Often as mommies I think we inadvertently (or sometimes ...advertently... ? on purpose, I mean) engage in the competition/comparison battle. We women (generalization alert) spend way too much time comparing ourselves to each other, and then judging one another--- along with ourselves-- based on what we *think* we see.
In my own small way, I am going to combat this by sharing with you a list of things that I am absolutely terrible at. Next week I may share a list of things I'm good at, but who are we kidding, I suck at blogging on schedule so let's plan for October. (<--One more thing on the list...)
1. Cleaning high spaces.
Maybe I should...
2. Weeding my garden.
I love our garden. We grow lots of yummy things-- sweet corn, all sorts of peppers and tomatoes, herbs, cucumbers, beans, broccoli and cauliflower, etc. We also grow some not-so-yummy things (KOHLRABI). Mostly, we grow weeds. When I quit my job to be a SAHM I had visions of myself spending time on my knees in the garden, my hair pulled back in a kerchief (right? is that what it's called?) pulling weeds while imparting Biblical wisdom to my children, who were playing sweetly nearby. This has NEVER happened in my almost 4 years of staying at home. Not one bit of it. I think I've been in there to weed twice. And nobody was being very sweet while I was in there, myself included.
3. Saving money/electricity.
I love air conditioning. As much as I wax poetic about living off the grid, when the rubber hits the road I will almost certainly spend the vast majority of July and August in the basement. Today in eastern Iowa it's about 92 degrees with 90% humidity. I spent most of the day outside and really felt like I was melting. My amazing, hard-working husband works outside, an average of 72-80 hours a week, in this (and worse) heat. I am conceding my homesteading hat to him. I am a huge wimp, and am planning on researching solar-powered AC. Or inventing it.
4. Keeping my mouth shut.
If you read this post, you'll know that I blamed this on my pregnancy hormones. Most of the time I'm not so rude. However. The truth is, if I REALLY and TRULY think I know something to be true, and I REALLY and TRULY believe that you are wrong, there is no stopping me from letting you know. THIS is something I have to work on. I am wrong a lot, and it's humbling to admit that-- especially to others. This is a spiritual battle for me. I am a know-it-all and I like to, ahem, share my wisdom with others. If took me a very long time to admit my desperate need for a Savior, despite me *knowing,* intellectually, that I was a sinner. Realizing that my own justification and reason were NOT enough to save me from the holy wrath of God took several months and years of painful sanctification-- and really still is an ongoing process.
5. Not comparing myself to other women/mothers.
Last year at MOPS I heard something that was a revelation to me. When we think about our children, and how special and beautiful they are, each in their own way, it would be devastating as a parent to have a child constantly wishing that he or she were a completely different person-- ignoring the strengths and skills and characteristics they were given and spending all their time wishing they had someone else's. Why, then, as women/mothers/daughters of Jesus do we do this? Instead of being thankful, humbled, and blessed by the gifts God has given me, do I constantly look at other women and envy/covet who they are and what they have? God has created me to bring glory to Him in my current situation-- and I. Am. Blessed. I need to praise Him and thank Him where I am at, with everything He's given me {and He's given me everything}.
There's a lot of other stuff I'm bad at, but I'm tired.
Is there anything you're terrible at? What has it taught you about yourself, and your relationship with Jesus?
