Feeling Understood

Being a blogger allows me to do more than daipers, give more than grades on homeschooled papers, and bless not only myself, but others. Sharing your life online, however, is a strange experience. You sometimes have no idea where your words will end up... or who's heart you'll be touching.

That's why I light up with joy when I read another homeschool blogging mom's posts and see a tiny part of myself in her life.

Enter Ann.

Quiet, humble, honest, genuine, Ann. Her busy farm life, so interesting... her love for Jesus, her husband and children radiating off of every line she writes. I am not sure I ever thought we had anything in common - other than freckles and possibly some Irish blood somewhere. But I couldn't stop reading...

... and that was many years ago! I'm still captivated every time I look at her pictures and read her posts. Just like it was the first time I set eyes on her blog.

The other day, when I was feeling exceptionally weak, I asked her to pray for me while we were 'chatting' through email. She shared that her days were not perfect. It was the first time I had imagined her 'like' me. When I see me, I see all the faults. I imagined all her cozy devotionals and home made muffins... beautiful farm picnics and home cooked goodness... and contrasted it against my messy desk, fast food meals, piles of laundry, and feelings of failure as a mom and teacher.

She took the time to share with me on email that she was REAL. She took the time to pray - and even emailed me later to say that she had thought of me a few times that day in the middle of her busy life. She had her moments that day, too.

Then she posted today (see the link below)... reading about her 'pumpkin guts' and 'dark skies', my eyes filled with tears. Suddenly, I wasn't the only one with this burden. I was on the porch across from a vast Canadian field of grain, watching the cold wind and looming clouds... right there with someone who completely understood what a difficult task it is raising kids, homeschooling them, striving to be someone that I'm really NOT inside my sinful nature. Christianity is not for the faint of heart. Seeking God is sometimes a dirty business. It is so good to know you aren't alone.

We shared faults just like freckles. We shared struggles just like we shared the love of a savior who helps us find peace so we aren't overcome by them. We even shared a tiny glass milk bottle - "someone else's trash" - that we both find beautiful.



I got chills after I read her post and had to share these thoughts with her... and with you. You never know who you are touching when you share your life. Make sure you are real. Even your faults and struggles can give someone hope. It's a beautiful thing being understood.

In Him,