The Rundown of the End of 2012

Since my last post:

1. Thanksgiving
2. End of Year programs
3. Christmas preparations
4. Judah's birthday
5. The Plague
6. Christmas
7. Broken arm
8. New Year's trip

And I'm sure there are more things in there that I forgot.  I will (eventually) elaborate on several of those, and I have many times lamented recently at the lack of posts.  However, as I type my boys are outside screaming like wild Indians (completely politically incorrect, I know), and I'm afraid the neighbors are getting ready to call the police.  Or DCFS.  I must intervene.

Have faith, I will return.

Messy

My friend came over for lunch last week while the big boys were in school and Judah napped so we could celebrate her birthday.  She commented, "Your house is so clean every time I come over.  I can't even keep up in our house and it's just the two of us." 

Ummm...of course it was clean.  I knew she was coming over. 

At pretty much any other given moment, this is what my house looks like:

So often I feel like people have the idea that because I almost always have a smile on my face that I "have it all together".  What does that even mean?  Children are messy.  I am messy. Family is messy. Relationships are messy.  Life is messy. NOBODY has it all together.  Some of us are just better at pretending and hiding than others.   

Perfection looks like Jesus.  Period.  When I start comparing my life to anyone else's, I become dissatisfied. I want the things they have while they're wanting what I have.  I wish I could do the work that she does while she just wants to stay home.  I try to mimic his personality while he's trying to be someone else entirely.

"Godliness with contentment is great gain." (1Tim. 6:6)  Everybody gains something when I keep my eyes on Jesus.  I will be the very best version of me when I don't try to be like anyone else but Him. I know this, and yet, I forget.  And the messiness starts to bother me.  

I have to keep reminding myself that if I didn't have the "messy" I wouldn't have the children, the family, the relationships, the life.  What fun is that?