During the intro for of one of the speakers at the Women of Faith conference last month, they asked the speaker what quality she valued most in a friend.
She answered loyalty, but my answer was a resounding…
realness
If you want to win me over/endear me for life, let me see your imperfections… do me a favor, don’t clean before you invite me over…show up to my house for a play date late… with a head full of wet hair… let me see your van full of cheerios and wrappers and those “lovely” Sunday School papers which seem to multiply and grow wings and threaten to over take your car. I love it when I find out I’m not alone… when I realize I am not the only mom who doesn’t have it all together, who meant well, who had good intentions… those people that pull away the façade and bear their imperfections, those are the ones I am drawn towards… the ones I feel a connection with… the ones I want to spend more time with.
This year, at the women of faith conference, I felt like the speakers did just that.
Ok, so they didn’t exactly get on stage in their snot covered yoga pants…but they did share their hearts. They told of their fears and their failures… they were honest and real. And they did it for the glory of God. They shared of His triumph and hope in their very real, very messy lives.
And it was refreshing.
My mom and I were able to attend the Women of Faith conference in Washington DC thanks to Book Sneeze. Even though Hurricane Irene was heading our way, Mom and I got to enjoy some time away from our everyday responsibilities. We rode the Metro, we went to dinner, we walked around the city… and we attended the conference. We were inspired, encouraged, entertained, and refreshed. And we were led in worship of our awesome Creator God who was, and is, and is to come. It was a great weekend and I am so thankful for the opportunity we had to go.
The Sunday School papers take over my van too!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAgreed! And that is why I love your blog, Crystal! It is real and it reminds me desperately of my own life!!!
ReplyDeleteYep! I definitely have not got it all together since having kids and most days I can say that's okay because my kids are going to remember the memories that we are making not the state of our cluttered house or their disheveled momma. The dishes sometimes take to long to get in the dishwasher, the laundry sometimes never makes it out of the laundry baskets and my car...a whole different story from my pre-kid days. But to be 100%, some days the chaos overwhelms me and I really have to step back and remind myself this will pass.
ReplyDeleteI love reading your blog because you do not hide this very real side of parenthood and the love for your family shines through.
Thanks for being willing to share.
Thank you so much for taking me with you to the WOF conference. I had such a wonderful time with you!! I also left so refreshed and encouraged. Just love that praise music time :-) Nothing like angelic voices of thousands of women filling an auditorium to give you a glimpse of heaven.
ReplyDeletehahaha- "snot covered yoga pants". The funiest thing about that is the way it crystalizes when it dries! It's like a special kind of "bling".
ReplyDeleteSo exciting that you were able to attend that and with your mom! I can't imagine how cool both must have been! Glad it was refreshing and uplifting for you both!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how I feel about the strong need I now have to send you a picture of the inside of my closet...the one that has laundry baskets stacked to high heaven filled with clothes that need put away...er, okay...and folded too.
And I betcha I have a pair of yoga pants covered in something...