I enjoyed Blissom, an awesome conference for bloggers to learn more about the business side of blogging, this past weekend. While at the conference one my friends and I were texting as she wanted more info about where I was, based on some of the pictures and things I was posting on Facebook and Twitter. She said and I quote “I’ve never been one to be impressed by celebrity sightings and their hoopla but there is something about the small bloggers that make you feel like you just want to pull up a chair and have a cup of coffee. It’s probably the fact that they let you in on the realness. Good, Bad, and ugly.” and it made me think about where I am as a blogger. Do I only share the “good?” and are the things I share only to save you money? I hope not. I have learned over the course of the past few years that it is the “bad” or “ugly” things in my life that have been catalyst for the biggest blessings. I am not a Debbie Downer type person and don’t enjoy dwelling on the negative, however I hope that I can, from time to time, share my struggles and challenges in my journey thru life in an effort to grow with you as a reader of my blog.
A few weeks ago, my hubby and I spoke at a Marriage Retreat and shared about our marriage journey. We did not take this lightly, as we had hoped to bury the past and never share the hurt that we had experienced a few years ago. God had other plans. As we dug deep and journeyed back thru our 12 years of marriage, we were able to see how some of our biggest blessings came from broken pots. We are not perfect people, nor did we come from perfect families that had it all figured out. In fact, we both came from families who had experienced divorce and struggled to become well adjusted blended families. We had no clue how to “do marriage” when we got married. Pretending to know what to do didn’t last long and our imperfections quickly caused communication issues. These were only amplified when we journeyed thru infertility, miscarriage, out of state moves, loss of loved ones, job loss, and infidelity.
We tried so very hard to hide all of these imperfections and be perfect…plastic. I’m not sure what about others made us want to be perfect, but it was a standard that we had set for ourselves…that was unreachable in every way. Yet day after day, we strived for it. Recently my friend, Philip shared this story with us and I think it’s beautiful and I can visualize it. From the view point of a broken pot.
What value am I to you if everytime you bring me from the well and carry water back into town you lose half of the water, because of my broken, cracked areas? How come you don’t throw me aside or trade me for one that is complete and without blemish. The carrier of the broken pot then pointed out the road traveled, where the water had been spilled by this pot…and it was lined with beautiful flowers. From the brokeness came life.
I want to be this example. I want my rough areas that need the most growth to be shimers of light and love for others. To be hope. The fact of the matter is that I AM NOT PERFECT and I struggle with many things. It is my job to grow thru these things, to gain wisdom and help others who journey behind, or beside me. This is why I love my church so much. The pastors are very clear that there are “No Perfect People Allowed.” That intentionality to be REAL and not try to be perfect and plastic is so refreshing. I don’t have 100% well behaved kids, I don’t always eat 100% healthy, I can not be all things to all people…and that is okay! I am stronger because of my struggles. My marriage is stronger because we walked thru fire, my kids are being guided with grace instead of judgement, and are told it’s okay to not be perfect.
Broken Pots have brought me big blessings and for that I am thankful. What struggles have you experienced that have turned out to be HUGE blessings? Why do you follow the blogs you follow? Is it because you feel like they are “real” people who are on the same journey thru life with you?
