Getting ready in the morning is an art

It seems that many women today love to brag on how little time they spend actually getting ready in the morning. Three to five minutes seems to be the goal. I, for one, do not understand why any self-respecting woman would not relish the idea of having at least a full hour to herself to primp.

From an early age, Mama taught me that a girl needs at least two hours to get ready for the day. This time should include, but is not limited to, the following:

• bath or shower
• hair washing
• make-up (no less than 15 minutes to get it just right)
• smiling in mirror
• cup of coffee
• quiet time
• drying of hair
• curling of hair
• outfit prep
• jewelry prep
• smiling in mirror
• final spray of hair
• smiling in mirror one last time
• another cup of coffee
• lipstick application
• one more smile
• okay, one more smile for good measure

I know this seems a bit excessive, but it's worth it when your friends say, "I wish MY hair looked that good all the time." I relish in these comments. Although, I would never let my friends know. My usual response is and always will be, "I need a haircut." Never, "Well, thanks. I work hard to get it just right."

This prep means waking at least an hour and a half before your husband and children. I truly believe that in order to be a good wife and mother, I need to spend some time on myself. I refuse to let myself go. I also believe that by taking care of myself I will not need cosmetic surgery when I am older.

I do NOT believe in tattooing my eyeliner nor do I believe in paying an arm and a leg for my cosmetics. I buy ALL my hair products and make-up at Wal-Mart. I believe it's not about how much you can fork out for beauty but it is about application know-how. If you're not confident in your make-up application abilities, check out a few magazines. It's worth the money.

Please take this to heart. All woman can be beautiful if they simply take the time to care. Re-apply lipstick when your lips look pale. Pat away the oily reflection on your cheeks and forehead. Take notice of your hair EVERY time you pass a mirror. If you learn nothing else from this post, please learn to care about the reflection that looks back at you each morning. God has given you a new day to look and feel beautiful; don't waste it on sweats and a 3-minute make-up job.