Comparison is the Root of all Agony

Oh, is that not so true? Lately, I've had to limit which blogs I read because there are some blogs that no matter how sincerely they are done (or not) just drag me down. I'm compelled to compare myself to other women and their lives, friends, houses, children, spiritual growth, housework accomplished, so on and so forth. I have always struggled with this tension of loneliness and love of solitude and often, blogs just enhance the feeling of loneliness. (How could I possibly feel alone with three children-I ask you?)

But my job isn't to be like so and so, or Miss Type A -got-it-all-together (nothing wrong with Type A--just not remotely attainable for me!), or Miss "I can paint my living room in an hour". No, my job is to be who God has created me to be and to do what he has uniquely called me to do.

And so, that is why I need to avoid some blogs. It also drives home to me the careful need to balance truth and memories when publicly recording daily life. My friend Sarah just wrote a post about this today.

We Southern women just want to have it all together--nice clothes, nice hair, cute kids, clean car, handsome husband, decorated clean house--hah! Without Jesus that is all emptiness and futility--chasing after the wind. I find it ironic that the only days I typically "dress" and fix my hair are church days--Sundays and Wednesdays. The very place I should be able to be broken and real is the place where I present the "best front."

In that vein, there are a few blogs that do encourage me and not pull me down. I am only sharing a few, because there are lots of real and wonderful people out there! Sarah above is always encouraging. Guitta is one of my favoritest, most aunthentic and real friends.

And in the vein of people who I do not know at all in real life (but so wish I did), Kendra at Preschoolers and Peace is so encouraging to me as a Mom of little ones. And then there is Auntie Leila who for practical parenting and housekeeping advice without the judgement or perfection is just fabulous. She is the sort of person who tells it like it is and yet you just love her for it. In this day and age, I need a woman who can and will lecture me about dishtowels and sponges and laundry and child-raising. One of the things I love is her beautiful house that is an accumulated beauty filled with things worn around the edges. Although we do differ Theologically, she is a very encouraging sister in the LORD.

So, what blogs encourage you?