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Food. Faith. Family.
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“She is clothed with strength and dignity. She can laugh at the days to come.” – Proverbs 31:25…
I recently received a sweet gift from my new friends over at Prayer Packages. Coincidentally, it happened to arrive just on time as I was recovering from a Crohn’s flare up and a week-long hospital stay. Good old fashioned snail mail is not something I receive too often, and this beautiful package was quick to put a smile on my face.
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Two weeks ago I shared my testimony here on the blog. I was completely overwhelmed by the response I received, and by how many people my message has reached. Several of you have written to me of similar experiences, thanking me for sharing some hope for a better future. It touches my heart to know that the Lord is working through me to reach out to others and make a positive impact on their lives. Just knowing that I have helped one person makes everything I do worth while. I am so blessed and excited to witness this growth in my ministry….
Overwhelmed, confused, and scared, I sat in the hospital bed with tears streaming down my face and a lump in my throat. Trying to make sense of the medical gibberish coming from the doctor’s lips, the only words that continued to play through my mind were “chronic disease“….
On the morning of July 17th, 2014, I was making my final preparations for the birth of my second baby girl. My bags were packed, my house was sparkling, and my phone calls were made. Though nothing could prepare me for the extravagant change that was about to take place in my little world….
If you are like me, or any other woman I know, you have a love-hate relationship with Pinterest. At some point you have stayed up way too late pinning recipes, outfits, and home décor. You are incredibly inspired by the countless number of beautiful photos and how-to’s. However….you are also incredibly intimidated. Pinterest is your frienemy.
When you are constantly fed images of beautiful, flawless women, clean and organized homes, and elaborate dinners, all perfectly styled and appealing… you often forget to remember that THIS IS NOT REAL LIFE. Every one of these photos are planned, styled, and edited to perfection. Nobody wakes up with not a hair out of place and flawless glowing skin. Nobody pulls a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies out of the oven in the middle of a sparkling clean kitchen. Nobody is pinterest-perfect. And I will be the first to tell you, I am far from it.
Obviously, I am not going to broadcast my sink full of dishes, or my room so full of toys you cant see the carpet (except for today). I am willing to bet that not many people do. Naturally, we don’t show off what we are not proud of. But you know what? You should be proud.
Those dirty dishes are there because you took the time and effort to prepare a home-cooked meal for your family, when you could have ordered pizza. Those toys on the floor are there because your kids are playing, learning, and growing, when they could be sitting in front of the tv with a bag of potato chips. Your hair is up in a bun, your nails are chipped, and your feet are bare because you are working with your hands, getting down and dirty, playing, cleaning, and taking care of those you love.
But this issue with comparison….this seems to go deeper than I thought. We aren’t just comparing ourselves to the women on magazines and television and internet. We are comparing ourselves to every woman we meet. Every woman we pass in the grocery store. Every woman. Everywhere.
Whether you are thinking “I wish I could do my hair like that.” and “how does she keep her house so clean?!”, or “I am so glad I don’t look like that” and “oh I could do that way better.” this constant comparison has got to stop.
Galatians 6:4 (NIV)- “Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else…”
Romans 12:5 (MSG) – “Lets just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren’t.”
The only one we should ever be comparing ourselves to is Christ. After all, he is the ultimate judge, and the only one that matters. If we could focus on pleasing the Lord rather than pleasing ourselves or the people around us (or the people across the internet) we are much more likely to find peace and satisfaction. Of course, Jesus is the only one without sin, and these thoughts are just naturally destined to cross our minds, but I encourage you to pay them no attention. Just remember who’s opinion matters. Put God first, and family next.
You are doing a great job. Don’t let media discourage you. Be the one who inspires others to live life to the fullest. Don’t take things for granted. Our time here is short. Spend it showing the ones you love how much you care about them. Find balance, take time to play, and embrace imperfection. And remember, you are enough.
My prayer:
Lord,
Please forgive me for the times that I have valued others opinions above my own, or even worse, above yours. May I strive to please you daily, rather than pleasing the world. Let my life be an example of your love. And let every woman who is struggling with self-acceptance feel your love and guiding hand in their lives. Thank you for your Word, and the opportunity to share it.
I had a wonderful opportunity to attend a creative workshop earlier this week, entitled “The Bloom Workshop“. Hosted by Ashley Slater Photography and Michaela Noelle Designs, the workshop offered education and inspiration to improve styling and design, photography, and blogging skills. These ladies have gone above and beyond to put together such a fun and informative day!
Feeling incredibly encouraged and inspired, I couldn’t think of a better time to announce the launch of my new website! As for now, the majority of you have most likely found your way here from my blog, Mrs Paleo Mommy. You may be wonder “why the change?”. The answer is simple. To allow for growth. The word “paleo” can be very limiting. Not everyone follows a “paleo” diet, however, there are multiple food allergies effecting families across the world. I don’t want to leave anyone out. My dream is to create and share recipes that anyone and everyone can enjoy!
My passion for helping others can not be limited to sharing recipes. Each of us have our own unique experiences, which I believe should be shared with others who may be in the same situation, looking for a solution to a problem that you have already found. Blogging is my way of giving to others. Recipes, craft ideas, DIY projects, parenting and lifestyle tips, anything that life decides to throw my way. If I have been there, I want to help you get through It. Men, don’t worry! I am not going to make you suffer through countless estrogen-filled ramblings on “How to make a cute baby carrier” or “keeping your husband happy”. The new and improved design will allow for easy navigation, making it simple for you to bypass what you don’t care to read and head straight for what you came here for. Alternatively, if you come for it all, every post will be collected under the “blog”.
Thank you so much for following! I hope you find something you like, and I encourage you to interact and let me know when you have, or if you can think of ways that I may improve your reading experience! I look forward to getting to know my readers on a more personal level. Please bear with me, as the site is still under construction. The upcoming design is going to be beautiful and I cant wait for you to see it!
Here is a glimpse of the beautiful day I spent at Bloom The Workshop!
When Heather asked me a month or so ago to write a guest post she said, “We obviously have enough time, so there is no rush.” Little does she know me, since I’m writing this within about 5 days of her due date!