Mommy's Got a Brand New Belly

I thought Shannon was pregnant, too! Real funny -- NOT! Seriously, though, I feel like I was tricked into reading about this insane book. =)
True Christians seriously need to write some children's books. We wonder why my generation is so weird and doing crazy stuff, but if you look at the children's and teen's section of a bookstore it's pretty obvious. We become what we eat -- in heart and soul. Just think what could be if only Christians had and used the zeal to influence kids that people like Madonna and J. K. Rowling or this author put into action...

Oh, I was totally kidding about being tricked into reading this! I thought it was funny how it came across and actually joked about it because it seemed pretty unintentional. Thanks for the concern and effort to clarify for all of us, though. It is pretty funny -- of all the titles you could choose! Why, Josh... why?! (I'm just kidding.)

For the other Josh; I actually learned something on this subject recently from (surprise, surprise!) Hudson Taylor. He was talking in a sermon about the Bride of Christ and the beautiful allegory of Song of Songs. In the beginning of the book, the Bride thinks she's not all that great looking -- she's got blemishes, she's been out in the sun way too long... Even though tan is in, I think most girls can relate pretty well to what she's saying. But then later in the book we see that not only does God call her beautiful in many ways, but she actually becomes very beautiful and even reflects His Beauty. How does that happen? Hint: No spas are involved, no gyms, no plastic surgery; but it does involve a lot of diligent discipline on our part -- as the Bride. Hudson Taylor describes it as us being like a mirror. If we look at the things of the world and ourselves, it's not gonna be pretty -- what we reflect. We're going to be full of blemishes, full of sin, etc. But if we turn and look at Him, we will reflect Him -- and that's what people will see when they look at us. We'll show forth His Beauty in ways this world can see. So, basically, I guess my tip on this topic is: Stop looking in mirrors so much -- focusing on the things of this world or yourself. Start being a mirror -- a reflection of God's Beauty. For no beauty can compare or compete or add to His. Be a bearer of beauty in this world by telling them that with all that you are and all that you do.
Do this and I promise you you'll love and know and recognize (not to mention, offer the world) real, incredible, breath-taking, beautiful Beauty. And you'll begin to see and appreciate the beauty (or even just the potential for beauty -- if that's all there is so far) in every person.
It's kind of like in Psalms when David talks about God's Law being finer to him than pure gold. We all think that sounds nice and like an admirable thing to say, but do we feel the same? I didn't for a long while. But I wanted to, and I knew I wanted to be the right kind of rich, so I asked God to do whatever it takes to make me that way. Now I read those verses and they are totally different to me -- I don't just think they sound nice, but instead, I know them to be true and I agree with them with my whole heart, mind, soul and spirit. Before, riches sounded nice... earthly ones... but I'd easily trade them for other things once I got them -- I know it. But now that I know and have the true Riches of His Justice and Law and Truth and Word within my heart, I could never, would never, trade them for ANYTHING.
I promise you that if you obtain and truly come to fully know true Beauty, you'll know what I mean and feel the same.
God bless.

I've read through most the second part of this post again and... may I add something? I just noticed the part where you asked parents to share steps they've taken to pass on a right perspective to daughters. I'm not a parent, but as a young girl I was helped by some cool viewpoints shared with me.
During homeschooling, my mom had my brother and I read a lot of missionary books. These gave me a great perspective on a lot of things -- including looks. At a young age I read about Amy Carmichael and how she had wanted blue eyes. Her mother had blue eyes. But Amy's were brown. It bothered her a lot as a little girl. She prayed that God would change them and was very (very, very) disappointed when He didn't. Later, when she became a missionary and was in a dangerous situation, it was essential that God had, in fact, made her eyes brown because it enabled her to successfully disguise herself as an Indian for one instance -- blue eyes would have given her away in a second!
This lesson has always stuck in my head. God made us the way we are, placed us where we are, and has allowed all that has happened to us for our good. He knows the way we can best serve Him -- and how to best reach who He has for us to reach.
There's a part in a novel I once read where a man comes before God and he wants God to heal him and make him whole. He asks God, "Wouldn't I serve you better if I were whole?" But God responds, "You wouldn't serve me at all if you were whole."
I nearly always think of this when I want to change things or simply complain. I think its really true of many, many of us -- I mean, look at the example of Paul's thorn in the flesh. God didn't take it away for a reason -- even though Paul asked 3 times that it would be removed.

Now, women reading this are probably going, "I'd serve God still if I were prettier!" Well, perhaps you would. But perhaps you would not need Him as much -- perhaps you wouldn't long for beauty and thus know your need to seek out His Beauty, perhaps you'd have friends who like you for your looks and so you would not need to do as kind or important things to be friends with them and thus would not be driven to be a better friend, perhaps you would not see the true beauty in others who have the physical attributes you now dislike so much, perhaps you would witness to others satisfaction in earthly things fitting your preferences rather than satisfaction in God's Will showing that He indeed provides all that we need and that in Him alone is the fullness of Joy no matter what.
Perhaps your need for His Beauty reflected in you would not be attended to with the same measure of persistence and careful detail. Perhaps what is not beautiful to Him on the inside would be covered up by what is beautiful to you on the outside.
Perhaps God knows what is best for you individually and He has created you in such a way and has allowed every circumstance which is in your life to come about in the way it has because He knows what is most conducive to your good and He Loves you so much that He would rather you have what cannot be stolen or fade than what can and will -- even though you may be angry at Him until you understand.
Perhaps the Master is greater than the servant, the Teacher greater than the student, and the Sculptor than the clay.
Perhaps we might submit to His Plan and express His Beauty in the special way He created us to individually -- as He created no other person to in the exact same way.
Perhaps, by submitting to this wonderful and mysterious Plan, we might reach another individual in a way no one else could who is unhappy with something in their life and don't yet know how God alone can help them to overcome it in a way that passes this world's means or hopes or understanding.

But back to you, Josh, I was out shopping today and I began thinking more about this. Many times Christians encourage young girls (or women) to focus on having godly character and thus inner beauty rather than focusing on outward beauty. I, too, think that is more important. But I've come to think that maybe focusing on either -- even on increasing in either -- is quite discouraging since we are often such fallen vessels. I read in a book recently that the best way to have faith is not to focus on having faith, because that often only discourages us, but rather, to focus on the Faithfulness of God. After reading that, I've tried it -- and it's true! I'm thinking that maybe it's the same with beauty and that's why even when we shift our focus from outer-self to inner-self we are still discouraged and feel as if we too often fall short of how we want to be. What do you think?

Dude: Now I'm hoping you will see MY comment because I've waited a few days to post. To address your question, I would like to offer a scathing comment, but can't seem to think of any right now so will answer another way (unless something comes to mind while I am typing).
I think that the problem you are wrestling with is more common than you think. Every single person I know struggles with, or has struggled with, prejudice. And prejudice (or ungodly, ignorant, or incorrect judgment -- whatever you might label it) is just a symptom (one of many) of not having God's Love and not seeing as He does -- through His Perfect Perspective.
It is actually a very cool, very good thing that you recognized this as a problem that must be fixed and that you admitted this and asked for help. So few of us do that!
My advice to you is simply that you ask God for Him to give you a new heart and eyes to see His Beauty. Once your eyes can see and your heart can love (as He created you to) and you begin to catch a glimpse of His Beauty in His people and His creation and begin to feel His Love and Compassion for people... well, you'll never be the same. And you'll never want to be.
It's just really different when God does this work in changing how you see everyone and everything and replaces your heart... I wish I could explain it, but it's just beyond words.
Also, I want to add that I had questions several years ago that couldn't be answered by the person I asked (who had a good reputation for answering questions on the subject) and a friend gave me the advice I am giving you now (to ask God to change you -- or in my case, it was to ask God to teach me) and I did it and God came through, answering my request, in a way that surprised and astounded me. So, although my advice might sound weird or too simple... He is Faithful.
God bless.