Plastics. And I don't mean water bottles or shopping bags...

Awhile back, a friend of mine suggested I do a blog post about plastic surgery and what my opinion was on it.  I had another friend who suggested I write about a scientist who was trying to develop steak made out of poop.  Needless to say, I picked plastic surgery.  I personally have never had any plastic surgery done, however I do have an opinion about it.  If you have taken the time to know me, you would know that I have an opinion about almost everything.  It's a blessing and a curse. :)

Five years ago I gave birth to my precious Bean.  He was born via C-section and weighed 9lbs, 7oz.  Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am a smaller person and that this size baby is insanely huge for me to carry.  He was.  When I was 6 months pregnant people thought that I was either carrying twins or due any moment.  Bean did a number on my stomach.  If I could describe my stomach, it would best be described as looking like a 90 year old woman's face on my stomach.  No offense to the 90 year old women out there.  Do 90 year old women even read blogs?  I think I will.  Anyways, it's disgusting to say the least.  When my kids see my stomach I have heard statements such as "is that your belly button?", "gross!" and "sick!".  One time Bean asked me why my stomach looked like that and I told him that it happened after he was in my stomach.  I was half expecting him to feel sympathetic or apologize.  Nope.  He just stared at me in disgust.

Needless to say, I am in desperate need of a tummy tuck.  If I had the disposable income and down time to get one, I just might do it.  The income and down time are kind of the hang ups at this point...:).   I had a child, an enormous child that completely changed my body.  There are so many people out there that have had the same experience whether it be a childbirth, an accident or a birth defect.  I don't see anything wrong with someone trying to fix something that is wrong through a surgery that could increase their quality of life.  There is a fine line here though, if you ask me.  That fine line is between truly doing the surgery for yourself and the right reasons or for someone else.

For me, the surgery would be for myself, 100%.  No one is pressuring me in to wanting a tummy tuck(which I will probably never have) and I would be doing it so that my body would be "normal" again.  I don't want to look 20, I just want to be normal again, for myself, to feel better.   So what about a woman who wants a nose job or her boobs done?  Well, I think they would need to question their motivation.  The motivation between someone who wanted work done on her nose because she was in a car accident versus a woman who just wants to look better is very different in my opinion.  The same would go with a boob job.  It depends on the motivation and that woman's circumstances.  Is the woman doing it with a pure heart?  Is she doing it because she just wants to feel better for herself, or is she doing it because she wants to be desired by a man and envied by women?  I think that is the question that any woman needs to ask herself before signing up for any type of plastic surgery.  Also, a woman needs to ask herself what she has to gain from the surgery.  The answer to that question may reveal a lot about her motivation. 

What does Jesus have to say about this?  I really have no idea.  I wonder what He would have to say if He were here right now and living in these times.  But, we can turn to scripture for some clues in this area.  Here are a few verses that put things of the body and appearance into perspective:

1 Samuel 16:7 - "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

James 1:23 - "Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror."

Proverbs 31:30 - "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting: but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."

We are clearly told in the Bible that a person's outward appearance is not what is important and that appearances can lead to pride.  I also understand that we live in a world that is, unfortunately obsessed with people's appearances and it's hard to become immune to that.  I hope that anyone who is considering plastic surgery will do so carefully, prayerfully and be in no rush to make their decision.  There are more important things in life than looking "normal" or "beautiful" and I can think of better things to do with 10 grand than get a tummy tuck because I want to feel better about myself.  But, it sure would be nice to feel good about my body again.  ????  I guess the answer lies with you.