On a whim, Mike and I hauled our little family to a nearby town to snap a family photo in a field of Texas bluebonnets. For years, we’ve been watching parents enjoy this annual springtime tradition; and this year, with baby in tow, we joined in. Glen was fantastic, full of smiles and fun. It was so nice capturing this sweet moment because, well, our days are not always this calm and lovely.
They are mostly frantic and frustrating. Filled with so much love, but also frenzy. What can I say, we are the parents of an infant. And as a new mom, I constantly fret over little things:
Glen’s socks don’t match… I haven’t started dinner yet… Am I introducing solids correctly?… That lightbulb has been out for eleven days… I haven’t made the bed today… I texted Mike three reminders, how could he have forgotten a new lightbulb?
Hi, my name is Heather and I am fairly high-strung. And it only gets worse when I start fretting about my fretting, hitting lowest when I venture into the dangerous territory of comparing my chaotic life to the really pretty lives I see on Facebook and Pinterest.
This past sunday, we joined my brother and his sweet family at their church. We’ve only been a couple times, but I’m starting to enjoy this place. The people are nice, the pastor and his wife seem genuine, and the music rocks. But it’s the weekly message that truly touches me. This week’s message focused on seeing the real beauty in ourselves and in our lives.
You’ve heard the saying – the grass always looks greener on the other side. Who else is guilty of thinking this? I am sheepishly raising my hand, too. But what the pastor said next really resonated with me. He said:
“The grass is greener where you water it.”
Aha. That makes total sense, doesn’t it? So I decided to stop pining over the dazzling lives I envy on social media, and to start watering my own little patch of grass. My goal: to spread love like a seed and sprout kindness like a random, lovely field of bluebonnets. (Forgive my Blanche Devereaux moment – I watched Golden Girls this morning).
Since I am visual, I created this simple list of GREEN things that always need water:
GIVE. Give your husband a compliment at least once a day, to remind him that he is doing a great job.
REALIZE. Realize that you are not always right. He can load the dishwasher completely different than how you do it, and his way will get the job done, too.
ENJOY. Enjoy every moment you spend with family, big and small – cuddle time on the couch, dinnertime chatter, walks in the neighborhood – opportunities are endless.
EVOLVE. Learn and try new things as a family.
NEVER. Never let go.
Hugs to you all!