In my quest to be more intentional about life I have come to the realization that while I try my hardest…the Proverbs 31 woman, I am not.  I wish I were, but I have a long ways to go to this perfect woman Solomon speaks of.

I will be the first to admit that I’m always, and I do mean always overwhelmed.  I feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day and that I will never come out on top.

I feel as though we will never be fully settled into a house (four years this summer, half of our marriage).

There are spider webs in the corners of my house and the kitchen floor needs mopping.  Even though I vacuumed this afternoon, the carpet grew popcorn.

I stink at sleeping…someday I might actually get a really great night’s sleep.

I can smile and at times put on a “I know fully what I’m doing here front”, but spend a little time with me and you’ll know…I always have too many ideas and not enough time…

I am usually reading six books, progressing in none of them.

My to do list grows faster than it shrinks and my housekeeping skills are sad.

I say yes to most everything and really struggle when I should have said no.

I waste too much time on Facebook and Pinterest.

I drink Diet Pepsi.

If you show up for an unexpected visit, you might feel unwelcome in my house.  Its not that I don’t want you here…its just that I’m usually embarrassed by my sheer lack of organization.

I continue to loose the battle with having clean dishes and laundry.  I swear my kids’ clothes multiply in the hamper when I’m not looking!
There are stains in the carpet that I have forgotten if they were there when we moved in or not.  There are boogers on the wall next to my son’s bed.

The toilet needs a good scrubbing.

I’m quite certain I have no style.  I wear clothes because they were given to me…but over half of them I don’t even like.

I’m always running behind.

I can’t keep aloe plants alive.

But you know what?  That’s only half of the story.

I want to be like Jesus.  I want to breathe like Jesus, walk like Jesus, talk like Jesus, love like Jesus and show Jesus in everything I do.  Sometimes I don’t do a great job at this…but sometimes I do.

I pray without ceasing.

I love my husband. After almost eight years I love him more every day.  I can still make him smile, even on the most depressing days.

My children are my life.  I love those two little monsters upstairs in their beds.  Even now when they should be sleeping, yet they sit up there and giggle and chat away as if there is nothing else they should be doing.

Both Elijah and Moriah still fit on my lap, together.  We can sit and snuggle for several minutes, just us, taking in each others’ love.

I love teaching my babes to read and count and answering their questions…yes ever one of them.  I will never stop spelling every word they want me to spell and listening to them tell me the plot to every movie they wish to tell me about.

I can build some fantastic snowmen with the help my babes.  :)

I soak in their love, with hugs and kisses.  The sounds of their laughter are forever engrained in my memory as I try to teach them to be excited about life.

I love gardening and fixing tasty, balanced meals for my family.  While the children can be picky, Len very rarely has any complaints about my cooking.
I enjoy making our food budget stretch and I’m certain its something to be proud of

I can make a beautiful birthday cake.

I can plan an entire church event for about $20.  :)

My excitement for VBS and children’s ministries has spread through the rest of our church.  I think kids are a priority to God and I have been able to share that thought with the rest of my congregation.

I can fit 12 different errands into a day and still be smiling, have a good home cooked meal and smiling kids at the end of the day.

I inherited my grandmother’s green house plant thumb (except for the aloe plants).

I am good at these things.

What about you?  Are you only looking at half of your story?

This was written in response to The Gypsy Mama.

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