This article sparked an excellent conversation between the hubs and I last night. (Unfortunately, the conversation began at 11:45pm and we didn't get to sleep until after 1:30am, which means for droopy eyes and a bit of a headache this morning - sigh.) It was a good conversation nonetheless.
I have wonderful friends who are also fantastic wives and mothers. In many of them, I see particular giftings.
One of my friends is an excellent writer (seriously, you should check our her blog, free book, and the book that will be published soon). Her home is also beautiful. It makes me feel like I'm stepping into a copy of Southern Living every time I enter its doors.
I have another friend who is always oh so put together. Her hair is styled regularly, and she has an uncanny ability to make it look like the hairdresser does every. single. day. She also has a super cute wardrobe, is great with makeup and is always coordinated and fashionable. (My hair looks styled the 2-3 times a year it gets cut, and no one would ever, EVER call my wardrobe fashionable).
A third friend is a fabulous cook and is also incredibly healthy. The meals she feeds her husband and son are usually made from scratch, using wholesome, organic ingredients. She is excellent about doing research and making informed decisions regarding the health and well being of her son and family.
I could continue making lists of my friends and their awesomeness, but I'll stop. You get the point. I have friends that are incredibly successful in prestigious careers, friends that are insanely fit physically, etc etc. And that's all wonderful (I am friends with some pretty fabulous people).
The problem is, I've got this other friend, who, really, is more of a foe. She's a magnificent writer with a spotless, uncluttered, beautifully decorated home. She is lean and incredibly fit, great at a plethora of sports. However, she doesn't hang out in her gym clothes, but rocks a fashionable wardrobe, always put together with the right clothes, accessories, shoes and her hair and makeup are flawless. She cooks healthy and delicious meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Her kids all slept through the night at 6 weeks old and are happy all the time - as is her husband. And, why wouldn't they be. He has the perfect wife and the children have a perfect mom. Except, THIS PERSON DOESN'T EXIST.
I have this tendency to take all the awesomeness of every wife, mom and friend I know, put it all together, and create this super wife/mom/woman. Then, I strive to be just. like. her. Except I can't, and neither can she, because there is no such thing.
Instead of striving after a fictitious model, I need to do a better job of looking to Christ. As the writer of the aforementioned article stated, my job description is to love God, love my husband and love my child and point him to Jesus. I need to seek His guidance for things like how and what to feed my family, and how to spend our time. I need to do what He calls me to do, and stop trying to be who he has made everyone else. I need to rest in Him, and stop worrying and fretting about if I'm getting this whole thing right.
Does anyone else think that is SOOOO much easier said than done??
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