Bite Your Lip

“For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty destroyed.” James 1:11

I’ve seen enough tabloid magazines to know that a pouty pucker is all the rage as far as beauty standards go. Full lips are a desired trait, so much so that women are willing to go the route of having them injected with collagen and who knows what other substances to achieve this beautiful trait. I, personally, have never had any collagen treatments, but I can tell you an alternative method.

Because it was a scorcher yesterday, the boys and I were in the pool. As it is with most boys, they desire action in the swimming pool as opposed to my calmly floating around on my blow-up version of a chaise lounge. They want splashing and jumping and waves and water up their noses. All the things I am against while floating around peacefully.

Most of the time, they realize that I am no fun for them in the pool and quickly enlist Daddy to fill the role. Daddy was off doing something involving a ladder on the front of the house. So after practicing our newly learned swim lesson moves, I caved. First I picked the 5YO up and threw him back first into the water. Then the 7YO. Then the 5YO wanted to go belly first into the water, so I obliged. And this is where I should have stopped. Laughing and smiling and having a good time clouded my better judgment. As with all good times, it is always fun until somebody gets hurt. And that somebody is usually me.

I lifted my 7YO out of the water by his armpits (he weighs 60 pounds and is getting hard to maneuver), and flung him into the air. Just as I was letting go, he threw his rock-hard-basketball-shaped head that he inherited from his mother back, slamming it into my mouth. I thought he’d knocked my two front teeth out and that I’d bit completely through what was once known as my lower lip. My top teeth got the outside of it and my lower teeth got the inside. Then I tasted blood. I covered my wound, expecting blood to be running down my face any minute, and excused myself to cry without a child audience.

I went into the house to examine my wounds, and found it was merely a flesh wound. Barely noticeable, except for the additional heartbeat added to my lip. It hurt really bad, but I would live. Then, about thirty minutes later, I tried to tell my husband what happened and noticed I couldn’t talk right. I went to the mirror, and there it was – my FAT LIP. The first one I’ve had since adolescence.

And, of course, my fat lip lasted through the night. So today, if I look a little sad, if I seem a little pouty, or if I look like I’ve had a bad trip to the collagen doctor, remember I AM BEAUTIFUL! Fat lip and all.

Thank goodness I don’t have to worry about the paparazzi finding me and making fun of my bad lip job!

“May my lips overflow with praise, for you teach me your decrees.” Psalm 119:171