I’m starting this blog as a witness to all the mamas out there who are tired of COMPARISON and of feeling they have something to PROVE to the world. Every one of us has struggled with poor self-image and "mommy comparison" at some point in our lives. Let's be REAL now. We owe that to each other. #frf (For Real Friday) is something I came up with one Friday when I had a laundry room that was piled as high as Mount Everest (see exhibit A), a closet that had been abused (see exhibit B), a house that needed a serious deep cleaning, and 5 kids sending all kinds of "MOOOOOOOOOOM!" my way.  As I wallowed in my mess, instead of cleaning it or wasting time on Facebook (as all REAL women do), I decided to create #frf and in the same breath create this blog. Of course, in the true spirit of procrastination, I’m not actually writing on the blog until 6 months after I created the thing.

So here we are...Media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and don't even get me started on the mommy guilt builder of them all...Pinterest. Love it. Hate it.  These websites, even our own friends (as well meaning as they may be) can often be a vessel for Satan to tell us we aren't measuring up. Let's not spread lies, low self esteem, and Satan between us... let's instead spread TRUTH, EMPOWERMENT, and JESUS!

Now, I do like to "consider" myself an optimist and and I will forever be a Christian, though I don't always live up to the titles...we're being REAL... remember? So no matter where this blog goes, it HAS  to end in the positive for me. We aren't simply going to wallow in our self pity, eat a gallon of ice cream,  pat each other on the back and say "I know... it's hard isn't it!"  - and then come back the next time and share more sloppy, sob stories until we are so bloated from Rocky Road that we can't cry without ice cream tears...I haven't done that... I'm just sayin'.

INSTEAD, we will say "I am a mom... I struggle, I cry, I stay in my PJ's until bedtime some days. When I should be scrubbing toilets, I sometimes surf the internet.  When I should be reading to my toddler, I sometimes watch YouTube videos on my phone.  When I should be teaching my children to share, I sometimes hide in the bathroom and eat all the cookies grandma brought so that I don't have to share.  My house has looked like Pinterest NEVER, my hair has looked like Vogue once (or at least I thought so), my makeup is often second day makeup, and I don't even change my underwear every day (okay maybe that's just me)....

BUT, even though most days I don't have it all together and I feel like I'm not enough,  I have JESUS who offers me abundant GRACE!  HE HAS ME IN HIS ARMS AND HE IS ENOUGH!  Without Him, I fall into a pit of despair, those negative self-loathing thoughts come into my mind and Satan tries to take over, but I won't let him win.... and I WILL LET JESUS IN!  

So this blog also serves as a reminder, a push back, a battle of sorts, with that darkness. To remind myself of this, at the end of each blog I plan to bring it all back to God ‘cause He's got the wheel. I hope you will too.

If you are in  place where you can't see Jesus, know that I pray for you daily.  He IS there.  He is ALWAYS there.  I myself loose sight regularly, but he is ENOUGH and he will welcome you with open arms. All you have to do is ask and your life, though messy and ugly on most days, WILL FLOURISH with HIM in it!

Here's hoping my chaos brings you confidence, an occasional laugh, and a whole lot of GRACE!

"Thy kingdom come, thy will be done" Matthew 6:10