Booger Pocket

Everyone has had one; that weird little pocket within a pocket on the hip of your jeans. Being a practical gal, they always annoyed me-I mean, what were they for? And those little rivets would always get too hot from the dryer and would burn as I hopped into them. Never fail. And don't even get me going on clothing that puts extra bulk on the hips--who likes that?  All that fuss is to say, I had no use for the thing.

But I have made peace with the awkward, little pocket; and have officially designated it as the Booger Pocket. It finally has a function.

I should probably backup about fourteen years.

Here's the scene: I'm the new girl at church with a four year old. I didn't know any of the lingo, I didn't know any Bible addresses, and I was painfully aware that I'm conspicuously single in a very family orientated environment. This made me uber self- conscious. I'd look around at the families, certain that their lives were perfect.
 I on the other hand, didn't know the first thing about Christ-centered parenting or keeping a godly home. So I kept a healthy distance from people, keeping conversations surfacey. Nothing personal.

One day after Sunday school, a sweet and talkative lady struck up a conversation with me as we were picking up our kids.
When out of the blue, her little guy bull rushed her and promptly picked his nose, and stuck his boogery finger in her tiny hip pocket. We laughed and agreed that at least it was good for something!

Something happened in that moment. We stood there stripped of pretenses, enjoying a moment of messy motherhood. Those moments when kids surprise you with their impulses, and leave you with a loss for words.
What a relief! Maybe I wasn't the only mom with soggy cereal bowls on the counter, and four days laundry heaped by the washer. 
And maybe I wasn't being scrutinized or critiqued. Maybe my worst enemy was myself.
And it took the pressure off. I was trying to live up to an ideal that doesn't exist this side of heaven.

Here's the deal, we all push against sin daily in our homes in one form or another. Isn't it comforting to know that we are all need in of God's glorious grace?!That means we are level at the cross. And the only standard I have for perfection is Jesus Himself. So I ought not compare myself to those around me, because they struggle just like I do, in one way shape or form.
Do you know how I know this?
Because the cross had to happen.
When we realize that we are bound together in the Gospel, it frees us up to be supportive, real, and weak. That's where the real power is.

"The only contribution we make to our salvation is the sin that makes it necessary" - William Temple 

Now, I'm not saying that this gives us permission to to be lazy, and fore go instruction or discipline. Obviously, we have to take good, intentional care of those who were entrusted to us. 
But let us do this in a manner free of competition or any those prideful, little things that can chip away at relationships with other mamas who might have strengths where we are weak. And it's
OK to ask for help. That's what the Body is made for.

The more this sinks in- we can walk in joy and laugh together in the messy moments of mommy hood.