Awful-looking Women

Earlier this week, the 700 Club's Pat Robertson really stepped in it when he answered a teenage boy's plea for advice.  The young boy was looking for suggestions on how to encourage his video-game playing dad to notice his mom and spend more time with her.  Robertson's advice was less than encouraging as he suggested that perhaps the onus was on the boy's mom for allowing the "romance" to die due to a lack of keeping herself up.

Upon hearing this, my immediate thought was one of disgust that this man could turn a boy's sincere concern into something so trivial.  Then I began to think of all the women in the world who were married to men who failed to notice them for one reason or another, and were left feeling as if they weren't pretty enough, or young enough, or skinny enough.  As women, we get that enough from the outside world; do we really need to feel that kind of pressure from the men that we have committed ourselves to?

After watching this video I thought of my own husband, and couldn't help but laugh.  What would our marriage look like if he required certain standards regarding my appearance?  Well, according to Mr. Robertson...we would probably have very little romance left.  Even before we were married, he knew that if he were to pay me a visit after a certain hour of the evening I would be sporting my old sweatpants and t-shirt.  I do feel for him sometimes, but then again it is the times when he stood beside me, despite the fact that I was truly "awful-looking," that I knew how much he really loved me.  Before we were married, our minister and friend, Brandon Russell, asked us when we knew we loved each other.  For me, this was not a story I wanted him to include in the ceremony.  While we were dating I had a severe ear infection, complete with some not-so-appealing ear crud.  My incredible husband came by every day, rubbed my ear, and even cleaned it for me a couple of times.  This was when I knew he loved me.  How could he not, to perform such a disgusting task and still think I'm beautiful?

This also reminds me of the strong and beautiful women in my life.  I think of the times in their lives when they have risked being "awful-looking" for the sake of something amazing.  Whether it be during child-birth or caring for the sick and dying; or when they have spent every moment of their days so concerned for everyone else that they leave nothing for themselves.  This is what beauty looks like.