What if you took off your mask?

So, last night I had a girls night out.  We'll call it "Mom's Night Out" which seems perfectly appropriate because we also saw that movie.  If you haven't seen it, I do encourage you to!  It was funny, thought provoking and quite spot on.  I don't want to give it away if you haven't seen it but the plot involves 3 Moms, all very different.  I found myself relating to 2 of them on many levels.  If I wasn't laughing I was fighting tears.  

One of the Moms did her best to keep up appearances.  You know; she always "looked" like she had it all together, always smiling, encouraging others, serving others, running organizations, keeping her home up and seemingly always happy.  Keep in mind, this is all for the sake of appearance.  She struck quite a cord with me.  Viewing her life from the outside looking in made me take quite a look at my own life.  For what reason do I or you for that matter feel the need do look like we have it all together?  Perhaps it's that people will think that we're not perfect.  Well duh!  We're not!  

Let me move on to the other Mom just for a minute.  This young Mom had her hands full.  She was juggling busy, active home with small children, homeschooling, trying to keep the house clean, the meals prepared and still maintain some dignity.  You know this house; you clean up one mess and turn around to immediately find another only to turn back around and find another mess that's even bigger.  The ongoing cycle can make you feel like you're drowning.  It can even feel like all is in vain so why bother.  Ever been there?

The thought at the end was "I'm not good enough".  If we were good enough we could do it all, with a smile, without breaking a sweat, raising our voice or our blood pressure.  I believe this is a thought that plagues Moms & Dads.  We are sometimes weighed down with that big fat lie that we're not good enough.  

Let me be very transparent here...watch out!  I often battle this very thought.  I am sometimes so overwhelmed by my life that I don't know which way to turn next.  It sometimes seems to come at me so fast that I don't know what to do.  I'm sorry but I have to interject something absolutely ridiculous here that came to my mind.  

This is exactly what I'm talking about.  You think "I've got this".  You're moving along and things start getting rough.  You "act" like every thing's good, you show those around you that every thing is good (when it's not) and then it all comes crashing down.  

As a Mom who is a bit more seasoned, I have younger Moms watching me, looking for guidance, encouragement and reassurance.  

Have a look at this:

Titus 2:3-5

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips norenslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, 4 so that they may [a]encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

So...if basically, I'm to encourage younger women, helping them in the way they love their husbands and children and encourage them to be sensible in working at home...what good am I doing them "acting" as though I have it all together?!  If they see me "always" have it under control, how might they feel when they feel completely out of control?  How approachable am I?  Would they want me to know that they're struggling?  

What if I/we took off our masks?  What if we were real?  What if we asked for help when we needed it?  What if we exposed those things we struggle with to the people who actually, genuinely care about us?  What if we finally realized that we don't have to be perfect?  I think that this is a challenge that men and women both face.  Men, you are often the breadwinners for your home.  Our society has made you believe that you must be strong, you shouldn't show weakness.  Ladies, this responsibility often falls on you as well.  I was once a single mother, raising a toddler boy, on my own.  I was bread winner, maid, accountant, boo boo fixer, gardener and everything else that life required of me.  Life is sometimes very hard!  Curling up in a ball in our closets is not an option.  Sometimes we just need to stop and ask for help.  It really is OK to just let go!  Regardless of where you are, you are never alone!  In my walk with Christ, He is always by my side.  There are times that I "think" I can do it on my own (and completely flop)!  But He's there, waiting on me.  He's waiting on me to just ask for help, for the comfort I need.  

Ladies, Gentlemen, you are good enough!  You were created by a loving God who doesn't make mistakes!  You are created in His image!

Be encouraged...read this. 

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

What is seen is temporary...this world is temporary, your troubles are temporary, your loneliness is temporary, finical troubles-temporary.  What is unseen is eternal!  Did y'all catch that?!  That is awesome!  We don't at this point see the glory that awaits in the presence of the Lord but it is eternal!  

Let me end with this video.  I heard this song this morning as I was again pondering my life and the absolute chaos that sometimes overwhelms me.  What a sweet reminder of just letting go! 

Thank you for taking the time to read something deeply personal!  Please feel free to share or comment.