What is "Perfect?"

One day, while volunteering in my son's class, I made a silly mistake while using the paper cutter. The teacher said that ____ would be happy to know that I am not perfect.... (BTW, I am definitely NOT perfect...in case you wondered!)

 I was recently talking to a friend about another friend (all good, of course). My friend said of the other, "I just love her, she's so perfect!"

I recently heard a new mom of twins say that every twin mom she meets seems to have it all together- they are the perfect twin mom- and that she felt like a failure!

I sometimes look at the lives of others and think, "She's the perfect mom" or "They have the perfect family!"

But when it all comes down to it, we only see what others WANT us to see.... what happens behind closed doors is rarely the same as what happens in public. 

I guarantee that not every twin mom has it together! I guarantee that I am not perfect, and neither is my friend. I guarantee that nobody is the "perfect" mom and no family is perfect either!

I can guarantee it because the word perfect means flawless; having all the required or desirable elements, qualities, or characteristics. There is nobody on this planet that can meet EVERY required element or quality or characteristic expected. Jesus was perfect in every way- He never failed... EVER! Oh to be like Him....

 

When I look like I've got my stuff together on the outside, I am sometimes freaking out and feeling claustrophobic on the inside. I feel overwhelmed and frustrated. Do I let others see that? No, probably not, I want people to think I am all together and on the ball and perhaps even the "perfect" mom. But in reality, I do yell at my kids on occasion; I do sometimes expect too much of them; I do let them down; I don't always listen when they talk. I am frazzled when I shop with all of them, but I've had people compliment me on how well behaved they are. Sometimes I just want to run away and hide... 

and

until today

I felt bad about that!!

Today, I read another blogger's post where she talked about how even Jesus understands being overwhelmed by everything going on around Him.  

Matthew 14:23 "After he had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening he was there alone."

Mark 6:30-33 "Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to his disciples, 'Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest!'"

These scriptures helped me more than you'll know. It is OKAY to feel like you just need to be alone. It is OKAY to escape to a quiet place to rest and/or pray. It is OKAY to need my "me" time. I should not allow myself to feel bad for those frazzling moments with the kids. I should not beat myself up or feel like a bad mom when I am feeling claustrophobic and just want them to stop touching me! I can only imagine how Jesus must have felt ...every place He went, people touched and grabbed Him! 

HA... I only have 4 sets of hands needing me!!  

He gets it... HE understands because He's been there/done that!

So now I know, when I am feeling like that, I don't have to hide away inside and feel sorry for myself, it's just one more thing I can talk to my Father about... because He knows what it's like!! 

HE IS SO AWESOMELY PERFECT!!

Let go and Let GOD

I ran into a little problem this week.

I am, internally, making it a BIG problem.

I unintentionally crossed a line and opened my big, fat mouth and betrayed a trust from a friend.

The POTENTIAL repercussions have me freaking smooth out. 

It's not even the actual results of my big mouth that are the problem. 

It's about me over-thinking things and stressing about things to the point of major anxiety.

Tears. Frustration. Obsessive dwelling. More tears. Worry.

I DON'T LIKE THIS

My friend isn't even making a big deal about it. 

She says that we're good and all is well.

But my brain won't shut off about the POTENTIAL future issues.

Yesterday, my friend gave me the scripture:

Psalm 138:8 "He perfects that which concerns me"

I was thrilled by this scripture... YES! He will perfect every little detail that is a concern to me!

ALL things work together for the good of those who love Him... and he will perfect my every concern!

EVERY.SINGLE.CONCERN.

Problem is, I have been more concerned about the concern than about letting HIM perfect it. 

I have been so worried about all the crud associated with how I hurt my friend and made a stupid mistake that I haven't actually given it to HIM.

----------------------------

Dear God, I NEED you to perfect this concern! I thank you that your Word says that you will do it, so I believe you will! I believe that you are already working it all out for YOUR good! I believe that, as my friend says, it will all be okay! I thank you, in advance, for your peace. I thank you that I don't have to hold on to this anxiety- Jesus died for my anxiety. Thank you for spirit of power, love, and a sound mind that will get me through and enable me to let go and let YOU have it!

Amen!

Five Minute Friday: Friends

 


Friday- oh how I love you, Friday!! Today, I get to link up with hundreds of other bloggers to talk about the same topic!! Today is our "Five Minute Friday" bloggy day!! You can click right over there to see more details, but put simply,we write for FIVE minutes, and five minutes only about one topic - our posts are unedited and raw. We just write what comes to mind when we read the prompt for the week.

This week I am SO VERY EXCITED about the prompt! I have been wanting to write a "friend" post for weeks and weeks, but couldn't "perfect" what I wanted to write. SO this forum is perfect for me... my post doesn't have to be perfect... it can just be my raw thoughts written down without immaculate detail!!! 

I.AM.SO.EXCITED!

Friends... 

five minutes...

Friends love at all times.

Friends will stick closer than a brother.

As iron sharpens iron, 

so one man sharpens another. !! 

Friends can double dip, and nobody gets grossed out!

Friends can walk in without knocking, and nobody freaks out!

Friends feel comfortable taking off their shoes!

Friends go with you to get your first tattoo!

Friends will hurt your feelings, 

    but forgiveness from a friend always brings healing.

Friends will not always answer your text as fast as you'd like,

    but they will never tell you to take a hike!

Friends will not always see things your way, 

    but they believe your differences are okay.

Friends will build you up, not tear you down.

Friends greet you with a smile- never a frown!

Friends support your life ambitions,

and helping you achieve them becomes their mission!

STOP

Thank you to all of the people in my life that I consider a friend. You mean more to me than words can ever express. Thank you for encouraging me along this life, and for allowing me to be there for you as well!!

I can't imagine life without my friends!

In the words of Michael W Smith
"Friends are friends forever, If the Lord's the Lord of them
And a friend will not say 'never', because the welcome will not end
Though it's hard to let you go, in the Father's hands we know
THAT A LIFETIME'S NOT TOO LONG, TO LIVE AS FRIENDS!"

What's YOUR glue?

Linking up (a day late) for Lisa-Jo's Five Minute Friday post!! Yesterday was an INSANELY busy day. It started just after 6am and I didn't get any time to just sit and relax AT ALL... went and went all day long until I got off work at midnight! SO, needless to say, blogging didn't happen. So, today, I will write a "Six Minute Saturday" instead of a Five Minute Friday!!

Don't know what this FMF blogging program thing is? Well, click on the link above OR... put simply, a couple hundred bloggers come together every Friday to write about one topic. We all write our thoughts about the prompt topic for FIVE minutes- unscripted, unedited... raw blogging!

Today's topic: GLUE

Without further ado... My Six-minute Saturday:

START:

What's your Glue? When I read the topic we are to write about, this question came into my head. First my thought was "Elmer's, of course!" LOL, but then I just HAD to think a little more deep than just the basic crafting goo!

Everyone has something that motivates them. Something that keeps them going in life. Something that HOLDS THEM TOGETHER!

What is your glue?

Is it your spouse/significant other?
Is it your children?
Is it your parents?
Is it a special friend?
Is it your church family?
Is it God??

What keeps you going every day?

Surely I am not alone here, but there are days that I just don't want to get out of bed and face life. BUT my glue keeps me together. My glue gets me out of bed, helps me get the kids functioning and to school ON TIME every day, helps me keep the house picked up. There are days when I don't feel like I've got it together at all, but my glue says otherwise. I have a "super glue" that doesn't wear off or go away under pressure!

My "Super Glue" is super because it's made up of several different things! My glue is made of my kids, my wonderful hubby, my friends, AND MY GOD!  My glue is so strong that when I feel weak, it is there to remind me that I am whole and complete and able to face anything that wants to tear me apart!

I love my glue!

SO.... what's your glue?

STOP

Letting It Go!!

For twelve years I have held on to something that needs to be let go!

To say that I have been bitter is a major understatement.  

It all centers around my wedding. 

Let me take you back to just over 12years ago....

My bridesmaids and maid of honor all came in from out of state.  So I had a dear friend locally who was my "personal attendant."  She was my life-saver in my world of OCD wedding planning.  She was my sanity when I felt like I was losing It! We spent hours and hours making centerpieces for the reception.... and they were PERFECT!  Since she knows the area and my out-of-town friends did not,  she was in charge of my bachelorette party! Everything was coming together so right! 

Then, the week of my wedding,  my girls starting flying into town.  They were excited to jump in and help pull everything together. My personal attendant,  CLOSE FRIEND,  left town.  

WHAT!?

   She did.  She left town only a couple days before the wedding.  She had my centerpieces; she was planning my bachelorette party. But she was gone.  She said her grandpa was ill...

She didn't show up for the wedding. 

When I returned from my honeymoon,  she said to me, 

"I forgive you for not checking on my grandpa."  

I was crushed.  So hurt by my friend.  And I tried not to be. I told myself that if I were a better friend,  I would've asked about her grandpa (who was fine,  BTW). BUT then it occurred to me that,  hello.... it was the biggest day of my life, it's natural that I wasn't thinking of anyone but myself, right!?

Anyways....

 

As time passed, my relationship with her was never the same.  We talked occasionally, but when I thought of her,   I thought of her abandoning me. When I thought of her,  I was reminded of my centerpieces.... Yes it is trivial,  but after the hours spent on them....ugh!   When I thought of her, I remembered my non-existent bachelorette party.  When I though of her,  I was bitterly sad-broken inside by a very dear friend who wasn't there for me when I needed her.
I have held this hurt for way too long.
 

 I was reading The Mrs. Pastor's blog recently about hard hearts and hurt feelings, and I knew in my heart that I needed to let THIS go. At the time,  I didn't know why the Holy Spirit spoke to me about this situation out of the blue while reading this post,  But that has been on my heart for the last couple days.  AND THEN.... yesterday,  I met up with her. 

The conversation began with her saying that something has been on her heart for a long time and she needed to talk to me about it.  She went on to explain that her feelings were hurt when all of my girls came in from out of town and wanted to do stuff for my wedding. She said that she was being silly and when her feelings got hurt, she left town- essentially to pout! She finished by saying she's always felt awful for missing the biggest day of her best friend's life, and that she new it was silly!

I sat there looking at her, almost in tears. All this time that I've been upset bitter about the situation, she has been feeling bad about it. All this time of hurt that we never talked about... she apologized for not being there for me. I told her that I forgive her! And the sense of relief was AMAZING! 

Now, today.... today when I've thought of her, I'm not thinking about all the hurt- I am thinking about how sincere her apology was. I am thinking of how hurt she must have been years ago to have left town. I am thinking of how I held on to bitterness for WAY too long. I am thinking that I now have to LET IT GO!! I can no longer associate her with hurt- forgiveness means moving on after hurt. Yes, the hurt was there, the pain DID exist. Forgiveness doesn't make it go away, but it gives the freedom to move on.

I am excited for our friendship to start anew. I am excited to LET IT GO and move on!

Thank you, God, that even after 12 years of hurt, you can heal and restore!

 

Ten on Ten- This Beautiful Day

Today is April 10th! The day that I post 10 pictures in 10 hours about my day! BUT, when I woke up this morning, I woke up with this song on the brain! 

So, instead of showing you a glimpse of what I did today, I decided to show you 

WHAT GOD DID TODAY!!

8am

"Wake up and smile cause it's been a while
It's been like a whole day since I stopped
so you could hold me
This child awaits strong in the faith
Lord You are the refuge that I can't wait to get to
Cause I can't let a day go, can't let a day go by
Without thanking You for the joy that You bring to my life

 

9am

"And oh there's something 'bout the way
Your sun shines on my face
It's a love so true I can never get enough of You
This feeling can't be wrong I'm about to get my worship on
Take me away
It's a beautiful day,
It's a beautiful day

  

10am

"When trouble seems to rain on my dreams
It's not a big, not a big deal
Let it wash all the bugs off my windshield
Cause You're showing me in You I'm free
And You're still the refuge that I've just got to get to
So I won't let a day won't let a day go by
So put the drop-top down turn it up I'm ready to fly!

 

11am

"And oh there's something 'bout the way
your sun shines on my face
It's a love so true, I can never get enough of you
This feeling can't be wrong!
I'm about to get my worship on
Take me away!
It's a beautiful day.
It's a beautiful day.

 

Noon

"I've got no need to worry
I've got no room for doubt
No matter what's coming at me, 

you'll always be the beautiful I sing about
There ain't no limitations

 to Your amazing grace!
Your amazing grace

 

1pm

"And there's something 'bout the way
Your love shines on my face...
oh no I just could never get enough of You
This feeling can't be wrong,
I'm about get my worship on!
I'm gonna sing a brand new song!
Yeah, I'm about to get my worship on
take me away on this beautiful day"

(Lyrics of Beautiful Day by Jamie Grace)

 

2pm

Oh... there IS something about the way, 

His sun shines on my face! 

His love is a love so true I can never get enough of it!!

 

3pm

This is the beautiful day that the Lord has made! 

I will rejoice and be glad in it!

The beautiful blue sky, the beautiful white clouds,
the beautiful bright sun, and even the beautiful leaf-less trees... 

They were all hand-crafted by HIM
for this Beautiful Day!

 

4pm

When troubles come, it's not a big deal. 

He is my refuge and my strength!!
In HIM, I am free!

"I'm about to get my worship on!!"

5pm

THANK YOU, GOD, FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL DAY!!