Pretty Is As Pretty Does

Perhaps it's the Irish in me? But I have a ferocious temper. I'm not proud of it, and it has gotten me in plenty of trouble in the past...but BLESS GOD I'm going to learn to keep it in check!

Everyday, I start my day with prayer. It's not terribly formal, and sometimes, I am getting ready for work as I ask God to order my steps, and guard my tongue.

My day always starts out good...with good intentions.. But eventually, I am challenged to be kind to someone. Usually that person is having a bad day. It's usually one of my customers. 90% of them are very nice and a pleasure to do business with. But give the other 10% a full moon and a little too much caffeine and they are *spring loaded* and ready to fire off. I don't take it personally, because if they actually KNEW me, they would know I am a kind person and only doing my job. But this is where the rub is.

Everyone has a place where the rubber meets the road. It may be that we snap at grocery clerks, or people on the road. We may be sharp with our children or husband, but sweet as pie to the ladies at church.... I'm sure these aren't BAD people who cut us off on the road or bad children that try our patience. They are normal people in a bad moment.

So I summon all my patience and remember my Mothers words: "Pretty Is As Pretty Does"... I think Forrest Gump said it too, but my Mom beat him to it. It never made sense to me until I realized how ugly people are when they are angry. Am *I* that ugly when I am mad?? Probably uglier. My husband says; "Jealousy and Anger are ill-fitting suits for me"... can you tell I have a lot of people giving me their advice? Well, I believe God gives us all strength to overcome our weaknesses. I am not so angry anymore... I let a lot of stuff go. I pick my battles, and I try not to *react* to other peoples frustration. I also try to look for opportunities to turn bad situations around. But sometimes I fail... and I am face to face with that wicked looking woman in the mirror.

Luckily, I am an optimist by nature. It doesn't take much for me to pick myself up, and dust myself off and start off on the good foot again.

What are your weaknesses? What do you work at daily? What challenges you to your very core every day? Do you choose your attitude, or are you ruled by emotion? You can have victory over your tongue, moods, and attitudes. Just ask.... God is there to help. It may not happen all at once, but if He is the potter and you are the clay, ... God can mold you into a positive, kind, and caring person, even if the person in the mirror doesn't resemble any of those things on some days.

So keep in mind:

If *Pretty Is As Pretty Does*, remember: beauty is only skin deep. Ugly (behavior) goes all the way to your toenails.