I want a good life. A happy life. Don’t we all? Don’t we all want a life that is Facebook worthy? One that is full and that we are proud of?
I bought into the lie that I must be good…
I need a marriage that is free of arguments and disagreements.
My house must be tidy and well decorated.
The children must excel at academics and sports. They must obey and look clean at all times.
There needs to be a list of the things I do to contribute to my school, my church, my community.
I must be a good wife, good mother, good friend, good volunteer, a good girl.
I must live up to all the standards people have of being good. If I am not good at all of it, can I have a good life?
The Truth
BUT here is the truth, the honest truth, if we would truly allow it to seep into our hearts. A good life comes from doing the hard and the ugly and the mundane in a good way!
I want to live in a way that I know what my gifts are and use them to better another’s life. And where I accept my weaknesses and allow other people to better me. I want to love people deeply and let people love me!
I want a house that may be a mess, but invites others in.
A marriage that is not perfect, but shares the joy in working through the struggles.
Children who get it wrong, but are learning with every mistake.
I want to share my life and have an openness that I don’t have it all together.
To not be good, but a devoted wife, a growing mother, a present friend!
A True Good Life
I don’t think the American dream is to pretend to be good or to have the perfect life. A true, full life is not about being good at everything. It is letting yourself be real and raw! It is choosing to see good in what we do and then asking others for their good to fill the parts that we fail at.
Then it is a worthy, authentic, shareable, GOOD GOOD life!
