Living Authentic: The Reality of the Day-to-Day

Authentic.

The word means real or genuine.

And that's what I want to be here on the blog.

I write from a place of wanting to encourage others and sharing what I've found works for me and truths I see illuminated in the Bible and wise words from those who have walked before me.

But our home is very ordinary.  Blessed by God because we have each other, and hopefully peopled by those who are striving to serve Him, but so far from perfect and un-messy.

In other words, if you think we all slip quietly into our seats around the dining room table promptly at 6pm every night and calmly chat through a leisurely meal, all sweet and laughing and connecting at a deep level, you're a little off the mark.  There are a few nights like that...except it's more like 6:30ish...and maybe only two or three have the "sweet" part down...and I'm likely one who doesn't.

We cherish the nights when we laugh over stories from the girls' school days and discuss a Bible truth that applies to us all and no one is in a rush to leave the table.  But we're also realistic enough to know that not every meal will follow that pattern.

Nor does everyone wake up smiling every morning, eager to embrace the day.  Our children aren't always speaking those kind words of encouragement to each other or graciously surrendering the bathroom so their sister can have a turn to get ready.

Attitude???  Shows up at some point from someone (usually a female ;) almost daily. 

So why am I sharing this?  Because I want you to know that we're all a work in progress.  There's always a behind-the-scenes, and while we seek to honor God as a family, I have the same (more or less) number of rough days that you do.

My dad is one of my greatest heroes, and one of the main reasons is because he's never been a hypocrite.  That's saying a lot, considering all the sermons he's preached from the pulpit in over 40 years of ministry.  But he's always been at home exactly what he was in public. 

I would love to have that same testimony, before my children and before others.

This doesn't mean I need to share every detail of our failings on social media, and I certainly don't seek to have more of those messy moments just so I can be relatable!  But I always want to be real, because God knows our hearts, and part of humility is recognizing that I have plenty more growing to do.

I write posts with names like Living Grateful and Have a More Peaceful Summer with Your Kids not because I've mastered these ideals, but because I know that these years are for training our children and myself as we go through this maturing process. I set goals for our family not so that we can be "perfect" to outsiders, but so that we can make our relationships more pleasing to Christ.

So let's be encouraged today to love other moms and other families right where they are, to encourage each other, and to come alongside to help as we can.  Nobody is perfect, which means God's still working on each of us. He gently comes alongside, teaching us lessons as we allow, so that we can grow more into His image as moms, dads, teenagers, and kids.  Let's extend mercy and grace to others, all the while accepting it for ourselves as we go through each day.

"But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;  To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them."  ~Psalm 103:17, 18

Related posts:
7 Bible Verses to Remember When You Feel Discouraged as a Parent
A Prayer for Wisdom in Parenting My Children
3 Parenting Truths for Those Tough Days

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