Letting go of guilt

I realized today that at times I find myself trying to be the perfect homemaker, even though I know there is no such thing. I seem to have cycles of this kind of thinking, which you have probably noticed if you have followed my blog for any length of time. I have a feeling though that I am not alone in this.

 I think it is common for us wives and moms to get so caught up in trying to do what is best for our family that sometimes we forget that our best doesn't have to be perfect. We don't all have to cook the same way, eat the same foods or create the same projects. God has given us to our families because we are the perfect one for them. If God wanted Suzy homemaker to be your husband's wife, He would have made it that way. But He didn't, He chose you and He loves you just as you are. While it is good for us to learn new skills and try new methods of cooking, it is also okay to just relax and be ourselves.

I have a confession to make, want to hear it? I don't soak my grains. There I said it and it feels good to let it out. I will admit I have tried it, but honestly, we just don't like the way things taste after being soaked. What good does it do to soak my grains for waffles or muffins if my family won't eat them anyway? That is actually being a bad steward with what God has given me because it will just be wasted.

Do you know what else? If you were to come to my home today, you would find a pile of laundry waiting to be put away, floors that need swept and mopped (really, really bad), clutter in my bedroom and my kids' room and I am sure there are dirty dishes in my sink. I am very blessed with a husband that does not expect our home to be spotless and knows that sometimes, it will be a mess. As long as I am not neglecting my husband, my children or my duties as homeschooling mom and keeper of my home, it is okay. We live in our home and while I thoroughly enjoy a clean, organized home, it does not stay that way long.

Is there something you are feeling guilty about? Have you set your standards too high and are trying to do too much? Seek God's will for you and rest in His peace.

I am not giving you permission to be lazy. I am just encouraging you (myself included) to be realistic about your life. I don't have to live up to anyone's standards but God's and that is a very freeing feeling.

Remember, it's okay that we can't do it all. No one can.

Blessings my friends,
Rashel