Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Seeking Imperfection







We all know the days....the day when everything goes wrong.

It can happen before your feet even hit the floor, but you know it from its familiar visits--- from the minute the day begins multiple supernatural-like events begin to happen in your home. For example:

Two children (or three) are bleeding before breakfast.

The baby's diaper comes off and smears a 'special scented gift' all down the front stairs five minutes before your friend is supposed to stop by. To top it off, they thought they would slide down the stairs in it for a thrill ride and hardly noticed all the children sitting there laughing and pointing at them since they are covered from head to toe.

The children are all screaming and have eachother in a choke hold (and they are only under the age of 2) and right about then the phone rings and your husband wants to know how your day is going.

The dishwasher's heating cycle is burning something instead of drying it so it begins to smoke.

Breakfast is burnt because you are distracted with the smoking dishwasher.

Your child spends all morning trying to find his book for school and you don't realize he is missing until its 'too late' because now he has run upstairs to report that-----

The baby tried flushing the toy fire truck down the toilet.

The toilet is clogged from the skillfully inserted fire truck and thus begins overflowing all over the floor and to top it off, it wasn't flushed from the person who used it before he thought he'd try his stunt.

And I could go on, but really, you all know what can happen before noon in a family of ten , don't you? Come on now, surely you have all experienced this in your own home!

So as a word of encouragement to you, I want you all to know that I am a mom just like you! This blog has pretty pictures and the inspiring quotes because *I* am the one who needs the encouragement, just as much as the next mom. There is no such thing as the 'perfect' mother and we should not kill overselves trying to achieve this with lofty expectations of ourselves and others in our family---this is not building up our homes but instead tearing it down. I would never want any mom or wife to get discouraged and think they have to live up to some faux supermom model that is unachievable and unreal. Yes indeed, imperfection is freedom and that means I am okay if my children sometimes jump into the van before we go to the store and have mismatched shoes, clothes that are backwards or sometimes they are just missing underwear altogether (but thankfully, not pants!)

Through it all I have learned to keep my sense of humor (I think), and thankful that imperfection is a part of life. This was hard for me at first, as I am sure for other moms well. I thought I had it all together with four children and knew what I was doing and then came #5 and #6 and then lo and behold--- baby boy twins to make #7 & 8! What on earth was I thinking? I knew nothing about this mothering journey. Gone was the pride---banished! The Lord knew just how to humble me, indeed.

There is freedom in mothering, ladies! And that is imperfection!

The next is God's forgiving grace.


Wouldn't you agree? ;)





(Homeschooling cartoons by Todd Wilson @ Family Man Ministries)




(Encouraging myself during the holidays works for me!)






















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23 comments:

BECKY said...

These are definitely encouraging words. I know I always have a way I think things need to go or be, and it's easy to feel like I've failed if I don't meet the expectations I've set for things in my home. I've gotten much better over the past few years!! We are all "works in progress" with ups and downs and challenges. Thanks for cheering us on in this motherhood journey!
In His Love,
Becky

Anonymous said...

I can so relate.

Blessings,
Carri
www.homeschoolblogger.com/Ellisfamily

Bethany Hudson said...

What a great cartoon to emphasize this wonderful point!
~Bethany

mholgate said...

You have a great blog here. Thanks for the encouragement! I only have five kids, but I definitely have those types of days!
Blessings,
Melissa

Sarah Mae said...

A GREAT reminder! My sister-in-law always says, "strive for excellence, but fall into grace." Imperfection - yep!

Anonymous said...

i needed this! i so often feel all the other bloggers have it all together and perfect and i am still struggling so much. i especially enjoyed the cartoon- that was bible time yesterday and today!

Caroline said...

Such a cute cartoon!

You have precious insights on lifes many roller coaster rides. :) I know I always appreciate them.

Abounding Treasures said...

Amen ~ I can remember those days as if they just happened :o)

And, as someone else has already said, "What a great cartoon to emphasize the point" :o)

Blessings!

Joyful_Momma said...

I needed that this morning!! I am glad I'm not the only one whose kids sometimes go without undies! LOL

The cartoon was GREAT!

Thanks!

Niki Jolene said...

What a great way to view things!

:)

Julieann said...

What a great post--and I sure have had days like this too, we all have:) I like to say I am imperfectly perfect....Works for me too!

Julieann

Rhonda Devine said...

Very comical, June:) Down to earth is where we all live, our children are "in training" along with us, their parents!
Love, Rhonda

Toodlebugz said...

The only thing you can do on those days is just laugh! Satan want's to steal your joy and boy is it easy to give in,but yelling ,crying and locking yourself in your room will not help! All done by me on occasion BTW!Your words of encouragement are wonderful & I marvel how well you put thoughts to words so eloquently.It's good to know we all have those wonderful days of humbling ourselves before the Lord and asking for His (much needed) help that He so freely & graciously provides!

Amy Hall said...

Needed this today. It's been "one of those days." Complete with the total stranger informing me that my whole family would be happier if we enrolled the children in school. (What? Where did *that* come from?) UGH...thanks...

Dawn said...

It's so refreshing when bloggers are 'real' on their blogs. :-D

Nobody has perfect children, perfect husbands (or wives) so of course each day is going to be a suprise all it's own. But you know what? That's life. And life is to be lived for Yahweh, perfect or not. :-D

A good verse of Scripture to remind yourself on days like this is where it says 'His mercies are new every morning'. Thank God for that! A new day to begin all over. :-D

Blessings ~~
Dawn

That Mom Kelly said...

What a wonderful post, that I truly needed to read. I love your blog and am inspired by it.

Thank you for letting me know that you are a real person with the same daily "dramas"

And thank you for the great laugh about the stairs. LOL

Linda said...

I hope all of those things didn't really happen in one day?? :O

But yes, I can relate.. eventhough I only have one little one running around here.. I guess she counts for three.. *lol*

That comic at the end was incredibly funny though!! Greetings from the netherlands!

June Fuentes @ A Wise Woman Builds Her Home said...

Ladies,

Thanks for visiting and taking the time to comment and expressing your support! Raising children is a blessing but sometimes 'messy' job, wouldn't you say?! ;)

Sarah Mae,

Love that quote, thanks for sharing.

*********************

Rhonda,

So true, we are glad and blessed to have friends like you who support our family. Thanks for having us over last week...

********************

Linda,

No, those things didn't happen in one day----but sometimes it can get really close! When they do occur, I have learned to notice what kind of day I am having, accept it and ride it out. I think God uses these days for 'testing' and growing us in character.

Many blessings...

Virginia Knowles said...

Oh, we've had plenty of those days with 10 kids! Keep up the great work, June! I love to come to your blog for encouragement!

Virginia Knowles, Mom of 10 and mother-in-law to 1
www.VirginiaKnowles.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

Oh yes! imperfection is such bliss!

Sherry

Shosannah said...

Love it!
Great post :0)

Anonymous said...

cool blog

nikki said...

I so needed to read this! I was actually considering hiding your blog (I just started reading it!) because of the guilt of not living up to being a Wise Woman who Builds Her Home.

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