Staged - Sew a Fine Seam

Does your life show what is really going on or is it staged? Cropped so people only see the ‘good stuff’? Do your friends and family know the real you? Or do you hide what is really going on in your mind and heart?
I tend to put pictures on my blog that look good. Who wants to see all the real life stuff? Same way with my heart and mind. Why would my friends and family want to know what is really going on? Who wants to see the hurt, disappointment, discouragement, etc. that I deal with? I mean, seriously, I’m probably the only one who ever has these feelings right?

I can show you this because it looks good. Here is where I start almost all my weekdays.
Coffee, Bible, study book, pen, sometimes a warm blanket.

It even looks good from from back a little.

And even a little bigger picture still looks pretty good.

But an even bigger picture shows the REAL disaster my house was in a couple weeks ago on Monday morning. And today it really isn’t much better.

I zoomed in with my camera and got only the ‘pretty’ stuff in the first 3 pics but that did not change the fact that just inches away there were piles of clutter…

Piles on the cupboard, piles on the keyboard, sweeper not put away…

Piles all over the dining room. Laundry not folded. (gasp. I’m probably the only one who leaves laundry unfolded all weekend!) Kids artwork and books laying around, paint cans on the dining room table. Those paint cans tell the story of why this place has been such a wreck lately. With me and Hubby working hard on weekends to finish up an upstairs bedroom/stairway project the regular household stuff doesn’t get done. I know, I should have trained my girls to do it all. Sigh.

But even without the excuse I have at the moment, of a huge project in the works, I sadly have to admit that I don’t always have things ship-shape. I get tired. I don’t feel like doing it. I want someone else to take over, be responsible.

So is there a point to all this? It may seem rather random, but I’m trying to get my thoughts out here!! The point is I’m not perfect. I can crop and edit to make it LOOK like things are perfect but just inches away are piles of unsightly ‘stuff’.

And my spiritual life can be the same way. I can say all the right things, quote scripture, sing the songs, wear a smile, and on and on and on, but just inches away, just under all the ‘pretty’ on the surface can be an ugly pile of nastyness. Hateful thoughts, vengefulness, anger, pain, and on and on and on.

BUT!!! There is hope!! God created a way to ‘crop’ all that ugliness FOREVER!!! He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take all that nastiness away!! By accepting Him into my heart He washed all of that junk away!! Hallelujah!! Praise His Name! And if the devil trys to edge any of that junk back in all I have to do is call out to my LORD and SAVIOR, and He is there to carry me through!

In the words of Little Sister: “When satan bothers me, I tell him to ‘go away!’ And I ask Jesus to keep him away.”

Our homes need constant upkeep. There is always something to be done. I’m not perfect and my housekeeping will probably never be prefect either.

But God IS perfect and through Him and His Son Jesus Christ, I can have a perfect heart, a place where the Holy Spirit dwells.

You can too. Seek the Lord. If you don’t know Him, seek Him NOW!

“God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to His eyes”

(Ps. 18:24,The Message)

Comments

Jill Elaine says
March 14, 2011 at 11:30 am
Well written, Jill, and reflects so much of what I've been thinking on lately. Praise God that even though He sees us as we truly are He still loves us—so much that He gave His very Best, His only Son to redeem us. Our hearts overflow at the great love we've been given. Let's live for Him!! Love, Mother
Jill Elaine says
March 14, 2011 at 12:26 pm
Hmmm. Not sure how my Mom's comment came through as my account?? what's up google??
McMaster and Storm says
March 14, 2011 at 1:16 pm
well written–that is why I have not been blogging very much. i have 3 kids 5 & under and it's rarely perfectly clean 24/7. our relationship with God comes first–besides our work will always be there tomorrow! ha.
p.s. thankful for His grace–a blessing to me right now!
xo
kara
McMaster and Storm says
March 14, 2011 at 1:17 pm
Besides you have thomas trains–luke thinks your house is a palace!!!!
xo
hubbardgirl says
March 15, 2011 at 9:47 am
sooo inspiring. you hit the nail on the head with me this morning. why oh why do we try to hide the real us?
lisa says
March 15, 2011 at 2:42 pm
Thanks, Jill. the blogs I love the most are the real ones. People pleasing, looking good on the outside is something I so want to put behind me. I am who God created me to be, and I want to please HIM, not look good so others are impressed.
Blessings,
Lisa
Mrs. K says
March 15, 2011 at 9:48 pm
Amen! So well written…I must say, you had me fooled – I thought your perfectly white house must be perfectly perfect all the time. :o) So glad we have a Savior who offers to make us whiter than snow! Miss ya!
Jill Elaine says
March 16, 2011 at 10:57 am
haha, Jenni!! I am going to assume you are totally joking:)
I will say one great thing about white – it washed BEAUTIFULLY!!
Which reminds me — it's time to wash the couch cover again:)
It's so fun to see it fresh and bright white after a washing.
Angela says
May 3, 2011 at 2:40 pm
thanks Jill… I needed this today. and yes you wrote it a long time ago! But I always wonder when I look at blogs if the houses always look like they do in the pictures and I've often commented that I'd like bloggers to share "the real side"… Just once =) thanks so much..also for the spiritual application so true and a good reminder for us all.

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