Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Pedestals

On my heart and mind this weekend is this idea of pedestals. After reading Joy's post, a phone call from a friend a week ago and other comments - it seems that this is something on several minds and hearts at the moment.

Ladies, are we putting one another that we read about through our blogs up on pedestals? Are we looking at one another and noticing that she has a beautifully decorated home, well planned events, is a great cook, has well behaved children or a thoughtful husband and feeling like we don't have those things?

God has uniquely gifted us - He has made us in HIS image! He looked at His creation and said it was good. When we wish we were like someone else or had different gifts or talents, is that honoring the way He created us?

I like to picture each of us as a puzzle piece that God gave a specific shape and purpose - we fit together to make a beautiful picture as a whole - but if we decide we want to be a different piece, the picture won't end up beautiful.

There are many wonderful things we can learn from one another, ideas we can share, encouragement and friendship. This is wonderful and is really why I love blogging!

We must make sure that our measuring stick is God and His Word. When we read other blogs and begin to feel discontent with who we are or what God has blessed us with - we must return to His Word. When we read an idea or thought we love - let's take it to God and measure it against His Word and make sure it is His will for us, for our home, for our family, for our situation!

Let's save those pedestals for elevating His Word, the light of His truth and the glory of His name to those around us!

38 comments:

Anonymous said...

Beautiful post Monica. Thank you for those words. HAve a blessed day!

Char in Mount Airy, NC

Leanne said...

Thanks for that reminder, Monica. I know I often learn the most from other bloggers when they reveal their struggles and challenges versus all their accomplishments! I enjoy your blog so much! But I really love when you share your heart!
Have a great day!
Leanne in Indiana

Christi said...

A lovely post, Monica & a great reminder!

Anonymous said...

Excellent post!!! I have put special people on pedestals or as i like to *see* it now *Glass House*. Only to find glass houses break!! It was my fault, cause i am the one who built that *glass house* around that person. When i saw their inperfection it hurt, bad. Wisdom comes with age(hopefully) and experience. I now have a clearer understanding when the scripture says *we all fall short of the Glory of God*, no one is perfect and we ought not expect them to be. Let us love and esteem one another. Let us be encouraged by one another. Let us not expect( or by wrong thinking) believe anyone has it all together. What a blessing we are able to *know* one another and be sharpened and challenged and encouraged and except and understand we all have the good and the bad and the ugly;-)!!!! If you see someone who is doin well in one area encourage them and be encouraged by them. But when they have difficulties or hard times love them, pick them up, knowing with God's grace and love and mercy it will get better. I hope this all makes some sense :-). We ALL have purpose that God intended. He did not create everyone for the same purpose. He gives grace that we might know HIM and understand our purpose, but that purpose is for HIS glory. Praise God for ALL the beauty and good he has given. Also remembering we have a responsibility to right thinking and not *Building glass houses or pedestals*,this is an ongoing work in progress :-)!!!tammyp

Kellie said...

What a blessing your post is! Your encouragement means so much...a gentle and beautifully written reminder to be thankful for our lives, and enjoy our little "puzzle piece" that God has given us, no matter if that piece has nice straight lines, lovely curves, or if it's a little jaggged around the edges!

Anonymous said...

This speaks to my heart as I am having a huge problem with contentment. In fact I was just about to go look for all the passages about contentment in the Bible. My heart longs to be content but I do have a problem "reading" about everyone's lives and they just seem so much better and so much happier and then my heart started to be dis-contented. Is that a word? I feel the Lord is working with me and sometimes it isn't fun. Love you!!!

Kellie said...

Thank you for this post today. Sometimes I'm sitting here on my laptop, reading blogs, with a pile of clutter beside me on the table, and I get discouraged that my house doesn't look so perfectly decorated or I wonder how people find the time to be so June Cleaver-ish..

I needed this. It's a good reminder.

Linda said...

Amen to that!

Wendi said...

Well said! I struggle with contentment and sometimes have the attitude that I am not good enough. I dislike that I feel this way. Thanks for the reminder that it is okay to just be me... the unique individual God created.

MamaDuck76 said...

Oh, so true! Thanks for the reminder...and thanks for your honesty in recent posts, helping women to recognize that, while we all have good qualities, none of us are without fault.

I've truly enjoyed reading your blog in the last few months. Thanks for the effort you put into sharing your ideas and thoughts. :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Monica, and what a beautiful message, I discovered your blog through Crystal's and I love your blog and how it brings joy and inspiration into my life. Sometimes I envy your life but like you said in your post today, we all have gifts, I did not find mine yet but reading yours, it inspires me more to find mine. God bless you, you are an angel on my road.

fixedonHIM said...

What a great post and one I have been guilty of lately. The time I was devoting to the blogging land was becoming an issue as well.

Thank you for the reminder to use Him as the measuring stick for our lives. I appreciate your transparency so much Monica!

Blessings,
Denise

RT said...

Yes! It's so easy to put bloggers on pedestals, isn't it? I like to play a game with myself imagining what someone's giving up in order to blog or craft or write or take pictures. We all have 24 hours in a day. Some of us have clean living rooms to show for it, other have blog posts. LOL.

God bless you today, Monica! I hope you enjoy some good time with your family.

angie said...

Some words from your post will stick in my mind for a while:
we are all a piece of the puzzle, so we need to be shaped differently
and
let us save the pedastools to elevate our Lord
(my paraphrasing)
Amen!

Tracy said...

Monica,
What a great reminder. And you know, what truth- that we can end up doing injustice to what God's plan is for us to always be measuring up against one another. I love to read your blog for inspiration, but I have no craft bone in my body. I can get down about that, wishing I had more ability to create beautiful things for my family, but in this way lament about what I cannot do rather than remember that I have also been uniquely gifted...and should work on developing those skills. Then, instead of being overwhelmed by what others are great at, I can be inspired by the spirit with which they serve their family and our Lord. Thanks for all you are doing, Monica!

Elise said...

Well said, Monica!! I do tend to put others on a pedestal, when I know I shouldn't. I also know that God made me special{I need to remember that a lot}. It is tough sometimes though, when you think I wish I had so and so, or a better personality, looks, material possessions, etc. We are have gifts. I am reminded of the verse that goes something like we are all part of the body and equipped with different gifts and abilities.

Hope you have a great Tuesday!!
Elise

Amy said...

Wise words, Monica! I think it is important to remember that many of us put our best foot forward to inspire others and that it is far harder to share the worst foot. I consider my blog another little house filled with pretty things and that is many people choose to share about.

Anonymous said...

Very well articulated Monica. AMEN!

Heather said...

Hello Monica!
This is Heather in Ohio saying hi! Your blog and the other Christian homemaker blogs I read have encouraged me and have helped to provide a sense of community and contentment and inspiration to me over the months. Ours is an Undercover Calling, a hidden art, a life's pursuit which does not often provide mingling events or networking occasions where we can all meet and greet and brainstorm ideas and share a common table: your blog and others which are kindred to it help make up for that! :o) *smile* I really think that the blogs like yours are doing good among homemakers - I hope I speak for a lot of us when I say that. I have not struggled with putting any of you all on a pedestal, instead I have felt a common bond and have felt supported in my own efforts to run a beautiful home where God is honored and my husband is honored too. So thank you to you, Monica, and to other blog-writers like you! God is using your efforts in a big way. These are rough times for homemakers and we need to soak up encouragement. Sincerely, Heather

Unknown said...

A HEARTY AMEN, MONICA!!! The Bible is the best standard we can live by, I so agree and daily try to remember that truth! Thanks for your thoughts!

Katie @ Domestic Debacle said...

This was such an inspirational post! Thank you for the reminder.

Anonymous said...

Wise and true words, Monica. I think we can all relate to the pedestal problem, in one way or another. Thank you for sharing from your heart.

Nancy at EmbroideryIt.com said...

Hi Monica,
I wanted to let you know just how much I enjoy reading your blog. I found you a little while back and have been reading your thoughts and craft ideas from past posts. One that really spoke to me that I implemented was your Prayer Jars where you wrote "pray" for one jar and "prayed" for another jar. I tweaked your idea and put it to use with my baskets. I'm participating this week on a Crafty Tuesday blog. I made my "prayer basket" from your idea and gave you credit for it on my 2 blogs that I posted it on. (one of my blogs is on basket weaving and the other on gracious and thoughtful living.
Keep up the wonderful work.
Blessings,
Nancy
www.basketmasterweavings.blogspot.com
and
http://nancyscomfortablecottageliving.blogspot.com/

Bethany said...

Thank you for the timely post. It's so easy to look at the little glimpse of other peoples' lives that we can see on their blog and elevate them to some super human position. I often forget that we're not seeing the full picture. Thanks for sharing your heart.

Anonymous said...

Oh, boy, are you speaking to me! I am trying to be contented, but it is so hard. For example, I would love to have homeschooled, but that was not an option for me. I would love to make bread, cookies, etc... from scratch, but I don't have the time or energy left to do so. There is so much I wish I could do, that because of my circumstances, I can't. That has been very hard for me to reconcile.

Liz said...

Wow! I just posted about this and then came to see you posted about the SAME THING in more eloquent words. Maybe God's Spirit is moving to free us all! Amen and praise HIM!

Mary Ann said...

Well said. I have often struggled with feelings of inadequacy, as most every one does. Blogging can bring some of these feelings to the forefront, too, if I am not careful. I try to remember that blogging only shows one aspect of a person's life. None of us are going to show or tell everything, no matter how "real" of a blogger you are.

This is a great reminder to keep God in the highest place.

Blessings, Monica!

Joy @ SAH Missionary said...

Amen sister! I'm glad that all of this chatting about comapring ourselves with others has encouraged so many people! I love how you are so real. I appreciate you so much!!!
Blesssings,
Joy

Anonymous said...

What a gift you possess. The ability to take words and give comfort and reassurance. I read a quote this morning, can't remember who said it but it goes like this..."When troubles and heartache come your way, put your trust in God and go on to the next thing." That quote had special meaning to me as did your blog for today. Thanks!

BlueCastle said...

Very excellent post! I think it's something a lot of us women do almost unconsciously. Thank you for the reminder.

e.m. said...

Well written! Thank you for the reminder to just be.

Me said...

Thank you, Monica.

I have been struggling with this lately, and I really appreciate this post!

On the flip side, I feel that it is o.k. and even good to realize something that we are good at. We spend so much time cutting ourselves down and giving into Satan’s proddings that “I am not good enough”, that we can find ourselves in the depths of despair. I thought of this the other day when, after watching some old home videos, I came to a nice realization that I was actually good at X. I felt that among all my faults, I really did a good job at X. Of course, I was able to do well because the Lord gave me certain qualities, and I acknowledge that.

Library Girl,

I can relate to you when you said…” I have felt a common bond and have felt supported in my own efforts to run a beautiful home where God is honored and my husband is honored too. I definitely feel that way and so look forward to my time at the end the day when I can find peace among the different Christian blogs that I visit. I want to say thank you to all who inspire me and lift me up!

Ginger,

Please don’t feel alone. Though it may not make it easier, I can relate to you all too well. I often wish that my circumstances were different, and I bemoan where I am in life because of this or that that did or didn’t happen. It is very hard when you wish that you could turn back time but can’t.

That “no energy or time left” rings all too clear. We need to keep reading our scriptures and praying continuously; I know it’s hard. You are in my prayers. :)

Anonymous said...

Yes I do this! I even you up on a Pedestal. Infact I was just thinking about this as I was working on some things this moring. The thought that pop into my mind is "It is by small and simple things that great things are accomplished" I stopped to take note of those small things I have done already today for my family. We are all so different and at different stages of life. We each offer something and I am grateful for your reminder of this. Have a great Day!

Mrs. JP said...

Hey thanks for this blog and this post especially. I'm pretty new to this and it's so easy to look through special pictures of different things and say "wow that's cool I want that or even worse I want that life!" How very ungrateful that is to my Father who has provided such a wonderful life for me. Amen and blessings to you from the holler :O)

*carrie* said...

Monica,

This post was similar to a recent one of Mer's and I thought you'd be interested to stop by: http://www.lifeat7000feet.com/2009/02/not-so-light-and-happy.html

Anonymous said...

Let me tell you a quote my young son told me once after a religion class. I was asking what he has learned today, and he said: "Mommy do you know why I am very special?", so I give him all the great reasons I could think of, then he said "no Mommy....I am special because God does not make junk". I thought this was such a sweet thing to hear from such a small child, and so true for all of us. We are all special in our own way, because we all were created by the BEST.

Robin said...

This is so true, Monica. Thanks for sharing. I have enjoyed reading your blog for a while.

Robin

Renee said...

Monica~

A very beautiful and truthful post. Many times it seems that everyone has it together so much in fact that there is not a stich out of place, a dish in the sink. In reality everyday we have unexpected things that happen to us, we have meltdowns, and days that just don't seem to be pedastal material.

Hugs~ Renee
Mama of four~ 14,6,5,and 3 yrs.