Authentic Momma

    "Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." Proverbs 31:30

      I had to go to town yesterday morning, with the kids, to run a few errands. It was cold. I don't do well in the cold. I'm a bit reptilian in the sense that when it gets cold I stop moving as much as possible. Then again maybe I'm more bear-like because I tend to put on those winter pounds for hibernation, except that I don't hibernate. Anyway, back to the trip to town.

     Let me paint you a picture: I'm feeling a little fluffy these days, not sure why. I'm sure it's not because of the many desserts I partook of this Christmas season, and it can't be the fact that I like to cook with real butter and grease. In any case, the fluff and the cold prompted me to dress extra warm and comfy. I had on jeans, warm, but not so cute boots, a college sweatshirt and a ball cap to cover my frizzy hair; frizzy because I washed it the night before and didn't dry it….poof, a chia pet on my head. Remember that look as I tell the story. 

     I loaded up the kids and myself and headed to town. One look in my visor mirror told me that I wasn't going to win any beauty contests that day, my face was blotchy and I have a few visitors of the bumpy kind camped out on my chin. Oh well, I'm just going to the library and Walmart. I ran a few errands feeling pretty good about my efficiency and then we pulled into the library parking lot. I saw the car of a friend of mine, with the friend in it. Now this friend is one that always looks perfectly dressed, never has a blemish, and is thin to boot. Great, I thought. So I unloaded the boys, one of which had a minor accident, but we didn't have time to dwell so headed inside. I waved as she looked up to see us, but she didn't get out. "Whew, don't have to feel inadequate," ran through my mind. Library was a success, now onto Walmart. 

     Shopped in record time but still managed to spend $90…and I even stuck to my list. I'm a little depressed about the speed at which my money is leaving my hands, but that's another story. I exited Walmart and unloaded the groceries, wondering how I could have spent less. Then I put Cooper in the car and grabbed Ace out of the basket. He promptly spit up all over my hand and as I looked around, who walked up to chat but my perfectly dressed friend. 

     I smiled and said hello, while holding the spit up best I could and keeping an eye on the one in the car that could tee tee at any moment. Of course she didn't have any kids with her…preschool…so she was relaxed and ready to chat. As she talked about doing her Bible study in the car at the library I kept wondering if she saw the spit up in my hand and was ignoring it, or had I done a good job of hiding it? I tried to make conversation while Ace wriggled in my arms, thinking how spastic I must look, but smiling the whole time. 

     Then she tossed her perfectly styled hair over the shoulder of her very stylish and probably size XS coat and all I could think was "Is my frizz ball visible?" and "Why did I wear this bulky sweater?" We chatted for a moment more and then she walked away, confident and calm. 

    Not having time to dwell (good thing), I found something to wipe off the spit up, put the boys in their carseats and headed home. As I prepared to back away I took a quick peek in the visor mirror, just in case I had miraculously transformed into a put together diva in 5 minutes. No such luck…my wrinkled, blotchy face stared back at me, and the frizz ball appeared around my shoulders. I remembered that God is teaching me humility this season and laughed it off. 

     When I got home Dalton met me at the car door. I recounted the story, adding some humorous faces and "Arrr harr harrs" for emphasis. He started laughing really loud, which made me feel good. At least I have humor on my side.

    And then he said "That makes you an authentic Momma." And I thought "Hmmm, I think I like that."   

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit which is of great worth in God's sight." 1 Peter 3:3-4
(So I still need to work on the quiet spirit part!)