You were Made for More

So I am sure we have all had this feeling - that no one likes us, we aren't good enough, we are ugly, stupid, fat or insert-your-issue-here.

With an 11 year old I hear Shelby say many of the above on a regular basis. I know it's just part of being 11 as I remember saying similar things myself. As a mother I try to tell her the proper things even though I know she may not really listen to me or understand that I do in fact "get it" and that not only did I feel that same way at her age, but that I still feel that same way at 29......

We are all so critical of ourselves. We want to be great at everything we strive for. We want to be the best dancer, to be able to take great pictures, bake the most delicious treats or have the most friends. We want to be the one who everyone wants to hang with and who gets asked out for coffee, dinner or lunch all the time. We want our social calendar to be busting at the seams and to be that all around great person.

In a perfect world.... :)

So I tried telling Shelby in her "woe is me" moment that she is not going to be great at everything and that it is okay. But alas, she is 11 so that didn't go over. I think she does take in what I am saying and files it away in that brain of hers for future use, but in the heat of the moment she could care less what words I am spouting.

I have a book of devotionals by Lysa Terkeurst that I have had for quite a while and just read a chapter at a time when the mood strikes me. I picked it up today and the one chapter I read just really hit home with the above situation I am talking about. Weird how God works and how he throws us these "Oh Yeah!" moments right when we need them.

Basically the chapter states that we are made for more. We were made for victory!

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe    - Ephesians 1:18-19a 

Long Time No Post

Goodness! Has it really been almost 6 months since I posted anything?? There has been so many times I have wanted to write a blog post but then I either know that whatever topic I need/want to talk about will probably just raise issues, or make me more angry or I just am to tired to deal with any of it long enough to write about it.

So I don't know if people are just getting ruder/more self centered or if I am just getting more cynical as I get older. My friend & I talked about this once and decided it's a little of both :)

Sometimes I wish I could be Shelby's age, where I could get away with being a bit more self centered, that my concerns and worries were really just trivial issues that in the grand scheme of things just really weren't a huge deal. But oh no!! I get to be an adult!

I have to deal with financial issues, house issues (which usually result in financial issues!), work issues (again...usually resulting in financial issues...hmm I see a running trend here!) And since we are already talking about the kiddo...I have to deal with those issues as well!

Luckily I have a tough skin because man does that kid put me through the ringer! "I hate you!" "Why do I have to do chores!" "You are so mean!" Yeah, yeah, yeah, blah, blah, blah....

I know that, in general, my life is going along smoothly. We are healthy and we have a roof over our head (and are able to continue to pay for it to remain there!). We have friends dealing with serious health issues, and just one bad thing after another, so I am grateful for the little things. Some days though it's hard to just keep smiling.

Just keep swimming! Just keep swimming!