I am that woman and You are too.
I see a lot of posts flying around the Internet on blog sites with a certain tone to them. Making declarations about this and that when it comes to women and motherhood.
Posts talking about if I have to clean before you come over, we can't be friends.
Sentences that say, you don't need to plan the perfect Pinterest worthy party to be a good mom. Words that read a laundry list of things that women are writing letting other women and moms know that they don't have to be perfect.
Their homes don't need to be spotless. They can be messy.
They don't need to plan birthday parties, they don't have to do a million other things to be accepted.
I get the heart heart behind such posts, I really do. I think the point they are trying to make by writing them is that it's OK to be real and who you are.
But you see when I read those types of posts, I can't help but think about the other woman who's reading those posts and what she must be thinking. What if that is really who you are?
The mom who is thinking how much she enjoys planning her kids birthday parties and making a big deal out of them because she wants to celebrate their life! Not because it's "pin" worthy or perfect but because it celebrates their life. And maybe she went over board to you, but to her she spent time and energy because it's her way of showing love and that's ok.
The mom who meal plans for her family and cooks every night for them not because she's perfect, but because it's how she saves money for her family and stays on track with her budget with a one income family.
The mom who crafts and does projects because it feeds her creative soul. Not because she's perfect or wants you to be doing those same things but because it what makes her happy and gives her joy.
The woman who works out and takes care of her body, not because she's vain or self centered. But, because she used to be unhealthy and took back her body and is proud of herself for making changes to give her the best life she can.
I get that, because I am that mom. I am that woman.
I am that woman I'm reading about in these posts.
Often times we call out others because of our own insecurities, I do it too sometimes. We make snap judgements about people based on what we see.
But God calls us to give grace, he calls us to look deeper and see the things in people that are not on the surface.
You know what?
If you plan birthdays for your kids that are over the top amazing, it's ok.
If you clean your house before your guests come over cause it makes you feel better, not because you're perfect or want to portray an unrealistic image. It's alright, if that is what makes you feel better and more together.
I suggest if we want to "get real" with each other we stop getting so hung up on these things, and stop letting our insecurities get in the way of getting real with each other.
If I come over to your house and it's a mess, I'm not gonna care. I'm not there for your house, I'm there to cultivate a friendship with you Not your house, it's ok. If you clean it, that's ok too.
I know from the outside looking in it may all seems perfect and that woman has no flaws, no trials or struggles. I get how it can look like that, but I also believe she's not trying to hide anything.
She's just trying to do her best. So, before we make judgement calls on weather or not she's perfect or hiding something, or insecure about her life and trying to over compensate. Let's give her the benefit of the doubt and get to know her for who she is.
Clean house or messy house.
Perfect parties, or kids that say please or thank-you. Know that she's a woman, wife and mother just like you. Just like me.
Maybe she needs a friend to care about her instead of judging her from the outside.
Maybe she needs some encouragement today or a hug.
Maybe we need to remember we'd want people to do the same for us. Maybe getting real means realizing what our own strengths and weaknesses are and being ok with them. Celebrating them even.
If someone else is strong where I am weak, let's celebrate that and learn from it instead of trying to tear it down. Extend grace and love.
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Romans 3:24
Posts talking about if I have to clean before you come over, we can't be friends.
Sentences that say, you don't need to plan the perfect Pinterest worthy party to be a good mom. Words that read a laundry list of things that women are writing letting other women and moms know that they don't have to be perfect.
Their homes don't need to be spotless. They can be messy.
They don't need to plan birthday parties, they don't have to do a million other things to be accepted.
I get the heart heart behind such posts, I really do. I think the point they are trying to make by writing them is that it's OK to be real and who you are.
The mom who is thinking how much she enjoys planning her kids birthday parties and making a big deal out of them because she wants to celebrate their life! Not because it's "pin" worthy or perfect but because it celebrates their life. And maybe she went over board to you, but to her she spent time and energy because it's her way of showing love and that's ok.
The mom who meal plans for her family and cooks every night for them not because she's perfect, but because it's how she saves money for her family and stays on track with her budget with a one income family.
The mom who crafts and does projects because it feeds her creative soul. Not because she's perfect or wants you to be doing those same things but because it what makes her happy and gives her joy.
The woman who works out and takes care of her body, not because she's vain or self centered. But, because she used to be unhealthy and took back her body and is proud of herself for making changes to give her the best life she can.
I get that, because I am that mom. I am that woman.
I am that woman I'm reading about in these posts.
Often times we call out others because of our own insecurities, I do it too sometimes. We make snap judgements about people based on what we see.
But God calls us to give grace, he calls us to look deeper and see the things in people that are not on the surface.
You know what?
If you plan birthdays for your kids that are over the top amazing, it's ok.
If you clean your house before your guests come over cause it makes you feel better, not because you're perfect or want to portray an unrealistic image. It's alright, if that is what makes you feel better and more together.
I suggest if we want to "get real" with each other we stop getting so hung up on these things, and stop letting our insecurities get in the way of getting real with each other.
If I come over to your house and it's a mess, I'm not gonna care. I'm not there for your house, I'm there to cultivate a friendship with you Not your house, it's ok. If you clean it, that's ok too.
I know from the outside looking in it may all seems perfect and that woman has no flaws, no trials or struggles. I get how it can look like that, but I also believe she's not trying to hide anything.
She's just trying to do her best. So, before we make judgement calls on weather or not she's perfect or hiding something, or insecure about her life and trying to over compensate. Let's give her the benefit of the doubt and get to know her for who she is.
Clean house or messy house.
Perfect parties, or kids that say please or thank-you. Know that she's a woman, wife and mother just like you. Just like me.
Maybe she needs a friend to care about her instead of judging her from the outside.
Maybe she needs some encouragement today or a hug.
i know paper straw, such a cliche'.
Maybe we need to remember we'd want people to do the same for us. Maybe getting real means realizing what our own strengths and weaknesses are and being ok with them. Celebrating them even.
If someone else is strong where I am weak, let's celebrate that and learn from it instead of trying to tear it down. Extend grace and love.
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Romans 3:24