Today I’m participating in the Face.Me blog tour. If you’re here from other blogs, you’ve probably heard that this is a risky venture. As I’ve prayed about why, God showed me that at least for me make-up is part of my mask.
Me without anything — not even my hair 🙂
That stopped me. I mean — I’m low maintenance. If I can’t get up and out the door in less than 30 minutes (shower included!), it’s an odd day. Still there are certain minimal elements I want to have when I leave the house (if I’m at home, I’m lucky to get lipgloss on): foundation (a quick brush of my favorite Mary Kay), some sort of lipstick, a swipe of eye shadow and some mascara. Low key, right?
So why does the thought of posting pictures of what I really look like scare me?
Because now you’re seeing the real me. The one with bags under her eyes from doing toomuch. The one who needs to drink a bit more water and a bit less coffee. The one who’d love to have more me time so I could exercise. The one that gets introduced like Wonder Woman, but still wonders when people will see that I’m just trying to juggle it all exactly like they are. What we’re juggling is just different.
An attorney has a certain image. A college lecturer has another image. An author has yet another one. And I fall somewhere in the venn diagram where they all mix.
Now my hair’s as styled as it gets…Have I mentioned I’m low maintenance most of the time.
I’ve long accepted I don’t fit a stereotype.
I refuse to be shoved into too many boxes.
Maybe being a homeschooled student before it was cool helped with that. But I still struggle with wanting people to like me, really like me.
Maybe you heard the message like I did that you only have one opportunity to make a first impression. The corollary is that each time you leave the house, you need to look pulled together. Hence, I hated sweats. I’ve only in the last couple years decided there are some cute workout clothes I will be caught out of the house in because a decision is made about me in the first ten seconds someone meets me.
This is the minimum that I like to wear: Foundation, lipgloss and a bit of eye shadow. Usually, I’ll add mascara and eye liner if I’m going to be out for the day.
Challenges like this remind me to come back to the core. My identity should be firmly grounded in the reality that I am a child of the Most High King. The Ruler of the Universe calls me His. He created me exactly this way — I am fearfully and wonderfully made because He designedme. That’s enough. That’s more than enough, because my value comes from being His.
And God has blessed me with beautiful Godly friends who reflect to me who I really am when the mirror gets cloudy and my visions morphs. It’s in those moments that God whispers to my heart that I am beautiful just because.
Isn’t that the message that every girl longs to hear — no matter her age?
So today, dear friend, remind yourself of the truth. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. God created you perfectly…just the way He imagined. And you have immense value because you are His. *Revel in who you are. ** Take great pleasure or delight
There are many more women and men are embracing their God-made beauty. I encourage you to pop over to their blogs today and be encouraged. Follow the #FACEme Tour!!
Nick KordingÂ
Lindsay Harrel
Joseph Courtemanche
Gabrielle Meyer
Jaime Wright
Carrie Wisehart
Emilie Anne Hendryx
Andrea ‘Dia’ Nell
Sarah Baker
KristyCambron
Rachel Britz
Stacy Monson
Laurie Tomlinson
To celebrate beauty, I’ve added a giveaway of Shadowed by Grace.
Comments 25
GORGEOUS! And totally low maintenance at the same time… As your ACFW roommate, I can testify to your effortless beauty! Thanks for participating with us. You were part of my courage in doing this. I admire you more than you know. ; )
xoxo – K
Author
Ditto, Friend. Loved your Instagram photo this morning.
Love this, Cara!
I’m like you. Low-maintenance. The one makeup I usually like to have on before heading out the door is mascara. I have super long eyelashes, that are essentially transparent without mascara. If I don’t wear it, I get comments like, “Are you sick?” or “You look tired!”
I love that we’re celebrating natural beauty today. And I love your makeupless selfies! You’re beautiful, girlie.
Author
Low-maintenance just makes sense when you’re a mom of younger kids. 🙂
Love this, beautiful friend!
“My identity should be firmly grounded in the reality that I am a child of the Most High King. The Ruler of the Universe calls me His. He created me exactly this way — I am fearfully and wonderfully made because He designedme. That’s enough. That’s more than enough, because my value comes from being His.”
Author
I’m constantly relearning that 🙂
What pressure to be that woman – a superhero none the less – yet I thought the same thing when I met you… that you were able to manage it all – be it all – do it all… and be beautiful while doing it. This confirms what I already knew – you are that superhero, only not because you’ve managed to keep all the balls in the air at once, but because you are authentic and real, and, of course beautiful on the inside and out.
Author
Thanks, Nick! Here’s to authenticity!
Great post, Cara!
Author
Thanks, Rachel.
Beauty is how you act not how you look. If you are nice to me you are the most beautiful person in the world to me. I have a friend who got sick when he was a child and has a hunched back now because of it. He is 80 years old one of the hardest working people I know and friendliest. Would do anything to help you. Good Christian man but he is disabled. He is so sweet and we love to take him fishing. Beauty is only skin deep. I know a lot of people just like him from my parents helping out with him all my life my cousin was like him too. They never worry about their looks or they way they act unless some one says something and that should never happen. We should be happy we are all beautiful.
Author
I love that description!
What a wonderful post. I love it. I only wear makeup when I am going somewhere. I think beauty comes from the inside. You can have a stunning person, but if they have an ugly heart it shows. I think your pictures are beautiful.
Thanks, Katrina! This was a challenging post to write!
The older I get, the more I NEED makeup, seriously. Otherwise every time I went anywhere those that saw me would have to check their calendars to make sure it wasn’t Halloween!!
The irony for me, Gayle, is that the older I get 🙂 the easier it is to walk out with just lipstick 🙂
You are so beautiful Cara! And I give a big AMEN to the low maintenance thing – that’s me all the way. But, that doesn’t mean it’s easy to walk out of the house without our essentials. Thanks for being brave with me (and others) and for showing your natural beauty!
Wonderful post! Our many faces, yes, I have them too. But I love, love, love knowing the real us!! This blog tour has been great!!
Author
It has been. It was an inspired idea, Jaime.
Love it, Cara! I relate SOOOO much to your blog post. Having been homeschooled (before it was cool!), I’ve never, ever fit into a box, and to be frank, I’m so happy I don’t. I also think about that first impression and NEVER wear sweats, either. Just recently, I’ve found some fun yoga pants and workout jackets that I’m okay being seen in. 🙂 (The yoga pants have a great tummy-trimming panel!) I desperately want to be liked, so much so, my husband has had to tell me: “Not everyone is going to like you, and you have to be okay with that.” Why not?? Why can’t everyone like me? 🙂 Anyway, thank you for this post. Like I said, I can relate! And I’m so happy to know I’m not alone.
It is amazing to me how beautiful all of you are without make-up! I have always been very low maintenance, foundation and mascara and I’m good. But…I would never dare go out of my house without that. Why?! Good question and one I need to ponder. The world/society certainly doesn’t help with that. Great post!!
Love your post and selfie. I think you look great both ways.
Author
You’re so sweet, Cherie. Thank you!
When I was asked to take early retirement some 9 years ago I couldn’t imagine going anywhere without my face on LOL. If I was running to the grocery on the makeup went. But as the years went by I learned I didn’t need to do all that to run my errands. And if I’m going to the gym I’m in a tee shirt, workout pants and a baseball cap. And it’s okay to do that. People do still recognize me LOL.
But if I’m going out anywhere to an event or whatever, BSF, church, meeting friends for lunch or ACFW Chapter, etc. On goes the makeup. Not heavy but definitely shadow, eyeliner and mascara. Otherwise my eyes disappear into my face. Foundation and a bit of blush and that’s it.
You look beautiful Cara just as you are. 🙂
Author
Thanks, Pam!