Imperfect People

Imperfect People in love with a Perfect God

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Category Archives: Everyday Faith

We all have junk

If you have ever seen a plane flying over head you might notice from a distance it looks beautiful.  Strong, steady, and powerful.  The plane looks light as air as it floats among the clouds.  However if you have ever actually been a passenger on a plane it isn’t always as smooth and steady as it appears from afar.  There is turbulence, the clouds are not as soft as they look, and if you have ever gone through a storm….let me just say lots of talking to Jesus going on in that situation.

The point is from afar many people seem to be smooth, steady, and put together.  Their marriage is perfect, their kids never misbehave, they have complete control of their finances, and they are extremely talented and good at everything you are not.  But inside that persons life there is “turbulence.”  I guarantee they have struggles no matter who they are.

WE ALL HAVE JUNK.  The reason I started this blog is because everywhere I go I couldn’t help notice this is such a common thread in all of our lives.  We are ALWAYS comparing ourselves!  I’ll say it again WE ALL HAVE JUNK but isn’t that what makes us who we are?

The friends I love the most are the ones who are “imperfect.” They are honest about where they struggle and don’t try to hide their flaws.

A dear friend told me the other day, “if someone you know appears to be perfect….they are miserable”  And she knew!  For years she had tried with all her might to have a spotless house, make everything from scratch and look good while doing it.  She was exhausted, and frustrated.

I secretly compared myself to her and wondered how she did it all.

When she came clean about it there was such relief in both of our ends.

“You mean you are not perfect?”  You mean I can stop pretending to be perfect?”

Oh what a wonderful moment that was!  Why don’t we do that sooner?

Jesus needs a better advertising campaign

The Barna Group, a respected Christian survey organization, recently asked young people to identify which perceptions they most strongly associate with Christianity. The three most commonly agreed-upon were: anti-homosexual, judgmental, and hypocritical.

Westboro Baptist church has made headlines with their “God hates fags” philosophy where they protest soldiers funerals.  Also making headlines are abortion clinics being bombed & protests for nearly everything under the sun.

At almost every event with a large crowd you can find “the megaphone man” yelling about hell and eternal damnation. 

All in the name of Jesus?? 

If this is the Christianity the world sees than no wonder many people are not interested. 

My dear friend Katelyn posted this awesome quote:

I have decided to stop letting political and religious organizations represent me on the issues. I have decided to represent myself, and in so doing I hope to accurately represent Christ.

-Mike Foster “Unchristain”

Dear friends, Forgive us. Forgive us for the embarrassing things we have done in the name of Jesus.

 

We are imperfect people for sure.  Our attempts to model Jesus are clumsy at best.  He calls us, imperfect and broken, to transform us so we are no longer the same.  We just don’t always leave the old us behind. 

Please don’t reject Christ because of Christians.  We are still trying to wrap our head around the God of the universe wanting to make disciples out of us. 

Despite our misrepresentation, Jesus was a pretty amazing guy. 

He was the preacher of all preachers yet you could find him dining with some of the worst “sinners” of his day.  Mark 2:15

He was the King of all the universe yet he was born to regular people in a palace no wait, a manger.  Luke 2:7

He deserved servants and crowns, yet he washed his disciples feet. John 13 1-17

He is the only one that was or ever will be worthy of all the fame and fortune of the world, yet he was a servant. Mark 9:35

He spoke love into the people no one loved. John 4

He would touch those no one else would touch. Mark 1:40-45

He did nothing wrong, but he never tried to defend himself. John 18:28-38

He could have had a thousand Angels come to take his place on the cross, but he took mine instead.   John 19:28-30


 I want to invite you to consider that maybe the televangelists and street preachers are wrong — and that God really is love. Maybe the fruits of the Spirit really are beautiful things like peace, patience, kindness, joy, love, goodness, and not the ugly things that have come to characterize religion.

-Shane Claiborne


The Jesus I know is turning the world upside down with his love.  The less I get in the way the better he can “advertise” through me. 

Have you ever witnessed a not so great “advertisment” for Jesus?

-Katie

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Mom guilt

Faced with the overwhelming responsibility of mothering the next generation; mothers often feel like we are not doing enough, or not doing it just right. 

I am certainly guilty of this myself, and I have never met another mom who didn’t feel the same. 

Although it’s a positive sign that we’re trying to do our best, we need to learn to let it go so that we can be our best.   A guilty conscience is doing no one any good, if anything it is just causing frustration.  Either a change needs to be made or an acceptance needs to take place. 

Truthful Guilt:

In this type of guilt there really is something that could be better.  What is nagging over your head that you know needs to be changed?   You have put it off for whatever reason.  Let’s not wait any longer.  Our children are growing up everyday, let’s take steps today to make our tomorrow the best it can be. 

Guilt from Unrealistic expectations:

I feel like my picture should be beside these words with a stamp on my forehead saying “guilty”.  Actually, I do need a picture for this post….

We compare ourselves to our neighbor who has a beautiful yard, our best friend whose children can recite the entire bible (minor exaggeration), the one whose home is always immaculate, and the one who is always doing craft projects with her kids. 

My favorite saying around here is, “We compare ourselves to what others are on the outside to what we know to be true of ourselves on the inside”

Yes Sally (names changed to protect the innocent) may be crafty, but I bet she doesn’t have the talent you do! Be thankful for Sally’s talent and note that she probably doesn’t have yours! 

We all have at least one talent, but not one of us have all the talent. 

Most importantly comparing ourselves to others is a lose, lose battle.  The only perfect one worthy of comparing ourselves to is Jesus.  He was not a mom, but  He was an amazing and effective teacher.  He corrected and showed grace at all the right times. He was selfless and He loved….like REALLY LOVED, even when we didn’t deserve it.  What a model!!

When you feel the unwelcome feeling of guilt creeping in again:

  1. Determine if it is true or unrealistic guilt
  2. If it is true: Do something. Make the changes right then, or take steps to make the situation better.
  3. If it is untrue.  Thank God for making  you the mother that you are.  Focus on what you do well.  And enjoy doing what you do best with your kids. 

As iron sharpens iron,
so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17

What do you think? Do you carry mom guilt? I love your comments!

What if Mary had said no?

The biblical account of Jesus birth is a miracle no doubt.  I love to hear it, especially  during the Christmas Season.  This year, as a mom, I can’t help but look at the story though Mary’s eyes.  Here is what we know of the story:
WOW!  Ok what??  Mary was a young girl probably only a teenager at this time.  She was not a daughter of a king, or any prestigious family.  She was so perfectly ordinary.  Yet God had a message for her.
A lot more Wow’s with this statement!  I can only imagine what Mary is thinking.  She asks:
Here is the part I think is so amazing (as if everything else isn’t already mind blowing).  Mary who is engaged to be married is being told by an angel that she is to carry the Lord’s son.  There are about a million things she can be worried about:
1) I am only engaged, not married, how do I explain this to my fiancé??  Um, Jospeh I’m pregnant, but the baby is God’s don’t worry???
2) Even if he does believe me what about everyone else?  The punishment for a woman becoming pregnant un-wed is stoning to death a.k.a people throwing large rocks at you over and over until it kills you.
3)In the unlikley event everyone believes me, what about me and my plans?  I am about to get married?  I don’t want to have to alter the wedding dress!  I like being a regular girl, everyone is going to ask me tons of questions!   I really am too busy for all this right now!
But instead she says:
I think Mary “got” something that we often are too selfish to comprehend.  It wasn’t about her.  She had the amazing privilege to be the mother of Jesus only because she was willing to be “the Lord’s servant.”
She never complained that she had to deliver the Lord of the universie in a MANGER…no inn….no palace…a dark manger with stinky animals everywhere!
Yet Mary knew this wasn’t about her…it was about Jesus. 
The same is true today.  So many of us are fighting to further our own little kingdom.  We are wrapped up in making our name famous, when if we could understand the TRUTH which is, it’s not about us:  It’s about Jesus.
Making his name famous, furthering His kingdom, and doing HIS work.  His name is the only one that will last through the generations.  The best we can hope for is to be a supporting role to the most amazing lead character in the world.
Happy Birthday Jesus!
 

Dear Hannah, on your birthday

Precious Hannah,

I can hardly believe four short years ago you were born.  Your daddy and I were told our lives would change forever but we didn’t believe it until we we met you. 

We were told we would experience love on a whole new level, but we didn’t know it until we held you

.

 

I remember the day we took you home from the hospital.  I looked at you,  fast asleep in your bed. I was a new mom, overwhelmed with emotion.  I barely knew you yet I would do ANYTHING for you. I didn’t understand how someone so small that couldn’t even (yet) love me back had just become such an important part of me!

Then God whispered…that is a glimpse of my Love. 

God has a crazy BIG, selfless, HUGE, relentless, and unexplainable love for his children.   If my imperfect self could love this child SOO much, how much more does God love me! 

 You have grown into such a precious little girl.  You love all things girly, pink, and princess.  You love your baby sister and you are so considerate of others. 

 

  You say funny things like, “When I grow up I want to be a mermaid, and if that doesn’t work I want to be Rapunzel let down your hair”  You also say you sister wants to be a water buffalo…yes a water buffalo…random I know….you got it from a book.    

You are a very social little girl and love to play with friends.  When friends are not around or your sister is napping you have imaginary “brothers and sisters” that have a “tall tall airplane” and you play with them often.  We have yet to get a clear answer on their names or residence but their parents names are Katie and Bryan so we feel pretty good about that.  

  

Everyday you request to wear a “beautiful dress” and you usually change clothes about 4 times a day. 

You love to play school, dance, and “baby and mommy.” 

 

(I absolutely LOVE this picture, Thanks Grandma!  Nice snap!)

You are a precious gift.  I am overwhelmed and honored that God chose me to be your mom.  You remind me of His big crazy love everyday. 

Happy Birthday Hannah Grace!

Love,

Mom

 

Martha Stewart’s daughter and a lesson in PRIORITIES

Martha Stewart, your quintessential homemaker, picture perfect crafter, gourmet chef, amazing hostess, and gardener.

We all have someone we look up to, and for so many women it is Martha Stewart.   When our days are stressful, dinner is burnt, and the centerpiece we tried to craft for thanksgiving looks more like a preschoolers art project, we close our eyes and think, “How does Martha do it?” 

According to her daughter, while Martha was pretending to be betty homemaker to the world, she ignored her own family. 

“If I didn’t do something perfectly, I had to do it again,” writes her daughter. “I grew up with a glue gun pointed at my head.” source

 Photo credit

She goes on to say “There was never anything to eat at my house,” and despite Martha’s seemingly love for the holidays, her daughter said she was quite “humbug” about them in reality. 

While Martha was pretending to be perfect, her own daughter suffered.  I’m not trying to dog on Martha, she was running a successful TV ‘show and magazine, writing cookbooks and who knows all of her other million obligations, there is now way she could DO IT ALL. 

She was never designed to DO IT ALL.

This my friends, is point of Imperfect People.

So many are wearing the masks of  “I have it all together” when families are falling apart. 

When the stress of the world tells us to go here, do that ,and be the leader of this, we have to KNOW what it is we are designed to do and don’t apologize for saying no to something that doesn’t fit into the mission God has given us. 

How do you know your mission?

List out your top 5 priorities.  The things that take up the majority of your time, talent, and treasure.  If all else fades,  if money didn’t matter, cross out your obligations one by one until you are left with the TWO that are most important.

Go ahead write them down.

What are you left with?

Hopefully it is family and faith. 

Of course we cannot ignore those other three priorities but i hope that shed light on the things that TRULY matter. 

Another way to help decide your mission is discovering what are you passionate about.   What gets you up in the morning and gets you excited? What are your gifts talents? 

Once you know what is most important, develop a family mission statement.  Deciding what is most important as a family helps you to say NO to the good opportunities so you can say YES to the best opportunities.  Examplehere.

Martha Stewart has talents no doubt, and I don’t think it is wrong that she had a successful career using those talents.  I just think she may have lost sight of what is MOST important. 

While loving the Lord with all our hearts is the MOST important, I believe family certainly comes way before career, hobbies, and fame and fortune.

How do you keep focus on the most important priorities?

Rich People problems

US and Canada represent 5% of the world’s population but almost 30% of the world’s wealth.  Africa is home to double the world’s population yet only 1.5% of the world’s wealth. (source)

Yet when polled, 98% of American’s considered themselves NOT rich. 

Rich is a moving target one that apparently only 2% of Americans (the richest countries in the world) feel they ever reach. 

If you were to ask me if I were rich I would have said no…but I think I had a perspective problem. 

From Craig Groeschel’s book “weird” he met a young man who heard “stories” of rich people that lived like this:

“There are some people who are so rich, they own a car!  I think it’s only 3 to 5% of people in the world so not many, but some people are so rich, they own TWO cars!  Some of these people even have a house for their cars!  It’s called a garage, …then they get in their cars and they eat at restaurants, they are so rich they pay other people to make their food and serve it to them!…Some of these people are so rich they have special rooms in their home just for their clothes!  Nobody sleeps in there, only clothes on hangers and shelves like a store.  Some are so rich they have a closet for the man and for the woman.  Clothes for hot weather, cold weather, some for work, some for church.  It’s crazy! “

What’s crazy is how blind I have been to how MUCH I have compared to how little so many others have. 

What’s crazy is how I sit here in my comfy pajamas and type on my computer, the hum of the TV in the background, a full belly, and pretend I don’t have it made!!

I am realizing how BLESSED I am and thinking twice before I complain about ANYTHING.   I am shifting more toward living in gratitude instead of want. 

Here are some things I could be prone to complain about lately:

  •  I backed my husband’s car (because we have two cars) into the side of the garage (because we have a garage).
  • I can’t decide what to wear because I have so many choices! 
  • And my house could use another de-cluttering.  Because we can afford “clutter.”

 

 

I will take these “problems” any day over not knowing where I will sleep or if I will eat tonight.


Check out Rich Word Problems.  It’s a blog dedicated to all the humors stuff we complain about like:

  • I lost my phone and it’s on silent
  • I just updated my status with important news, one hour later, no comments. 
  • My computer is operating at least 1 second slower that it did yesterday.   
  • I just got used to the old facebook and then they changed it again!

Let’s encourage each other to live in gratitude and laugh at all of our “rich people problems.”

We have a LOT to be thankful for.

What is something silly you have complained about lately?  

Kisses from Katie

Today’s post testimony of Katie Davis.  Recently Catalyst conference couldn’t keep her book on the shelves!  It  has become a NY times best seller.  Read her story to find out why:

Katie Davis, beautiful girl next door from Tennessee.  She was homecoming queen, drove a convertible, and planned to go to college.

After high school she went to Uganda for an opportunity to teach kindergarten at an orphanage in a small village.

It was supposed to be a 10 month commitment.

She experienced  poverty, hurt, and oppression on a whole new level.  She knew she had to do something, anything, to help. 

“Mothers feed their children dirt or the dregs from the local alcohol distillery, or they sneak out at night and sell their bodies in order to put a little food on the table in the morning. Babies are left in pit latrines. People are degraded, robbed, raped, and lied to, and a large yellow sun sparkles on the vast expanse of the Nile River. It is horrifying. And yet God is before all things and in Him all things hold together, and even in the hard and the ugly there is beauty.”

-Katie Davis describing Uganda (source)

One night, in January 2008, a mud hut down the road from the orphanage collapsed on three small orphans during a rainstorm. Davis couldn’t find any living relatives willing to take any of the girls, and she refused to send them to an overcrowded orphanage.

Three days later, the youngest called her mom. 

Davis then rented a house to accommodate the three girls. Over the next 18 months, 10 more girls moved in, all from different circumstances. 

Today, 22 year old Katie is the mom to 13 girls and living in Uganda.  Believe it or not, that is just the beginning of Katie’s ministry!

 

She has established a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization called Amazima Ministries International.  In the Luganda language, Amazima means “truth.”

Amazima offers a child sponsorship program, matching orphaned and vulnerable children who are unable to afford schooling with sponsors anywhere in the world. Sponsors pay $300 per year to send one child to school, providing school supplies, 3 hot meals each day, spiritual discipleship, and medical care.

Originally planning to have 40 children in the program, today the program sponsors over 400 children.

Katie also reached out to the Karimojong people of the Masese community. The poorest of the poor, and losing their children to malnutrition and starvation at an astounding rate. She started a feeding program to the community, nourishing over 1,600 children. This allows the children to attend school and therefore not go to the street to beg. Also provided is medical care, Bible study, and general health training.

As friendships developed with the Karimojong people, Katie wanted to help the women in the village provide for their families. She initiated a self-sustaining vocational program to empower these women to make unique Ugandan magazine bead necklaces. They are also taught money management skills. The necklaces made by the Karimojong women are purchased and sold in the United States. (Christmas gifts anyone??)

 

 

Katie says, “People tell me I am brave. People tell me I am strong. People tell me good job. Well here is the truth of it. I am really not that brave, I am not really that strong, and I am not doing anything spectacular. I am just doing what God called me to do as a follower of Him. Feed His sheep, do unto the least of His people.”

Faith like a child

We just got back from a trip to the land of oz!!  Bryan and I took the girls to visit Great Grandma and lots of family we don’t get to see often because of the many miles between us. 

Bryan and I packed up the car and tried our best not to forget anything.  We had warm clothes, pajamas, toothbrushes, snacks, coloring books,  plane tickets and gas in the car.  We were prepared.  We knew where we were going and a good idea what to expect. 

When we got on the airplane I watched Hannah (our almost 4 yr old) happily apply stickers to every surface of her coloring book.  Ava (our two year old) enjoyed the little window going up and down, and up and down and up and down and…. they had not a worry in the world about our trip. 

 

Despite our attempts to explain it they really had no concept that we were traveling several hundred miles away.   They didn’t pack anything, and they did nothing to prepare. 

They didn’t have to check their calendar when we said it was time to go, They just went.  They didn’t worry that they wouldn’t have food, clothing, or a place to sleep that night. 

We have proven ourselves faithful to take care of them.

Sometimes God has an “adventure” planned for us.  And He simply says, “let’s go.”

As silly as it would be for our 2 year old to say, hold on mom, let me check my blackberry to see if I can schedule in this trip.  How silly would it be for me to tell God the same thing?  When God is calling nothing else matters. 

It is hard to trust He has all the details worked out but He does.  “Don’t be afraid little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32-33

I love your comments!  How have your children taught you about faith?

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What does God look like?

We all have different images in our head of what God looks like.  I used to picture God as an old man with a long beard throwing lightning bolts.  Anybody else with me on this one? 

But then I read his love story to us, the bible, and I read, “No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” 1 John 4:12

“God is LOVE” is mentioned in one form or another 48 times in the bible.

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.  If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.  1John 3:16-18

We recently had a family DONATE A CAR to another member of our church.  It was an anonymous donation and they didn’t receive any form of payment or recognition.  In this I see what God’s economy should look like.  When Christians share their resources. 

I am privileged to be friends with a family who just went on an overseas mission trip.  They worked in an orphanage in Haiti, they fell so in love with an 8 year old little girl they are currently seeing lawyers, and saving up money to adopt this little girl into their family.  In this I see God’s love for ALL children. 

I read about this couple who walked through infidelity and a marriage falling apart.  After viewing the passion of the Christ the husband said, “How could I not forgive her, when I have been forgiven of so much?”  They are now doing well and blog about their journey.  In this I see God’s forgiveness of all my wrongs. 

A family that has been kind enough toshare their story in this place, grew tired of spending all their time keeping up with the status quo.  They sold all of their belongings and travel the country in their new home, a RV.  Their sole purpose is to minister to people and spread love.  In this I see God loves people much more than stuff. 

If Jesus is all he claims to be then we loose NOTHING when we give it all away. 

I don’t know what God looks like, but I get a pretty good idea when I see his people, created in HIS image, BE the body of Christ.  Working, serving, giving, and sharing not for their benefit, but because the Jesus they serve would have done the same thing. 

Share your thoughts.  How have you seen God lately? 

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