Embracing Imperfection

Let's face it. Life isn't always rosy when you are raising kids. There's grime in the bathtub. Crispy grated cheese left under the lunch table. Cat hair on your favorite black jacket. Stinky diapers that need to go out. Piles and piles and piles and piles of paperwork and projects to attend to.

And someone ate mom's last Special Dark chocolate bar. {I kid you not.}

That someone is most likely pictured in the image below... holding a baby.



Inside every mother there's a hope that her children will be better than she is. We want them to have more, get all the breaks, find joy and live out their dreams. We want them to soar. We picture them as geniuses. Gifted. Spiritual giants. I guess that's why it is so surprising to us when we encounter less than perfect moments in the daily grind of life. While we are busy daydreaming about 'all green lights and rights'; the toast burns, the laundry gets moldy because someone forgot to turn the dryer on, and the day's hopes vanish in the horror of a two hour math page melt-down.

Things get gritty. Let's not mince words here.



But there is beauty in imperfection. The trick is to realize that it's all about the relationships.

As my friend, Ann, would say, "Love is what matters." I think she got that from Jesus.

I said trick because it isn't easy.

Did you hear me???

One more time:

IT ISN'T EASY to see the beauty in 'unperfect' moments.

{Yes, I know 'unperfect' isn't a word.}

Or in my case, unperfect days. Heck, I'll be honest. Unperfect school years. Multiple ones. In succession.

Today was one of those days. I actually threw a fit (and I might have actually thrown a few dirty clothes and toys in the general direction of some un-named children's rooms - but I'm not admitting that online or anything). Now that's a stellar example of Christ-like parenting, no?

Would you believe I could be frustrated with those gorgeous kids while I was trying to take a picture the other day? They were just trying to have fun and make me laugh. "COME ON, Kaden. Stop it! Just smile for Pete's Sake! Quit ruining the picture." Grumble. Grumble. Frown.

I sit here now - days later, looking at that picture (my lost moment), and all I can do is smile and laugh (when it doesn't count any more) - and realize that unperfect pictures - like our unperfect lives - are beautiful.

I implore you (and me) to embrace your imperfect kids and lives. They're the only ones you get.

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. ~ Ephesians 4:2

Dear Jesus,

Please let us smile even when circumstances don't warrant it. Give us arms that hug, eyes that sparkle, voices that pray and sing, words that offer wisdom and comfort.

Amen.