Who do we want to be like?

When I went to Time Out For Women a little over a month ago, I was privilaged to hear Sherry Dew speak.  She was really very amazing.  She shared how important it is to realize that the Lord knows who we are.  The Lord knows where we are, and the Lord knows exactly what we need in order to accomplish our missions.
She talked about the old Candid Camera show that was around when I was a child.  In case you don't know, this was a show were there were people who were "in on the joke" and a person who was completely clueless as to what was going on.  Many of the episodes used that to show how people were easily influenced to do whatever the rest of the crowd was doing.  People don't want to stand out and be different.  They want to blend in.  They want to be "normal".  No matter how ridiculous it might seem.
She asked us "How easily are you influenced?  Who is influencing you?  What kind of influence are you having over others?"  All very good questions and worth pondering today.
Who is it that wants you to believe you are not good enough?  Who has the most to gain by teaching you not to value yourself?  I think it is important to realize that Satan will always tell us that we are not good enough at anything that we are doing.  He wants us to believe that there is no hope for us.  He wants us to give up.



This commercial shows everything done to the model to make an image that is good enough to put on a billboard.  But this image isn't even her.
How impaired are we when what we are comparing ourselves to isn't even real?
Comparison is the fast track to misery.  It is the Satan's way and not the Lord's way.  For this glorious Thanksgiving season, my prayer is that we will each get out of the business of comparison.  It doesn't make sense in today's world.  We can always find someone better, or even someone worse.  And we can even be comparing ourselves to someone who is not even real.  So, when life hands you doubts, remember my favorite part of the Young Women's theme:
We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we love Him. We will “stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places”...
Remember who you are and where you came from.  Remember that He loves you just as you are, not the you that you are thinking you should be.  He knows and loves the person behind the mask that you wear.  
May we each strive to be a little less influenced by the fake realities of the world and more influenced by Him who truly loves each of us.   

Oh!  That each, in the day, 

of His coming, may say,

"I have fought my way through;

I have finished the work

Thou didst give me to do."  

Oh! That each from the Lord,

may receive that glad word,

"Well and faithfully done!

Enter into my Joy

and sit down on my throne".

This short quote is taken from a very old book, titled, "The Family Minstral".  And is part of The New Years Hymn.