Thursday, May 5, 2011

I’ll Never Be A Martha. I’ll Never Be A June



I had high hopes for today.  Day number three of a cleaning challenge with my sweet Mommy friends.  I just knew that today I would successfully host, cook for, and serve with grace two different groups in my home, do the laundry, clean my cabinets, read my book, play with the boys, write my blog, work on a few websites, update files, change diapers, scrub the toilet, sweep and mop, organize toys, read and respond to tweets and emails, feed my children, and have my quiet time.
I would be the perfect wife, mother, friend, and leader.  I certainly wouldn’t cut my finger, knock over and break some glass jars waking my 2 year old from his nap which in turn woke the baby, get frustrated with my 3 year old because he had to go to the bathroom while I was in the middle of chopping jalapenos, giggle through prayer, move the clean clothes from one spot to another and then back to the first spot still unfolded, or give my children cupcakes for breakfast.  And I was sure I wouldn’t leave dishes in my sink while collapsing into bed to sleep a few hours until the first of my children wakes in the middle of the night.
I was going to be Martha Stewart.  I was going to be June Cleaver.  But after today I am sure I will never be Martha.  I will never be June.  I will always be Christy.
And I wonder how long it will take for me to realize that being Christy is enough.  Sure I have dishes in my sink, but I also have Jesus in my heart!  I have something to offer that neither Martha nor June ever could.  Myself.  
God has given me so much to give.  If only I’d stop pretending to be something I’m not and truly step into who He created me to be I could accomplish the works He has planned for me.  And that is something so much greater than what the world has planned for me.
When Peter saw the cripple in the following passage, the world expected him to give money.  Good Jews gave money to crippled beggars.  It was the right thing to do.  It was respectable.  It was expected.  But Peter knew that God had given him something greater, had called him to be something greater.  And instead of pretending to be who everyone else was and to have what everyone else had, he was who God made him to be and he gave what God gave to him.  
So I may not have all my laundry put away.  My hair may not be fixed (or washed for that matter).  I may not wear dresses or heels.  I may let my boys draw on my t-shirt with chalk.  I may run around in worn out tennis shoes.  I may not do crafts daily or know how to turn a coffee filter into 50 different useful items.  But I will offer all I have and all I am up to Him as a beautiful sweet smelling sacrifice that only I can offer.  
Peter said, "I don't have a nickel to my name, but what I do have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!"  He grabbed him by the right hand and pulled him up. In an instant his feet and ankles became firm.
He jumped to his feet and walked.  Everybody there saw him walking around and praising God.  They recognized him as the one who sat begging at the Temple's Gate Beautiful and rubbed their eyes, astonished, scarcely believing what they were seeing.
Acts 3:6-10

19 comments:

  1. Love it! Love you. I didn't finish my cabinets, after all. See you in the morning, friend. :)

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  2. I agree with you. We can't arrive to everything. But we can do our best to follow Jesus and to serve him.

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  3. Yes Christy, being CHRISTY is enough! Being the woman God made you is enough! Years ago I began to understand a little bit more about the way God sees us as His daughters, as His children, and I became comfortable being me. I still work hard, I want to strive to fulfill God's purpose in my life, but I don't have to be anybody else. Growing up as a twin can cause many identity issues and now I know that I don't even need to be like my identical twin to be better. Being Adriana is enough! :) .... Great post! And FYI, Martha Stewart is way overreated. ;)

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  4. I'm about in tears right now reading this. Hits a bit too close to home. When did I start trying again to be everything to everyone? Never again do I want to have a month like I've had this month. Even if it means pushing Easter to May or saying no to a Mother's Day tea. My kids are getting the brunt of this frustrated, moody Mama...all from too much busyness. God, help me to remember that You set the expectations for me...no one else.

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  5. Love it! Thanks for writing. )

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  6. Don't worry I am right there with you. It's something I had to accept or I would have driven myself crazy. ;)

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  7. yes yes yes! YES!
    thank you for writing this.
    i feel so at peace, so affirmed, so perfect in my imperfection right now.

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  8. And all God's people said...

    Great post!

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  9. Wonderful post! Such an encouraging reminder of what I know but have a hard time living out. Thank you!

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  10. You are enough! When I first became a Mom, I wanted to be the "perfect" housewife and Mom as well...it took me a long time to realize that not only was that an unattainable goal, it was also ridiculous to spend so much energy on trying to be Super Mom! Relax, go with the flow, and enjoy being a Mom! God has blessed us with 5 children, and we need to enjoy that. :-)

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  11. This is wonderful! Profound truth and funny too! The you that God made is a fabulous writer... I'd vote for that over coffee filter crafts any day! :-)

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  12. Definitely something I need to remember more often.

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  13. I was just talking about this with my sister last night... the fact that we need to be whatever God created us to be.

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  14. So true! It's hard to always strive for perfection and I think
    I do a way better job if I rather just try my very best.

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  15. Amen, love this post!!!! Thanks for sharing

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  16. I found this post through Titus2. Thanks for sharing. This was very encouraging to me. Such a good thing to be reminded of, because I will never be those people either-says the woman who's kitchen is a mess from dinner. Glad I found your blog.

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  17. Awesome post! This is an endless struggle for me....I am constantly too hard on myself and always trying to be perfect...it feels so good to let go and accept myself as I am, and to know I will continually make mistakes, AND grow and improve till I go to Heaven.

    Here is a little rhyme I made up to help remember what's important: "God made me this way so I must be ok!"

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  18. Beautiful! That is one of my favorite passages from the whole Bible. We have a song of it on a CD in the car, and I love it. It's almost always stuck in my head - "In the name of Jesus Chri-i-ist of Nazareth, rise up and walk!"

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