You are God’s masterpiece

When my middle daughter was seven years old, she came home from school one day and said, “A girl read to my class today, Mommy.” “What story did she read?”

When my middle daughter was seven years old, she came home from school one day and said, “A girl read to my class today, Mommy.”

“What story did she read?” I asked nonchalantly. “The name of the book was, ‘Don’t feed the Monster on Tuesday,’ she clearly articulated.

“Don’t feed the Monster?”

I asked, getting my full attention. “What kind of book was that?” I questioned. “Well,” my daughter went on to describe, “Inside your head is a little voice that could be a monster; and if you listen to it, it can get bigger and bigger and the sound can get louder and louder.”

With a confused look on my face, I uttered, “Really?” My daughter continued, “Yes! And if you listen to the monster, you won’t like yourself.” But then, she advised, “If you don’t listen to that monster voice, it will get smaller and smaller, and soon it will disappear.”

How many of us have a little voice in our head that talks to us? What does that voice say?

Today, let’s embrace a positive self-image. And ignore the monster that sometimes tries to convince us that we are unworthy and undeserving.

Many times in life, we might feel rejected, at a loss or defeated. Some of those feelings are formed in childhood. An exaggerated series of harmful statements and put-downs can have a negative effect on the self-image of a child. And that poor sense of self can be carried into adulthood. Then, if fed by unconstructive associations or situations, the problem can compound.

But we don’t have to live like that anymore. Let’s take that important first step in loving ourselves. This moment, the sun is shining vibrantly on a clean sheet of paper in the book of our lives. So, let’s be transported beyond change to transformation, as we develop a healthy confidence and self-respect.

Do you know how wonderful and valuable you are?

Don’t keep yourself from goodness or try to harm yourself by partaking in unhealthy habits. Adverse behavior starts gradually and apparently harmlessly. Yet, before you know it, the bad habit has you. In many cases, even before you’re aware you are hooked.

However, you can make the decision today to resist temptations and break the pattern of defeat.

You are significant; no one else can take your place. Have you made mistakes? We all have; so, learn from them, and move on. Have you failed in an undertaking? Persevere, and look for new opportunities ahead. Did someone hurt you? Forgive them and leave it in God’s hands. Let unresolved anger come to closure. Reach out with kindness to others. Help those in need. Your gestures need not be elaborate, only genuine. So be on the lookout to share your love, your talents, and your blessings. The difference you make today can have a powerful, rippling affect on someone’s life tomorrow. A reader wrote, “Goodness always brings back goodness.”

We must be very careful what comes out of our mouth. Don’t say another critical word about yourself. Silence the voice of the past telling you that you’re not worthy. Never dwell on reasons why you can’t be happy. Get rid of