Enticing

Beauty is Enticing.

We live in a world at war. Death, fear, tears, hatred and despair clouds our skies and veils our eyes in the presence of the brightest mornings.  It clogs our ears during majestic symphonies, it shrouds our heart in the midst of pure unconditional love.  It magnifies fear, when the bravest stand before us.   Surely there is one thing that reminds us of all things good and true and redeeming.

Beauty.

It is a GIFT.  Is it not a sign of hope to see a flower bloom in a desolate place, a rainbow after the torrential rains, a new tower arising in the face of fallen ashes, a beautiful women in the eyes of a man who is fighting a seemingly endless war.  Beauty is enticing.  Perhaps you think that I am speaking of the beauty that tempts/taunts us from the magazine racks of every store, or the beauty that we can never seem to attain and leaves us grasping for every quick fix in angry desperation.  I recently read in a book "the unveiled beauty of a woman Entices and invites....and it is her heart that determines what she is inviting people to."  (Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge   pg136)  What we encounter via the internet and media is most often the door to destruction and constant striving but true Beauty speaks of acceptance, rest, intimacy, and it invites us to life.

 The definition of Enticing is to lead on by exciting hope and desire.  At first glance, the term "lead on" can deliver a negative message but if we break it down a little, the word "lead" means this;   To go before or with to show the way,  to conduct by holding or guiding,  to influence,  to guide in direction, course, action, and opinion, etc.

If we, then, insert that definition into place, it reads like this. To ENTICE means to show the way by the rod of hope and desire. To conduct by holding or guiding with the harness of hope and desire.  To influence others by encouraging hope and desire. To bring direction, stir up action, and sway an opinion with the power of hope and desire.  To determine a particular course using the compass of hope and desire

     Therefore, the Enticing Woman that I speak of is one that shows us the way we should go in wisdom.  She holds the reins of our dreams and guides our hearts to believe our desires are within our grasp. She influences our decisions, brings direction and stirs our souls to action on behalf of justice and integrity. She alters our opinions of our darkest days by planting seeds of hope and desire in the soil of our lives.  Most of all, her presence is not a threat but an asset.  What does this woman look like?  She looks like you.  She looks like me.  She is the one that takes the time to love herself and invites others to do the same.  Sure, it's easy to lead others into lust and infatuation.  To be honest, You don't have to be beautiful to do that.  I Dare you to be Enticing, to lead on(ward) by exciting hope and desire.

      F.Y.I.   A Rose Entices one to

            1.  Pause, Inhale deeply, reflect on what is good

            2.  Touch, enjoy a caress

            3.  Risk getting pricked.  Roses have thorns as life has trials, yet its beauty beckons us to take hold of it.

Let your beauty encourage others to take hold of life.

photography by Letriah Masters
My daughter's first rose 6/5/12