Beautiful, Crazy, Mess
"You're not pretty enough."
"You're not tidy enough."
"Your house isn't decorated enough."
"Your kids aren't well-behaved enough."
You. Are. Not. Enough.
It's easy, in this season of life I happen to be in, to feel like I am not enough. I am pulled, tugged, stretched in a hundred directions, feeling the need to be all things to all people 27 hours a day. And I know I've got limits - it hasn't escaped my notice that if I spend the day doing laundry, then the kids don't get much attention. If I spend the day doing fun stuff with the kids, then there are no clean plates. If I somehow manage to balance motherhood and housework, then I neglect my own needs. Or my marriage. It's all about getting that balance in order, and maintaining it. Simple, right?
Not so much. I commented to my husband last night that I was ignoring the mess for a bit because I just wanted a portion of my day to not be completely about picking up other people's stuff. I wanted just a little time that didn't feel like such hard work. You see, I'm learning to listen to this body of mine. If it's crying out for rest, then I give it rest. I am learning, my dear friends, that Life is not an emergency. The laundry, the dishes, the inevitable 'stuff' of life -- it will still be there if I take a break. And if I've taken that break, then maybe the 'stuff' won't feel like such a big deal after all. If life goes a bit upside-down for a few days, we'll survive.
The upside-down-ness of this crazy life of mine is an opportunity to look at things from another view. To see the Beautiful Crazy in it all. To stand in the middle of everything, and smile because it truly is a magical, hilarious, messy, wonderful place to be.
Here.
Now.
Always.
xo, Sarah
"You're not tidy enough."
"Your house isn't decorated enough."
"Your kids aren't well-behaved enough."
You. Are. Not. Enough.
It's easy, in this season of life I happen to be in, to feel like I am not enough. I am pulled, tugged, stretched in a hundred directions, feeling the need to be all things to all people 27 hours a day. And I know I've got limits - it hasn't escaped my notice that if I spend the day doing laundry, then the kids don't get much attention. If I spend the day doing fun stuff with the kids, then there are no clean plates. If I somehow manage to balance motherhood and housework, then I neglect my own needs. Or my marriage. It's all about getting that balance in order, and maintaining it. Simple, right?
Not so much. I commented to my husband last night that I was ignoring the mess for a bit because I just wanted a portion of my day to not be completely about picking up other people's stuff. I wanted just a little time that didn't feel like such hard work. You see, I'm learning to listen to this body of mine. If it's crying out for rest, then I give it rest. I am learning, my dear friends, that Life is not an emergency. The laundry, the dishes, the inevitable 'stuff' of life -- it will still be there if I take a break. And if I've taken that break, then maybe the 'stuff' won't feel like such a big deal after all. If life goes a bit upside-down for a few days, we'll survive.
The upside-down-ness of this crazy life of mine is an opportunity to look at things from another view. To see the Beautiful Crazy in it all. To stand in the middle of everything, and smile because it truly is a magical, hilarious, messy, wonderful place to be.
Here.
Now.
Always.
xo, Sarah
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