don't try so hard.

Excuse the blur. An iPhone 5c is currently the only camera I have.

Oh makeup. And hairstyles. I love you. But in the past I relied on you way to heavily. I couldn't leave the house without "putting on my face." Being seen with my hair a mess? Forget it.

However, this year I made a decision. For lent, I only allowed myself to put four things on my face and spend no more than 15 minutes on my hair, including drying time. The first week, I felt so odd and uncomfortable. The second week, I felt so much less stress in the morning that I started to wonder if this might be a permanent change.
And then, before I knew it, lent was over, and my makeup fast continued. Now, my face feels strange all done up. I wear heavier makeup for weddings and special occasions with lots of photographs. But daily, I use a very light concealer, mascara, blush, and something on my lips. Just a little bit so that at work I look a little more polished.
But today, I'm linking up with Kate at The Florkens for something special. Today, we aren't trying. Today, polished doesn't matter. Today, we're baring it all. Acne? Who cares, everyone has some! Your eyes swollen up from allergies so you can't wear contacts? Yeah, me too!

This is my face. As is. This is my face with nothing on but a big fat smile because it was Saturday and I was spending it working on an exciting project for a friend, getting ready to go watch Drew's best friend propose to the love of his life, and see my friend Sarah and her husband. Saturday was great. And I didn't have room in all my happy to think about brushing my hair or touching my face.

This is my face happy because my husband was finally coming home after a super long work day and I was finally going to get to eat the amazing stew that was in the Crockpot smelling so tempting all day long but I was waiting for Drew to come home so we could eat together. And I think that stew tasted better at 9 with him than it would have at 6 alone.

I like my face. My eyes are blue and green, plus have what looks like sunflowers right around my pupil. I've never seen eyes exactly like mine, and I love them. I love my smile. My dimples are my favorite.

I even like what my hair does when I haven't even brushed it yet, like in the second picture. Wavy, not too curly, and somehow has this swoop going I can never perfect with a single hot tool.

Song of Solomon 4:7

You are beautiful, my love, there is no flaw in you.

1 Peter 3:3-4

Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.

John 6:63

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

God designed this face. And we know from the Bible that He doesn't make anything bad. He is love and beauty in its purest state, and what comes from Him is never less than perfect. He designed my face, and I don't want to waste any more time telling him what he made isn't good enough. I'm not going to spend my whole life applying pounds of makeup to change what I look like. I'm going to trust what he says about me and my face, and I'm going to love it.

What do you love about your face without makeup? What is your very favorite feature?