Superwoman Wannabe
I have a picture in my head of myself as a wife and mother. It involves basic elements of housewifery which I know are my responsibility – cooking, doing laundry, cleaning, and making beds. My mental image also includes much more than the basics.
Every morning, I will rise early, get ready for the day, and have a two-hour devotional study with a lit candle and a cup of tea, steam curling gently upwards. I will bid farewell to my husband as he leaves for work, handing him his carefully-prepared lunch as he walks out the door. I will tend to my cute and content children all day as the sun shines through my spotless windows. I will bake homemade bread, add a few decorative touches to my decor, knit an afghan, write a freelance article, make a meal for another family, go shopping with my stock of coupons, and have a delicious and nutritional meal on the table by the time my husband comes home from work. And of course, I will do all of this while looking beautiful and having a kind word for everyone who comes my way.
Exaggerated or not, I think most women have a standard in their heads of themselves as Superwoman. The key trigger to discontentment in this area, I find, is comparison. I see wonderful accomplishments by other wives and mothers, so I get frustrated with myself and wonder why my home isn’t perfectly decorated, my belongings aren’t completely unpacked, and my husband makes his own dinner because I’m nauseated.
I am so blessed by the many godly examples who surround me. And I don’t want to make excuses for myself and slip into laziness and not care about my home at all just because I can’t do everything. Both extremes are a temptation. But I might as well accept right now that I’m never going to be Superwoman, because it’s not going to get any easier from here on out!
Besides, if I was Superwoman, I wouldn’t rely on Christ to be my sufficiency. I’m so slow to remind myself that He is my perfection before the Father to atone for my sins, and He is my strength every day when all I am is weak. I don’t want those truths to become platitudes in my heart! It all comes back to Jesus. He came to save me from my sins, and teach me to look away from myself and always to Him. That’s all that matters.
Good thoughts
I do the same thing! My mental picture of what I want to be is alot like yours – but it hardly ever happens that way. I do some of those things; I do get to make my husband lunch every morning and I try to keep the house picked up and make my husband dinner when I’m home. But then there are those days that I work and I can’t be home to make dinner before my husband gets home (about three days a week right now), the house never seems to be spotless, and sometimes I just don’t have time to do everything that I want to do! Then I spend alot of time beating myself up for not being a good wife. I appreciate your reminder to let the Lord help us through our weaknesses and just the everyday tasks. And that it’s okay if we aren’t SuperWives.
Very true! Good post…thank you!
Hi Anna! Wow…congrats on your marriage AND your baby!! That’s so exciting!! Thanks for the reminder that comparison is dangerous…and that our imperfections remind us of our need for God. It’s something I often forget even though I’m not married yet…and it’s something that I know I’ll need to remember if/when I do get married!
My husband and I will celebrate 23 years of marriage in July and we have 2 daughters, ages 19 and 14. Congratulations on your marriage and new baby on the way. It will not always be easy, but you are wise for realizing that it is OK not to be Superwoman. Rely on God to get you through.
Doesn’t every girl want to grow up to be the perfect housewife? You hit the nail on the head on this one. Comparison is a pit. I can fall into this as a daughter at a home. I think, “There is so much more I need to be doing!” But then, I know I need to lean on the Lord, not be lazy, and endeavor to do my best. Thank you for this post!
I love this post (and your new design!). Perspective is so important.
Very wise words! Congratulations on your blessing…I just read that you are expecting! How exciting! I was very sick…with all 4 of mine…I will be praying that the nausea ends soon! I know what it feels like.
SO true that if you were superwoman, you wouldn’t see your need for Christ. They key as wives/mothers…always seeing our need for Christ. Good for me to be reminded of as I sometimes grit my teeth and only see getting through the day/mere survival as my goal with my two little ones when Christ says I can have so much better than that if I only look to Him!:)