Choice A:
Choice B:
First off, I want to share that I'm not the fit-into-a-perfect-box type of mom. I can relate to choice A because overall, my house is relatively clean. Tidy and somewhat clean, but many families of dust bunnies reside in our house. I try to make a "place for everything" and that helps a TON. But to be honest with you all, there are 10 people living under my roof. TEN!!
10 sets of coats/sweatshirts
10 sets of shoes
10 sets of clothes
10 sets of hobbies/collections/toys
6 students and their paperwork/schoolwork
2 adults with paperwork/stuff/junk from our 35+ years of life ;)
Whether it's two or ten or six or five, it's a LOT of stuff. A lot of mess. And, only a handful of us regularly pick up after ourselves somewhat well.
Second, I very much dislike these comparison meme's, so I don't even want you to answer the question. I think moms (at least me) can get down when I start to compare and see how much better and lovely and beautiful and perfect another mom has it - whether it be her house, clothing, hair, curriculum choices, blog, car, etc... We need to be happy with US. The perfect being that God created US to be. Moms need to team up and be on the same team. Stop with this comparison junk. And be happy with the gifts and talents in others, rather than falling into the comparison trap, that can lead to getting you down or even jealousy. So, just stop! Let us encourage, compliment, and lift each other up. Let us love one another and the person God created us to be!
"If any one says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen."
~1 John 4: 20
And if we want to do any comparing, let it be to the person we were yesterday or last week or last year. We can reflect on our own successes and failures and change our lives according to this more healthy type of comparison. We should always strive to be a better mom today than we were yesterday.
"Act today in such a way that you do not need to blush tomorrow."
~St. John Bosco
Totally agree that there is no need for comparisons- I am an organized person by nature, and so is my teenage son - my daughter on the other hand thrives in a bit of chaos and creative-mess. We are all wired differently and it is those differences that make us God's unique masterpieces! Celebrate the messy kitchen, celebrate the organized one!
ReplyDeleteYes, we are all "God's unique masterpieces" for sure! Celebrating both the messy and organized kitchens with you! It's so neat as a mom to see each kid develop into who God made them to be.... Some are naturally organized/tidy and others are more messy/creative, but all perfect creations of His.
DeleteMan, can I just say that I think St. John Bosco is following me around in 2016! Talk about a saint I hadn't heard of at all last year and now he's popping up all the time for me! It's true, we all have to accept ourselves and each other. Thank you for this article!
ReplyDeleteWe love St John Bosco!!! We were first introduced to him a few years back by watching a movie about his life on EWTN on his feast day. I think they play it every year because I know we've watched it a couple times now.
Delete++St John Bosco, pray for us++