04/13/13

I thought this picture deserved a bit of oversizedness.  :)  The first blooms of spring.

I'm gonna be honest today.

I'm gonna be real.

I get jealous of people.

Yeah, you heard that right.  

I look around at what other people are able to do:

• the creativity that flows
• the ability to keep a spotless house 
• the energy to do five million things "at once"
• the go-get-it-ness to exercise and lose weight
• the ability to write and get people to respond
• women who are cooking and baking for the family and come up with amazing meals
• I seriously could keep typing this list....
  

This is a trap and a lie straight from Satan and I know it.

Unfortunately, I still fall into it this trap over and over.

I go to my friend's house who loves to clean and think I am not as good as she is because my house just doesn't stay that way.

I see creative ideas from others that I just don't have time to do..... or just know I wouldn't be able to do.

I observe people getting out there losing weight, something that has been difficult for this girl since turning 40, and I get overwhelmed/frustrated.

I hear of other women working all day and coming home to cook huge meals for their families.  Something I don't do anymore because Steve has taken over that job.  This is something I still feel guilt about.

I compare myself in so many ways to so many things that others do.

Thankfully, though, the Lord has been working in that area of my life.... as He always does.

I have been reading a combination book of Fearfully and Wonderfully Made and In His Image by Dr. Paul Brand and Philip Yancey.

These books are wonderful and packed with a lot of technical, yet understandable, information on how our bodies are designed.

Through reading these, the Lord continues to show me that we all are given gifts and talents that are ours alone to bring glory to Him.  He created us for a purpose....

... and that purpose is not to compare ourselves to others and what we don't think we can do, but what He has given us the ability TO do.


Why compare myself to someone else when that is not how God made me?

Should I continue to improve on what the LORD wants out of me?  YES!

I just need to be careful not to think I am not important enough or talented enough to be used by Him when I look at what other people can do.

Here is how I now am learning to view my above "failures":

I go to my friend's house who loves to clean and think I am not as good as she is because my house just doesn't stay that way.  I AM NOT HER.  :)  I love her for what she can do, and I don't have to think of myself any less because my house is not so perfect.

I see creative ideas from others that I just don't have time to do..... or just know I wouldn't be able to do.  I HAVE CREATIVITY, TOO... just not like theirs. 

I observe people getting out there losing weight, something that has been difficult for this girl since turning 40, and I get overwhelmed/frustrated.  I AM BEGINNING THE JOURNEY and DOING MY BEST.  Maybe the Lord is also trying to teach me to be thankful for who I am on the inside first.  The outside will come in time.

I hear of other women working all day and coming home to cook huge meals for their families.  Something I don't do anymore because Steve has taken over that job.  This is something I still feel guilt about.  STEVE IS WILLING TO HELP OUT.  He knows how stressful my teaching days can be... have been.... may be.... and he loves to cook.  Most women would kill for that.  lol


This has actually been a hard post to write because I don't want to sound whiny... but I do want to be real.  So many times we try to cover up our insecurities and act like we are doing great when deep inside we are struggling.  I am not sure as to why the Lord kept pressing for me to write this today.... maybe someone else needed it too.