Plastic Cups

Plastic cups. I love them. Sometimes I like the big ones with handles and sometimes I like the small narrow ones. Either way they just get the job done. They aren't fancy, but simple. Anyway, in my deep analogy of life I decided I desire to be a plastic cup. Crazy, I know. Don't get me wrong, I love to drink out of fancy cups every now and then. I enjoy getting dressed up and going out for a nice meal. There are times we even use fancy cups in our house. It is the little things in life that add flavor. But, a plastic cup...it just says dependable, honest, and timeless.

I am pretty sure I spent a lot of my life trying to be the fancy cup. Trying to be all shiny, perfect, and grab the attention of all that passed. I desired to be noticed, chosen, and stand above the rest. My intentions were good and I was just trying to be the best I could be. Believing, that to really be successful I had to do great things. But, that gets tiring. It is hard to stay shiny all of the time. The world knows this and encourages you to spend your entire life seeking to keep your shine. But, if  you are lucky enough your shine wears off. You start to realize what really matters and embrace the simplicities of life.

Like being dependable, stable, and loyal. The most important one is not needing to be the fancy cup. Learning to be yourself and faithful in the life God has given you can be a difficult task. No one may ever notice you, seek you out, or celebrate your simplicity. Actually, that is the gift. You are free from the need to be noticed. You are free to enjoy the friendships you have, free to embrace the path you are on whether rocky or smooth,  free to live intentionally, and free to love unconditionally. Most of all you are free.

Somewhere along the way we bought into the lie of the shiny cup. I know I did and I looked at the plain plastic cup as a mistake or second best. Today, I see things differently. I enjoy my plastic cup of iced tea and sit quietly. Enjoying the life of loving others well, keeping life simple, and encouraging others on this journey. A path to freedom is a path worth taking.....

Selfless Love

As I think about Mother's Day I think about all of the pressure we put on ourselves to get it right. Motherhood, I mean. I've had many moments in my own journey where I  thought, well I ruined that one and they will never be the same or stressed over the struggles my kids face or worried about the path God has led our little family on as we truly seek to follow Him. But, one unique concept I see in all of the prayers, worry, tears, or frustration is in this area of my life it really isn't about me being the perfect mother. It is about loving my kids and wanting the best for them.

I admit in today's world there are so many ideas on what a good mother looks like and offers her children that there is really no way we can measure up. However, at the root of all motherhood is the selfless love a mother has for her children. A willingness to forget herself for the betterment of the family. There can be lots of discussion on how to be a great mother, what our children need, etc. but that's not what I am getting at here. I am celebrating the beautiful ability to put others before ourselves, which is not a normal concept. We are life givers, heart healers, and spring boards in the journey of  the little hearts entrusted to us. 

In the rhetoric of God's definition of beauty we find this life altering and life changing task to develop between dirty diapers, tons of stains, sleepless nights, heart aches, tears, and victories. We go from the routine mundane to the depths of our children's souls all in thirty minutes. It isn't a put together, get it all right job assignment. The beauty and depth is found in the mistakes, barely making it, and sometimes just not having a clue as to what to do next. Fortunately, the put together perfect celebration of mother's is just that, a celebration. The day to day, dancing in a messy house, looking for shoes, or tears from molding a heart are what real motherhood looks like. It isn't for the faint of heart.

But, just like any journey we find ourselves on, that is gifted to us from our Father, it changes us. It molds us, and makes us softer. It breaks us and oftentimes leaves us wondering if we can keep going. The tough times are present on a daily basis, sometimes small and sometimes huge but they always point us back to our source of strength. We need God and we need each other. I am thankful for my kids ability to help me move past myself and mold me into someone who truly sees others. Motherhood is the greatest missional opportunity we have each day. We get to love those who really can't offer us anything in return, but the love we experience from giving self lessly to those little humans( best word choice I could find...aka monsters)  brings great joy.

As I think of the legacy of women in my family I am overjoyed with their love for their family. The funny thing is this love always extended to others outside their family's too. God always takes what he teaches us on the inside and spreads it outward into the lives of others. Our families are no different. I am so thankful for the lessons my family has taught me, from learning to take care of myself so I can take care of my family, to encouraging me to use a timer when I cook (burnt is normal at my house), to learning to release those I love into the hands of the one who really has control. There are so many more, However, the willingness to love and give is always a path worth taking......