the bottom line

Bottom line?  Life can be tedious day in and day out.  There aren't many gold stars given to moms.  We just work and work and work.  And after awhile it's easy to start to carry a grudge -- resentment can creep in -- and then the beauty of life starts to fade away.  Dishes, and reading, and laundry, and cleaning, and teaching, and all that becomes overwhelming.  Life appears to be a list of never-ending to-do items.

Bottom line? Those areas of life can be redeemed.  They can be beautiful.  For me, it's when they're surrendered.  It's those breath by breath moments asking for Christ's strength coupled with asking Him to reveal the honor and beauty in being a mom.  A wife.  A daughter.

Bottom line?  Society yearns to rob the dignity of womanhood from us.  Being a mother isn't noble -- we hear.  You're not beautiful -- screams in our faces.  You'll never measure up -- we read.  Everywhere we're reminded of how we potentially fail.  Truth?  We're (especially me) listening to the wrong voices.  Rather than the taunts of the world we need to be focused on truth. My barometer of self can never be measured on the world's scale.  Ever.

Bottom line?  I failed last night.  I was crabby and discontent and overwhelmed.  To make it worse, it was on Chloe's birthday.  Nothing like adding salt to a wound.  I was just frustrated and tired and my family knew it.

Bottom line? My night was redeemed.  Not by myself.  But in humbling myself.  Letting go of pride.  And instead focusing on the truth in Christ. It took me stepping away. Taking ten minutes by myself.  Honestly telling my kids that I needed to be alone for just a bit.  And then looking at my mistakes.  Writing.  Admitting that I'm not perfect.  Seeking forgiveness.  And starting again.

Bottom line?  I love that Christ's mercies are new every morning.  That is fabulous news.  Especially for me...today's bottom line? Letting go of that need for perfectionism and instead focusing on my word - content - and truly living that way.