wrinkles at the edges of my eyes. But I also care about my walk with Jesus and I want the first thing people to see when they see me is my walk with Him.  How do I make that happen?  How do I show how amazing my Lord is? 

I can’t do it with a picture of me, well, there is the idea of wearing a sign but that’s strange. 

I can do it with my life.  I can do it with my words.  I can do it with my attitude.  I can do it because the strength of Christ is within me. 

For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment. 2 Timothy 1:7

I love this promise!  God has given each of us a spirit of power, love and sound judgment.  So, I’m going to hold on to that and focus on what’s happening in my spiritual life and not worry about what’s happening across my face.  Okay, I’m going to TRY not worry about the whole face thing.