I cried on the toilet while I told my husband about the laundry that lurked up on me. I was so overwhelmed by messes. My children were naughty. My house was embarrassing. The boys splashed happily in the shower while I cried about socks.
Everything felt soggy.
I know God keeps our tears in bottles, and there are times I think He must like salt water, with all the tears that the world sheds, each week, each day. We are water.
My children cry over matchbox cars and missed turns and I cry over socks and spills and we all cry for the important things, and all things are important.
I cried in church too, a little bit.
And the preacher said God's will for our life is to follow Him. It's not a destination. It's not retirement, or children leaving home. It's not a clean, sparkling house or a fresh batch of cookies. God's will can be found even in the messy places, because He lives there too.
"If you love me you will keep my commandments."
Be.
Don't just Do.
Be the person that follows Jesus in every place, in every circumstance.
The overwhelming feeling of failure slowly dripped off, and I picked up a sock and told myself the truth: God cares about people, not footwear and floorpolish.
When it's raining, and your children are sick and your socks are unmatched and smell like sour earth, be the Mother that shows Jesus love. Your mission is here. Your mission is now.
Love through the laundry, the tears, and the rain.
Because, Jesus meets us in our mess, on rainy days especially.
What an awesome inspiring post. So many times I get overwhelmed in my days and I need reminders like this. your pastor is one smart man!
ReplyDeleteYou seem to write on the exact things I need to hear. Thank you for continuing to put your heart into words. It's a breath of fresh air. Sometimes tears just need to be cried to move on. Now excuse me while I go cry in my chocolate. Hugs.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE this post. My heart is dripping and drying out next to yours. It is all a difficult, beautiful, sacred cycle of storming and shining.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing. xo
Yes, He does meet us in the mess and I am so grateful. Love that first photo of him playing naked in the water. Just precious. And from a mom who made it through those years of crying on toilets and feeling overwhelmed. It gets better. I promise.
ReplyDeleteThis here is flat-out proof positive of why I love you to little snotty pieces.
ReplyDeleteoh, i just love this. i would cry and hug you, but you might just be drying out. beautiful.
ReplyDeleteyou have it here lady. yep. you definitely have it.
ReplyDeleteBlaahaaahaaaaaa. Crying again. Boooohoooo. Poor me. Poor us.
ReplyDeleteLove you friend. Would it help to know I am there with you? Buried under twenty loads to do?
Love to you friend!
oh joann. now i'm crying, for the umpteenth time today. i bawled this morning and i felt like such a wretched mother, as i do most days, and i'm so frustrated with my sock situation too. so frustrated. perhaps my socks are pairing up with yours? thank you. for this amazing post. i feel... like i can breathe again. and i agree with brandee. we need to highlight this one on friday. xo
ReplyDeleteSuch relief here.
ReplyDeleteYou spell it out so well as you let Him wash you with the water of His spoken word.
Thank you for the extension of grace in these words.
Grace toward others sometimes begins with grace towards self, I think.
smiles...it is a constant battle between the be and do....and being in the here and now....and finding the balance of it all...so cry when you need...smiles...
ReplyDeleteI love the mission we are on. I need to remember the purpose of the mission.
ReplyDeleteThis is remarkable. I wish I had "known" these things (and people) when my children were young, but it's still a good reminder. Today I will "be" more and worry about "do" less. Thank you for this : )
ReplyDeleteMy week needed this. I needed this. Thank you.
ReplyDelete:)
So incredibly thankful that He meets us in our mess. And if He meets me in my mess, then I must also meet others in their messes. Oh, easier said than done. Thankful for His grace & power.
ReplyDeleteOh sweet Jesus, can I emaphise with this post (smile). Aren't we all there at some point? And aren't these gorgeous babes worth every inch of the havoc they cause?
ReplyDeletesome days are just so weary, aren't they? i'm glad He loves us. i'm glad we are His children. i'm glad that someday He will wipe away our tears. and i'm glad that we are simply asked to follow Him.
ReplyDeleteand again i say, amen. bless you for filling my morning with grace and truth BOTH. you're one smart and amazing cookie, joann.
ReplyDeleteI had one of those crying days yesterday too. In a public bathroom at a realtor's office, I sobbed and rubbed at my eyes with toilet paper. I understand.
ReplyDelete"Jesus meets us in ou rmess" -- I agree and am so thankful. Thanks, Ostrich girl.
Jennifer Dougan
www.jenniferdougan.com
thank you for this. right now i have a sick kid with a sick and pregnant mama. so hard to "do" and then feel so worthless when i can't. thankful for the reminder to just "be".
ReplyDeleteSo hard to do everything that needs to be done every day. But, you do because you are a woman, wife, mother and, you are blessed. Prioritize, get the most important things done, the rest can wait. :)
ReplyDeleteI adore this post. I cried tonight when I got home from babysitting. I am old and I am tired and I love those littles of mine more than ever...but I needed to cry. You make me smile. Your baby Tobin is adorable. He is betrothed to Penelope. I vow and declare it.
ReplyDelete"Be. Don't just do." I think I might paint this on my wall. Great words! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteBe. Don't just do.
ReplyDeleteI love it.
Thanks for the reminder that God sees, cares about, and KEEPS my tears.
Oh man, this is great. I almost cried yesterday over simply being tired and unbathed, and not able to deal with another fight over Legos. Thanks for letting me know I'm not the only one :)
ReplyDeleteMy kids are grown, as you know, but dirty bathrooms can still make me cry.
ReplyDeleteSuch a great post and sweet message! I think most of us moms just hear "I cried" and "Laundry" or "messy house" and we can relate! Thank God he meets us even in the mess, otherwise he'd only be at my house when my in-laws visit! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you say, out loud and on the internet, the things every woman is thinking.
ReplyDeleteAnd here's another thing--lately I've been reading about a lot of people in Scripture who weep and cry out with loud groans and wails. Some of them even get accused of being drunk in the temple. But nary a one was told to get his/her act together and be brave. Which makes me think sometimes crying is the appropriate response.
...on rainy days especially.
ReplyDeleteYes, this.
I imagine all moms can relate.
ReplyDeleteThankfully, He does meet us in our messes and puts them all into perspective in His good time. Today He did that for me. My four-year-old told me he wants to be baptized.
"Why?" I asked.
"Because I want to follow Jesus," he said.
Your descriptions of the soggy, messy days and the hope and glory in His will make me want to cry from pure joy.
ReplyDeleteI remember a blog that I used to follow ages ago had a catchphrase that resonated so deeply with me. It seems to mimmick the same sentiment you spoke to here. It was about being mindful of the mission field "in the bunk beds down the hall". Soggy, salty, sour earth days and all, God is good. And this post reminded me that we can still show Jesus love. Even through the tears. Thank you!
ReplyDelete