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Flawed

I like order. I can relax when all the throw pillows are in order and coiffed on the couch. I like when all the toys are organized in all their little bins in the playroom. And, oh-how-I-love clean floors. I like when my house has no flaws. But, let's be real. I live with boys. I can't count the number of times I have gone to sit on the toilet and sat in pee. There are light sabers thrown about and you have to dodge Legos when you head upstairs. Two of my kids are drop-and-go kids so I'll find shoes in the middle of the stairs, back packs dropped where ever they stop, and socks and underwear stuffed in some of the most bizarre places. I have learned that these flaws don't make my house any less beautiful. Yes, I probably won't be asked to do a photo spread in Better Home and Gardens. But that doesn't mean the beauty has eroded. If anything, the toys and socks and Legos bring life to the space which, in turn, makes it beautiful.

I am nearing the bend to forty and while I am excited about this (truly I am), I still see the things that come with aging. The laugh lines don't go away when I stop smiling. I have to exercise a little harder and eat a little better. I don't heal as quickly from injury. It's easy to see my flaws. It's actually easier for me to see what's wrong with me more than what's right. The flaws speak louder than the beautiful things.

Just because I am flawed does not make me any less beautiful. I think as women, as humans, we think our flaws disqualify us. We lose are validity and purpose because of our flaws. When a friend points out a flaw in us whether it be something we are doing to hurt them, others, or ourselves, we tend to immediately jump to the conclusion that we are too broken and such a mess that we no longer have purpose. Can I tell you right now that that is a bold faced lie?!

We are beautiful in spite of our flaws. We are beautiful BECAUSE of our flaws. Our imperfections are what makes us beautiful. They make us relatable to others giving us value and purpose. If we weren't flawed or a broken mess, Jesus sacrifice would have been pointless. We need to start realizing that we need our flaws; that our imperfections give our lives the purpose God intended. They write our story and are what makes us so great and unique.

Too often we want to run and hide from our flaws. We buy Spanks and the latest wrinkle cream to keep that wretched thing called aging at bay. We hide and run from our wrong-doings because facing them is scary and we think if we own our mess the world will hate us.

Be bold in your flaws. That the mess work itself out in you. Let it grow you, guide you, and mature you. See your flaws as your beauty just as Christ's scars are beautiful to us. Those wrinkles mean you've been blessed to live long enough to have them. That problem you can't overcome and have victory over is to be used by God to help a friend in a few months. Hold on. Be patient. That mess you made in that relationship? That's to grow you so you will be able to have sweet, deep, meaningful fellowship with the people in your life.

Don't run from your flaws. Don't try to hide them. They will always find you. The make-up will wear off. The mask will get too heavy to wear. See your flaws as God sees them: a story of redemption that brings the focus back to a Savior.

Love & Blessings,
Meg

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