A warning before you read any further, today’s content is not exactly ‘G’ rated. However, if you’ll stay with me, I hope you'll see the power of the message behind any inappropriate words.
Recently, while my daughter was driving us home, she allowed me to be in charge of the music for the first time in a long time.
Now, as I’ve mentioned before, I’m not a big fan of music. I know I’ve said I don’t like singing in church, but it’s not just church music. Music is simply not my go-to place when relaxing, or even something I have on in the background. Every now and again, I might be in the mood, and I have some favourite songs I’ll play.
My daughter, on the other hand, has music playing all the time. All the time! And I’ll admit these days we rarely have the same taste. When she was younger, I made a point of connecting with her through her music, and there are a few songs I think of as ours.
Mostly these songs had a connection to whatever she was facing at the time. The sort of connection that generated big feelings, or a memorable moment in her life. I can’t tell you how much I value the memories associated with these songs, whatever the feeling that goes with them.
Even though music is not my thing, I will concede there is power in music. I think it’s actually the lyrics we connect to — the words which seem to identify or relate to what we are thinking or feeling. The music is simply the vehicle to deliver that message.
So, as I was flicking through my very outdated music library, I tried to choose songs I knew she liked. Honestly, they were mainly the ones I felt we had a connection to. And that’s when I came across P!NK!
Now, if you’ll allow me to digress for a moment, I want to remind you of what I hope Ruth1Sixteen can be. I want women to know they are unique and valuable, and with that, I want them to know they are strong and powerful. My hope is that this blog sends that message loud and clear.
I believe as women, we can be stronger if we work together to support and encourage each other. But we need to know who we are individually and recognise our own value and worth before genuinely appreciating others and encouraging and nurturing them to know their value and worth.
There is nothing more I want for my daughter than for her to know how incredible she is just as she was created. What power she will have when she owns the value in who she is.
And as much as I want this for my daughter, I want it for all women.
I want every daughter in the world to know their incredible value.
When we know this to be true, our options open up, and we can protect ourselves, care for ourselves, and make the best choices for us.
So, there I was sitting in the car listening to the words from P!NK’s song F@#*in’ Perfect! Listening as I look at my beautiful, smart, amazing daughter, and thinking, do you truly know how PERFECT you are to me?
Yes, that’s right, that was the song; P!NK’s F@#*in’ Perfect!
As I claim to be a Christian woman, you might be saying that’s not an appropriate song for me to be listening to.
Maybe you’re thinking it’s not what I should want to say to my kid.
Shouldn’t I be sharing some incredible worship song that inspired me to reflect on God’s great love, and the fact that in Him, I am perfect?
But that wasn’t what happened. It wasn’t a worship song that gave me the desire to open ‘notes’ on my phone and type, “What is your Anthem?”
This is the song that made me think about what I need to hear on a regular basis. It is a song that fired me up and made me want to write about it. It gave me a boost, and a push to get back to the job of encouraging women.
If you’re still with me, allow me to share some of the lyrics that hit me, so you might be able to see what I see. To maybe feel what I felt in that moment.
And again, I ask you to look past the words and see the message.
P!NK begins with “made a wrong turn once or twice” and continues to “mistreated, misplaced, misunderstood”
Haven’t we all made wrong turns? But how amazing that even in our wrong turns we can learn and grow. A wrong turn isn’t the end of the journey, it’s just a different direction.
Aren’t there times in our lives when we have felt mistreated, misplaced or misunderstood? But equally I hope at some point in your life you too have felt loved, safe and heard.
The first few words in this song evoke fears and feelings about myself and my own imperfection. And these are the thoughts that lead each of us on occasion to devalue ourselves. To question our value and our worth.
While this is P!NK’s story, and these words are words about her life, and her decisions, they are not so far removed from mine. I can relate, and I don’t think I’m alone.
And if I am doing this to me, then I am sure many of you are doing this to you.
We cannot do it.
We cannot keep telling ourselves that we are less than who we really are. We cannot keep pulling out the negatives and allowing them to be the louder voice in our head.
Let’s instead stand up and tell each other what P!NK is singing out loud and clear.
‘Pretty, pretty please, don’t you ever ever feel
Like your less than f@#*in’ perfect
Pretty, pretty please, if you ever, ever feel like you’re nothing
You’re f@#*in’ perfect to me!’
Those are strong words, but you know what, there are some things which need to be expressed strongly. Very strongly.
I want you to STRONGLY express your value.
Being perfect is not about our size, our shape, our job, our role, or even whether we swear or not. Being perfect is not about someone else’s approval.
Our biggest critic, and the one person we have to gain approval from, is literally the one we have to look at in the mirror each day. We need to know for ourselves that we are enough. We need to tell ourselves we are valuable.
So, look in the mirror and tell the most important person in your world that you are PERFECT! And say it as strongly as you feel comfortable doing.
Beyond our choices, beyond our mistakes, beyond the things we have been successful at and the things at which we have failed, we are more significant than any of those things. We may not be able to live up to the perfectly manicured lives that society often portrays, but we can live up to who we were created to be. We can love who we are. It's a choice, but it may take practice.
We were perfectly created on purpose, and uniquely, by God, which was not a mistake. He wants us, and He wants us to know it.
Whatever place in this world you were born into, your existence was a perfect choice, and in that, we were perfectly made for who we are supposed to be.
We all need to believe that we are perfect. Pretty pretty please!
And I want you to know, I want my daughter to know, I want the women in my life to know …. you are f@#*in’ perfect to me!
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