Valentine's Day Confessions (I love who God made me)
"February Thoughts...Valentine's Day Confessions..." February seems to be a month of introspection!
Ah, the day of love. The day of 30+ Spiderman or Minion valentine's cards from the Dollar Store. The boys actually did super well sitting and carefully writing their classmates and teacher's names on each card. Patrick did at one point throw a pen across the room because "S" is hard to write. I feel ya, bro.
Behn and I have never been big on Valentine's Day. When we were dating, we had a tradition where we got Chinese for dinner and called it a cheap date. We don't even do that anymore (it's Taco Tuesday up in here. Thanks for the budget, Dave Ramsay). Every year, I think, 'Next year we will do cute cards! I'll make pink heart shaped pancakes for breakfast! The kids will send cards to all cousins and grandparents!"
Oops. Forgot again. Honestly, I only remembered classroom cards because I got multiple reminders with kids names on lists. I barely remembered the red jello (ew) for Patrick's class party. Graham's home sick again, so he's missing his party. I need to clean the bathroom because of all the pee on the toilet seat. The day is kind of a dud. Or, it's actually just a normal day, a day that's a gift like any other. Thank goodness my Mom made little Valentine's bags for my kids, so they got something :)
Ok, so I turned 33 recently and I am owning it. That is, I'm saying out loud all the things I'm not good at and am good at and calling it cool. I like who God made me. I'm proud of myself and done with thinking I have to do everything better. I'm not into holidays. Or birthdays. They stress me out and make us poor. I'm not going to run a half marathon because I don't like running longer than 30 minutes. I don't want to become a vegan or do Whole30. I am not artsy and don't want to try to be. I tried being crunchy and it became a chore, for the most part.
I do like to go outside, especially to the woods. I love that woodsy smell, the all-alone-but-not-alone feeling. I like to dig in the dirt, even though I seem to give up on my garden every year around mid-July. I like to talk about orphan care and I know a lot about it. I'm a good horseback rider. I'm kind a tomboy and never intend to have a mani/pedi for the rest of my life, ever. I like to read. I love bluegrass music and someday when we can afford it, I'd like to take fiddle lessons. And I still want a farm (dogs, horses, chickens, and sheep) and always will. I like to make comfort food like chicken pot pie and chocolate chip cookies.
So, as I look at Instagram and panic because I didn't make this day very special for my family (no special food, no handmade cards, no flowers), I'm remembering who I am and that I'm ok, as is. What a happy, joyful relief!
And you have gifts that are different than mine and that is awesome, too! Create, make great food, exercise well, reach for your goals. Love who God made YOU!
We did talk about love this morning. I asked the boys to recite Romans 5:8, which they memorized a while ago.
"But God showed His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
What wondrous love is this!
Ah, the day of love. The day of 30+ Spiderman or Minion valentine's cards from the Dollar Store. The boys actually did super well sitting and carefully writing their classmates and teacher's names on each card. Patrick did at one point throw a pen across the room because "S" is hard to write. I feel ya, bro.
Behn and I have never been big on Valentine's Day. When we were dating, we had a tradition where we got Chinese for dinner and called it a cheap date. We don't even do that anymore (it's Taco Tuesday up in here. Thanks for the budget, Dave Ramsay). Every year, I think, 'Next year we will do cute cards! I'll make pink heart shaped pancakes for breakfast! The kids will send cards to all cousins and grandparents!"
Oops. Forgot again. Honestly, I only remembered classroom cards because I got multiple reminders with kids names on lists. I barely remembered the red jello (ew) for Patrick's class party. Graham's home sick again, so he's missing his party. I need to clean the bathroom because of all the pee on the toilet seat. The day is kind of a dud. Or, it's actually just a normal day, a day that's a gift like any other. Thank goodness my Mom made little Valentine's bags for my kids, so they got something :)
Ok, so I turned 33 recently and I am owning it. That is, I'm saying out loud all the things I'm not good at and am good at and calling it cool. I like who God made me. I'm proud of myself and done with thinking I have to do everything better. I'm not into holidays. Or birthdays. They stress me out and make us poor. I'm not going to run a half marathon because I don't like running longer than 30 minutes. I don't want to become a vegan or do Whole30. I am not artsy and don't want to try to be. I tried being crunchy and it became a chore, for the most part.
I do like to go outside, especially to the woods. I love that woodsy smell, the all-alone-but-not-alone feeling. I like to dig in the dirt, even though I seem to give up on my garden every year around mid-July. I like to talk about orphan care and I know a lot about it. I'm a good horseback rider. I'm kind a tomboy and never intend to have a mani/pedi for the rest of my life, ever. I like to read. I love bluegrass music and someday when we can afford it, I'd like to take fiddle lessons. And I still want a farm (dogs, horses, chickens, and sheep) and always will. I like to make comfort food like chicken pot pie and chocolate chip cookies.
So, as I look at Instagram and panic because I didn't make this day very special for my family (no special food, no handmade cards, no flowers), I'm remembering who I am and that I'm ok, as is. What a happy, joyful relief!
And you have gifts that are different than mine and that is awesome, too! Create, make great food, exercise well, reach for your goals. Love who God made YOU!
We did talk about love this morning. I asked the boys to recite Romans 5:8, which they memorized a while ago.
"But God showed His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
What wondrous love is this!
Bonus pic of adorable 4-year old hands carefully writing his friends' names. So cute.
I like this! I'm so quick to judge others when they are not good at the same things as I am. I'm glad that we all have different gifts and interests!
ReplyDeleteThere's no one who is you-ier than you. I'm glad you're allowing others to be non-you while you embrace yourself. Who you are is certainly good enough for me!
ReplyDelete