Skewed Expectations

 "While we're pursuing perfection, we're missing out on the most precious parts of life: the laughter of silliness, the joy of spontaneity, the lessons found in failure, and the freedom found in grace."

Sweet Daddy teases me that I am *often* plagued by what we call the Normal Rockwell complex. I envision this perfect scenario of a family like I'm June Cleaver in the 1950's, and in reality, I'm really more Frankie Heck in the 2000s. We're hanging on, but man, it's full on crazy circus around here most days. I was given Axl,Sue and Brick instead of Wally and the Beaver.

God's been working on me and in the last few years, I've come to embrace my Frankie Heck qualities. It doesn't matter how many blogs I read, or how many times the Fly Lady tells me to put my shoes on early in the day, our toilet is only going to get cleaned when it's so dirty that I won't use it. People will have clean underwear daily but it may be in a laundry basket, possibly folded. I'm feeding people organic, fresh meat and produce but also a fair share of Little Debbie snacks because I'm not above bribery.

My devotion read this morning challenged me to think about how PRIDE holds us back. We don't want to advertise our weaknesses. We don't want to ask for help. We're always a little bit of that 3 year old "by myself" phase.

The word humility comes from the Latin word "humilitas" which means grounded or low.

When you are humble, you are grounded. Not easily swayed. You know you NEED God. No by myself nonsense for you. You find your worth in God's eyes.

"When pride comes, shame follows.

But wisdom comes to those who are not proud." Proverbs 11:2

Pride comes from fear. Fear of others thinking we aren't what we project ourselves to be.

When we can humble ourselves to acknowledge who we REALLY are, it gives us such freedom.

I'm embracing the mom that I AM. The one God designed me to be. I'm not a crafty, Pinterest worthy home maker. I'm not a time management master. I am the kind of mom who stops to pick the "flowers" and treasures them for days. I am the kind of mom who does the hot dog dance just because I'm asked. I'm the kind of mom who cleans a kid's room for him because I want to bless him. I'm the kind of mom who knows that hot dogs together with laughter is better than a fancy dinner in stress.

The thing about life is that "I can't" is FAR more believably than "I can." I'm choosing to believe that I can be all He has designed me to be WITH Him. IN Him.

Mama warriors, skewed expectations keep us from enjoying our REAL life. Skew is a great math word - Think of two lines, one being the life you are really living. One being the expectations you have for this life. Skew means they never intersect. Never cross.

I encourage you today to CHANGE your expectations for your life. Move that line. Change is not lowering your expectations. It's redefining them. Celebrate who you are, who God made you to be. You are equipped for this calling. You are JUST RIGHT. Believe "I can IN Him."

First published 9/14/2016