Breakfast with Barbie

 
Kara Cook, Martha Rayner, Mary Anna Brand & Leigh Ashley
 
 

First Pres hosted a Mother/Daughter Bible Study this morning with WLBT's Chief Meterologist, Barbie Bassett, speaking. She is a wonderful speaker. I found her blog a few months ago and really enjoy it barbiebassett.blogspot.com She compared growing up to growing roses. Starting with a good foundation (family), feeding the soil (church, family influence, positive encouragement), spraying for pests (fighting & resisting bad influences), pruning (disipline and other decisions made by parents)--all things that will help our daughters to grow into a beautiful, Christian woman. She told the girls the importance of inner beauty. Barbie said that in the sixth grade she was overweight with thick glasses and was the last person chosen for teams during PE. Looking at it like a 10 to 12 year old girl, I believe that statement made the greatest impact. It's such a tough age where their bodies begin to change and it's so easy to compare themselves to others. When I taught "Image Makers" in the school district, I discovered that there are so many girls needing someone to tell them that they are beautiful and they can be anything they want to be if they put their mind to it. I had no idea that it was preparing me to raise my daughter a few years later. I also know how important it is for a girl's father to pay lots of attention to her. So many girls seek the attention of boys and will go to any lengths to get it--all because they lacked that attention from their fathers. I'm so thankful that Mark is so good at encouraging and telling Leigh Ashley she's beautiful. He has always said how important his role is in her life for to develope the self-confidence she needs. He said that he doesn't want her seeking something from guys that she never got from her father...he wants her to know it already!

I really enjoyed this morning. It made me stop and think how much I appreciate my momma and daddy. I always knew that they loved me unconditionally and supported me in whatever I did. I could go on and on, but just focusing on the "growing roses" comparison...I know that they did all of those things and I think Marla and I turned out ok! My momma and daddy are wonderful examples for me in raising my kids. Not only are they my parents....they are my best friends.