What A Mess!
Proverbs 31:28a Her children arise and call her blessed;
I don’t know about you but I read this scripture and want to laugh. If you asked my kids about this passage and their mom, you would need to wait 30 minutes while they have hysterics on the floor. Then they would say:
Her children rise up and call her a mess.
Yes, this is the Proverbs according to Lynn.
Proverbs 31: 12 She brings him (husband) good, not harm, all the days of her life.
Lynn’s Version: She brings her husband good and not harm, plus smoky laundry.
This week our family returned from camping. We had a blast but sleeping in a flapping, bug-filled tent, cocooned in a bag is not conducive for a good nights rest. When the car was unloaded, I yawned at my guy saying” “Hon (yawn) eee, I think I will just rest my eyes for 10 minutes on the bed.”
“Ya, right.”
My husband rose up and did all of the laundry, including the blankets, sleeping bags, dirty clothes and washed out the cooler.
Three hours later, I guiltily grinned at my guy rubbing the sleep from my eyes and muttered a sheepish, “Thank you.” Followed by, “I’m sorry.”
This week alone I forgot to go to the bank, the dry cleaning bag with my husbands work clothes still sits in the hall, the bathroom toilet needs plung…. – never mind, let’s not go there. My new garden has weeds, the dog needs a bath, I forgot my father-in-law’s birthday, and to top it off, I have hair roots. I desperately need color.
A few months ago a nice young woman said to me, “You have it all together.” I looked at this poor mislead thing and said, “Girl, I can’t even keep my thoughts together let alone the rest of me.”
I am a mess. I don’t have it together.
Every day I struggle with feelings of failure.
I didn’t encourage my daughter enough this week. She will surely suffer from low self-esteem the rest of her life.
I forgot to pick up the dry cleaning. Will my husband look at me with disappointment tonight?
I let my friend down. I didn’t mean to. I hope she won’t hate me.
I didn’t pray today, I skipped Bible study. I lost my cell phone then found it an hour later in the freezer.
I am messy. I am broken. Sometimes I just want to sit on the couch and eat ice cream bars. Can anyone relate?
BUT!!!!
This is the part where the trumpets start blasting. (click for sound effects. Be sure to come back because the Hero is on the way.)
Jesus tells me over and again:
I love you.
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
I know you and I see you. You are important.
Isaiah 44:2 I am your Creator. You were in my care even before you were born.
I will NEVER leave you.
Hebrews 13:5b “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”
You are beautiful.
Psalm 45:11 11 The king is enthralled by your beauty;
You are my special possession.
Deuteronomy 14:2b Out of all the peoples on the face of the earth, the LORD has chosen you to be his treasured possession.
I have glorious plans for you.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
No matter how much you mess up, I will always want you.
Lamentations 3:22 The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.
23 Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.
Messy and broken. Girl, if that is how you are feeling today, you are in the best of company, and exactly what the Lord wants. Our messes and failures is where we find His victories.
I know these scriptures verses are over used. They can loose their power in our lives. Today, read these words and visualize the Hero on His white steed sweeping us up all messy and broken, and whispering these promises. He means every word.
I hope your messes are small today and you have many Hero moments. For more messy moments, please visit me at…..
Lynn-
Thank you so very much for this devotional. It was completely relatable and yet packed with the truth and person of Jesus Christ.
I so appreciate your post today.
This post was really nice, thank you.
My last week was just like this.
There are times when I feel like I have it all together . Then there are other times when I can barely keep up anything. I went through my whole week with one messed up thing after another. It was enough to get me to a place where I felt a bit defeated. But then I remembered some of the verses you mentioned and thought okay so I’m not perfect, but that’s alright.
I think we have times like that to remind us that we need a savior and to keep us from thinking we can handle everything on our own.
Still, I do hope this week goes a lot better.
*Kristie*
I’m concerned because I can relate! YIKES! I am sure my own child will say the same of me.
Sorry for any typos – I have tears in my eyes. If you have a moment today when you wonder why God had you write this particular devotion – today – ask Him . . . He’ll simply say . . . “It was for Darnelle.”
A teary thank you.
So…we don’t have to be perfect???!?
Thanks!
I’m glad we don’t have to be perfect either. From the comments it looks like God spoke through you today. 🙂
Great post Lynn. You did a wonderful job. I do not have myself together but HE still says that HE has plans for me! Thanks!!
ooh Lynn! It’s nice to know I’m not the only one lacking in grace!
love this post Lynn. Sometimes I’m such a disorganized mess with only myself to take care of that I wonder how I will get it together when I have a family of my own. So thankful for my heavenly hero who loves me in spite of.
Wow… this post so spoke to me today. Most days I am a mess and it is a little frustrating when people think I have it all together. I don’t have it all together… I just have a faithful God who holds it all together for me. Thank you for the wonderful, transparent post.
Lynn…once again that was just for me! I agree those verses are overused but today they have new meaning for me. They are exactly what I needed. I came from a counseling session where I was talking about believing God about how important I am to Him.
God has used you in my life today.
Thanks!
I know we’re sisters in Christ, but I totally think we’re related. Too many similarities not to be! 🙂
Thank goodness God can “bless our mess!”
LOL!!!!!!!! Lynn, I can SOOOOOO relate to this! I especially love the laundry pic (no, I think the sound was the best!). We tent camp, so I can relate to that, too. Thanks so much for the beautiful encouragement!!! 🙂
Lynn,
Thank you so much for this! I work full time and my hubby stays at home three days a week with our boys. He does tons around the house, but I still always feel like there is so much that needs to be done and I feel like a failure at times b/c I don’t get it all done when I get home at night. Now things are really getting behind b/c my dear husband is on crutches and will be so for another 6 weeks.
This devotional was God using you to speak to me. Thank you and bless you!
Lynn,
That is our laundry everyday without camping!
I never feel like I have it all together, because I never do. In this disaster of a house lives 2 messy parents and 5 sloppy kids. Most of the time I feel like I created mess monsters instead of well mannered children.
But, like you said, He is the victory. We haven’t made it there, yet; but when we do it will be all because of the Lord’s help and grace! The Victory is coming!
Thank you for this post.
This post was just perfect for me!
Thanks Lynn for speaking right from the throne to my heart.
Blessings, Joanne
Hey friend. I could do a total rewrite of the Proverbs 31 lady…because I’m definitely a mess myself:-) So thankful His love covers me. Thanks for a wonderful post. ((hugs))
Thanks for the honest reflection.
We may be messes, but we are messes loved by the mess-loving God of the universe. That thought alone gives me strength each day. And a purpose.
When we see mess, He sees beauty.
What an uplifting, encouraging devotional Lynn. I’m an absolute mess, but the knowing He is making me a little less “messy” and loving me just as I am is such a blessing.