Where She Ponders, "Will I Get Bonus Heaven Points For Wearing My Make-Up?" :)

" ... and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name..." "... and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.“   ---Malachi 3:16, Revelation 20:12

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So ol' Debra was (literally) born with a 'dry skin rash' and ever since, it's been downhill for her skin and somewhat tragic for her face.

Okay, slight exaggeration of the last part.

By my 20's, though, I learned to stop lathering-on detergents/chemicals and chose a natural route, instead. Things went well-ish for years until age 33 when, oh for Pete's sake! I came down with chicken pox.

Gah. During 2 weeks in bed, only twice did I look into a mirror, then cried both times. Why? Well, staring at a swollen-faced, red-spotted Star Trek creature is not pleasant. Didn't help that Tom and Naomi visibly flinched when speaking to me, so I kept a dishtowel beside me, then I'd throw it over my head whenever they stood in the doorway.

You know, out of kindness. シ

Anyway, I've noticed something: it's difficult for ladies with pretty skin to understand why the rest of us wear make-up nearly everyday. They just don't understand.

But this post isn't about that. 

Rather it's how some mornings (like this one) I just wanna slap on some foundation and Burt's lip balm and call it done. Yep, even though all day I'll look faded, old, and will pray no one comes to the door. 

And I'll not look my best for Tom who works from home now and sees me constantly.

Now, is it a crime for me to choose a shortcut? No, of course not. God gives us much-needed days off--He does! And color me thankful. 

But does He ok a pattern of laziness? Er, not usually.

Trust me, I know. Go giving-in to The Lazy Way and slowly, silently we can go from this--

To this:

This morning? I knew not God, but Laziness was speaking. Firmly I told myself, "Blast through that laziness wall, Debra! Just do it." So I did. Grabbed the ol' eye liner and continued.

And that's when the above title came to me. And ok, it's not really about make-up bonus points awaiting me in Heaven. Yet I wondered if what gets written in God's books are the times we could've chosen easy, but didn't. Times we hung in there, days we blasted past the temptations, the subtle Passive Way whispers like:

"What does it matter?"

"Who will notice?"

"Just choose easy."

"Who cares if I quit?"

"Good enough is good enough."

"So what if I seldom finish what I start?"

Few of us are called to huge, gone-viral lives, leading thousands to God, even seeing annals of History altered by our choices. 

Yet I believe all of us will be held accountable for daily doing our best. God, who notices every detail, will reward us for our faithfulness, for blasting through walls of passivity lest they shut us out of heavenly rewards He means to lavishly give us some glorious day in Heaven.

"Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary."   --Galations 6:9

P.S. As with all my posts, this isn't only about what it appears to be about (i.e. wearing make-up). Please read between the lines and find something more, something deeper, something helpful, ok?   ツ

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Need a boost to help you live with excellence? This book. Read this book.

I so enjoyed Emily Kimbrough's book, Through Charley's Door, about Chicago's Marshall Fields' store of the 1920's. Well, this short video about the old-time treasures discovered hidden in the store's top levels especially fascinated me yesterday.

And oh! My friend, Donna, sent me this link with photos of some old decades of Marshall Fields at Christmastime. Wow. What a difference from Today (yikes), yet what a delight to recall how things used to be.

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Did I ever give you a link to the Bread playlist I listen to over at Youtube? The songs I never tire of?  If not, here you go.