Gabby Douglas and character

Glorifying God with your HAIR????

Sorry I've had few blog posts out this week.  Have had kind of a wild week, in lots of ways.  Part of it is kind of exciting, because it relates to working out with the publisher final details for the book’s release.  We are getting the cover design completed, and so it shouldn’t be too long before print copies are available.  You will be the first to know!

 However, today, I just HAVE to say something about something I saw the other day….wouldn’t surprise me if you have, too.  Remember the young Olympian I wrote about the other day….Gabby Douglas?  So have you also seen all the flap about the hair style she had during the competition?  I’m not going to link to it, you can do a search if you really want to, but be prepared, there are LOTS of comments out there!  (So I guess I’m adding mine!)

My main comment is this:  Really????  All the gymnastic ability this girl has, all the feats she performed, the gold medal around her neck, the hard work she did to get to the Olympics, and even managing to do that from a difficult home life of divorcing parents, and all they could see to write about it her hair style?  Really?  I hear it started with some London tabloids, but don’t know that for sure, and don’t even care…….her hair style?  Kind of reminds me of Hillary Clinton, who had a hair style she apparently liked….until she got to Washington and all the clucking hens gathered around to criticize until she finally conformed to the demands of the trendy.

Seems to me that GABBY likes the way she wears her hair.  And, based on the medal around her neck, it seems to work well in her routine.  After all, it IS HER hair!  And frankly, I’d be surprised if the folks causing the flap could even do a cartwheel, let alone win an Olympic gold medal!  Her hair?  Really?  Really????

Makes me think of the scripture in Peter that encourages women to be careful of spending too much time and effort on outward adornment, but to focus instead on the beauty that is within.   I don’t know the young woman, but it sure sounds to me like that is exactly what she has been doing.  Through all of this hubbub one can sure see that the way of the world really is to focus on those external, less important things in life.  Perhaps you also remember that, in 1 Samuel, scripture teaches that God looks on the heart, not the external appearance.  Somehow, this all smacks to me of people with inferiority complexes trying to make themselves feel bigger by seeking to diminish others who have accomplished more.  Pretty sad.  No, VERY sad.  And pathetic.

I think Gabby would be better served by paying attention to the character God wants to build within her, and following the dream God has planted in her heart.  I mean, have you ever seen any of the “Real Housewives” shows?  As near as I can tell…..and I have seen only a small portion….they always seem to find women who have the eternal appearance thing going pretty well, but watching those shows (at least the little I’ve seen) very clearly illustrates that there is a vast difference between a woman (or man) being physically attractive and a woman (or man) being desirable!  And the more of those shows I have seen, the bigger the difference!  Almost the Grand Canyon I’d say.  Guys, I’d go for desirable, if I were you…..and desirable isn’t going to be seen by observing the outside.  If you don’t believe me, spend five minutes watching one of those shows!  No wait, skip that….bad advice, not worth the time.  Just take my word for it.  (And the same applies to you ladies, as well…..don’t get caught in the outward appearance cesspool.)

Bottom line, I guess we all have to make the choice of whether we want to waste our lives with the shallow and superficial, or for our lives to be filled with meaning and purpose that will stand for eternity.  Not that there is anything wrong with making ourselves presentable.  It is the degree that can be deceiving.  Wow….really got on a soap box with this one, didn’t I?  Sorry. 

So to Gabby, who, again probably doesn’t read my blogs anyway, I’d say, “let the sad little people with too much time on their hands fret over their hair.  You shave your head if you want to……because you know that what is important can’t be seen on the outside, anyway!  And please, please, please, don’t let yourself get swept up in the madness.  Keep your eyes on the things of heaven, not the things of earth.”  Might be good advice for the rest of us, as well.

TL:dr  Gabby’s hair debate reminds us of what is important, the person within God is creating!