Before I start, I want to warn you: this is long! I read not too long ago on one of my favorite blogs {one I love to "stalk"} about this girl and her husband having a slight disagreement. {Okay, to start with, the reason I like her blog so much is because she is so darn honest!} I think more and more I am grasping the fact that it is okay to not be "perfect". Since none of us are anyway, why do we try to live up to an impossible image? This is something that I have been praying God would help me with. I want to be a REAL person. I want to teach my children to be genuine and to not worry about what the world thinks. I love the verses in I Cor. 3:18-20: "Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, {the world's standards} he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight... the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise,{wise in the world} that they are vain." God knows our heart. So why not be honest? Why try to be "perfect" in any area? And why do we expect others to be perfect? I think some of the areas where I struggle are my marriage, the cleanliness of my house {as you already know}, and John Luke. I cringe when he gets dirty or if he has a booger in his nose or a scuff mark on his shoe. How insane! As for my marriage, I went into it floating around on love clouds and thought that I had it all figured out. I wanted to make my husband so proud and that was the problem. I was too concerned about pleasing him instead of HIM! In the book, "It's All About Him", by Dennis Jackson, she makes a profound statement: "No one is designed to be the center of my life. No human being could fill that place. Christ alone can truly be my all-in-all." How true! Yes, without a doubt I am instructed to be a helper to John and respect him, but not to be "perfect" in his eyes.

I guess the small disagreement {okay, large disagreement} I had with John this morning has sparked all of this thinking, and I have decided to be honest. Before marriage, I thought "love" would make everything alright. Well, I was wrong. I didn't {still don't} always like to say I'm sorry. Well, today was one of those times I HAD to. After a few hours of steeming, and then a fear tears {maybe more than a few}, and some talking really loudly to no one {well I guess John Luke was listening because he was staring at me like I had lost it}, I called John and apologized and invited him to join us at the park for lunch. {That should make it all better, right?}
I realized, Who am I to NOT forgive when Christ forgave me to the point of death?! A sweet lady in my Bible Study told us a really good way of reminding ourselves who we are without Jesus. She says, "All we deserve is death and hell." Wow! That'll humble you!

Of course I am a work in progress! I haven't got it all figured out yet and I know I never will. If any of you have any insight, please share.
I also want to say, I really love blogging! I love to look at all of your pictures and see what's new and exciting. I hope nothing ever happens to this Blogger thingy!!!

P.S. I want to clarify that I DO love my husband and I am so thankful God gave him to me! He is a blessing!

So... if you haven't left me yet, I have some pictures to share of our trip to the park...

The peanut butter and jelly sandwich wasn't as exciting as the french fries. As you can see, he liked the fries much better!

Since I was on the subject, I thought it was a perfect time to tell you about my latest read. A wonderful book about MARRIAGE! It points out the biggest differences in a man and woman. "A wife has one driving need - to feel loved. A husband has one driving need - to feel respected." HOW TRUE!!!