Confession

The Maxwell Family

The Duggar Family

I have a confession to make. My family is not perfect and in the midst of my homeschooling years I have lost who I am in Christ and compared myself and my family to other families.

The two families above are wonderful families that many homeschool families strive to be. I know this because just in my small circle these families are truly idolized and every last thing they do or say is hung upon. I myself was there, wondering if my family was truly a "godly family" because we didn't do things the way they did. They seem so perfect, well groomed, and their children just so sweet and obedient.

But amidst all of that, I lost myself, my husband lost the joy in his life and my kids were frazzled as I changed things on them constantly trying to be the "perfect, godly family." Looking back I lost 2 years of myself with my family because of my idolizing of others.

God says we shall have no other gods before him, and you know what, these two families were placed on a pedestal in my heart as something to be attained.

Since then, I have reclaimed myself and gone through drastic measures to do so. I am very careful with whom I am with, what I read, and what I see, because i know my own weakness and temptation and I don't want to fall into that trap again!

I have come to realize in my heart, that my God is an Awesome God! He is so creative and passionate about His work, and myself was created in His image. There are personality traits that I have that God gave me, things I enjoy that God gave me, I am a colorful portrait of Him. I just need to rest in that and reflect His image each day the best that I can.

I always tell my kids that they are God's walking art work, each one created uniquely for Him and for His glory. I think I need to tell myself that one every once in awhile too. :)

Please don't take what I am writing the wrong way, God has called each family to be His own, but I don't think that God wants all families to be the same, dress the same, listen to music the same, homeschool the same, etc. All families were created with His great design in mind. We all have unique gifts that are lights to a lost world. That is what I have learned in my journey.

God bless to all, I hope this encourages you to always seek God before you seek others.

Below is a wonderful post from Stacy McDonald. It really helped me.

The Myth of the Perfect Family
By Stacy McDonald

Paul says in Titus 2 that the aged women are to teach the young women, among other things, to love their husbands and children, and to be "keepers at home." If we decide it's true that we as women are called by God to love and serve our families and keep our homes, then we as Christian women should do it wholeheartedly, because we're also told in Colossians that, "Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ" (Colossians 3:23-24).

It's true; some days seem overwhelming. There are times when child rearing is just plain old "hard work." Try as we might, our houses never stay perfectly clean, and each of our children is disobedient at least once every day. We could throw up our hands on those difficult mornings and claim for ourselves a day of defeat and failure, but God has a higher calling for us and sanctifies us through the day-to-day challenges.

We're not to serve God by pretending life is easy for us or that we have it all down perfectly, because it's not and we don't. The world needs an honest depiction of real down-to-earth people living out real life to the glory of God. Unbelievers will see God in us when we demonstrate contentment wherever He has us, when they see the peace He gives us in trials, and when we give rather than take.

Don't Blame Your Idols for Your Idolatry!

Don't make the mistake of elevating anyone else to perfection status either. The family you've put up on a pedestal more than likely didn't ask to be put there and won't be very pleased when they feel themselves crash to the floor after you discover for yourself they are fallible humans, just like the rest of us. No matter what it looks like from your vantage point, the people in the family you've idolized still sin, the children aren't perfect, the mom sometimes says unkind things, the father speaks in sinful anger from time to time, and their family creates messes that have to be cleaned, just like yours does.

Instead of wishing you could have a "really godly family" like that spit-and-polished family at church, consider the great gift of your own family and pray together that God would use you to serve one another, and others, to the glory of God. Each family has its own flavor or scent, spiritually speaking; and your family is no exception.It is imperative that we live out the gospel consistently in every area of our lives, especially in our families.

Not because it will make us happier or more fulfilled; our primary purpose is not to have children who will turn out smarter or godlier; or marriages that will be more satisfying; though all of those things may happen."Our primary purpose is to "glorify God and enjoy Him forever!"* We must display to the world an honest depiction of Christ and His Bride; we must prove to the heathen that God is real and that He is awesome, good, just, merciful, powerful, pure, holy, and magnificent!

Our purpose in doing this must be to bring glory to God. If we have selfish, prideful motives in what we do, we'll be left empty and won't wind up "enjoying God" at all. All of your family's talents, personalities, and gifts work together to bring a unique offering to the church and to others. Instead of focusing on your blemishes, thank God for His grace and mercy and pray that your own family scent would be a sweet aroma to the Lord.

And rather than coveting what God has done in another family, praise God for our differences, remembering that they too have their own blemishes that God must deal with.As you live out the day-to-day as a wife and mother, nurturing your family, helping your husband, training your children, being industrious, creating a God-scented home, I pray you learn to be more than a content and happy homemaker-I pray you become a passionate housewife!