Dear Courtney, How Do You Do It All?
Dear Courtney…How do you do it all?
I get asked this question ALL.THE.TIME! If I had a quarter for every time this question came into my inbox I’d be a wealthy woman!!! It comes in many different forms – some are skeptics, others want to know the specifics of my menu planning or cleaning schedules while others ask in such a way that it almost seems that my blogging discourages them…they are comparing themselves to me and feeling like they are falling short. 🙁 This is the LAST thing I ever wanted my blogging to turn into. So this blog post is for those who are being WAY too hard on yourselves and possibly thinking more well of me than you ought.
Every year in the fall, I share a photo of my doorstep here on my blog. I love taking the kids to pick up pumpkins – lots of them, and mums – lots of them and a big hay bale. Then I pull out my fall wreathe and we create a little fall space on our front porch as we usher in autumn.
So last week a long time friend stopped by…she got confused as to which house was mine. The next door neighbor has a house very similar to mine, only their flowers are immaculate. She was sure that that must be my house. Her husband insisted it was not the correct house but they were confused because my house had red, white and blue decorations on the door step and broken flower pots. So our phone rang and her husband asked my husband sheepishly which house is ours and my husband directed them to our house. My friend asked – what’s up with the red, white and blue? Did I decorate for the election? lol!!! Nooooooooooo – I just have not gotten my 4th of July decorations down yet UGH!!!
So lest I lead anyone into thinking I have it all together – I DO NOT!!! My flower pots (which had beautiful toparary trees in them all summer long) froze during the night – a gush of wind came, blew the pots over and they crashed into pieces…and I didn’t even bother to clean up the pots for about 5 days! I was just too busy! And the 4th of July wreathe had lost its shimmer from the fading of the summer sunlight. And this is what greeted our friends!
Just this past weekend I finally got my pumpkins and mums on the porch! But I still can’t find my fall wreathe or door mat – I need to go digging in our basement closet…maybe I’ll do that this weekend. It’s a work in progress!
I simply don’t do it all.
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.~ Ephesians 2:10
I believe that blogging is the good work God created in advance for me to do. There’s no glory here for me to take. I should not be lifted on a pedastal as some kind of super woman who does it all. Cause I don’t!
I am a wife, mama, and homemaker just like you all and my house is clean about 1 or 2 days a week…the rest of the days it’s a tornado until I clean again. Isn’t it amazing how quickly a clean house returns to a dirty one – wah! 🙁 So sad!
Like those of you who have a gift of singing or playing an instrument – it comes easy to you – it’s a joy. Writing is like this for me – I can write a post in 25 minutes flat AND it’s a joy…it’s easy.
It’s the other stuff that is SO hard for me! Like cleaning up broken pots! lol!
I don’t do it all.
To some that will disappoint you and to others it will be a huge relief!
I make whoppers of mistakes like not showing up in the nursery on the right Sunday to work and everyone wondering where I’m at *blush* or like this past Sunday showing up to work in the nursery to work and it’s NOT my Sunday. (the 2nd and 4th Sunday are my weeks…someone remind me please lol!) Once I thought it was heritage night at Sunday evening church and the kids were told to dress up representing their heritage. So, I dressed Alexis up as an adorable little hungarian girl…a week too early! SO embarrassing!
2 weeks ago, it was picture day at our Classical Conversations class – I forgot. Typically for a picture day, I would have had the kids all dolled up and Lexi would have her hair in bows and curls…but not on that Tuesday – she was in a sweatshirt with her hair pulled back! Oops!
Clearly, I need to LOOK at the calendar that I write all these things down on!!! But I’m not super woman – I forget, I fly by the seat of my pants and I let others down. 🙁
Remember that when you click “follow” on facebook or twitter – that you are simply following a flawed follower of Christ – nothing more. If you need a friend to journey along side of you in your life long pursuit of following Jesus – I’m in. But if you are trying to be like me…this is going to backfire – I am going to fail you and you will hate me in the end.
Walk with the King, 
I love this post. 🙂 Thanks for sharing it.
AMEN! We can never possibly do it all. It sometimes looks like it when we post pretty pics and write incredible things, but actually we are not there and never will be. It’s a little dreamland online sometimes. Thanks for sharing!
LOVE!! 🙂
COURTNEY! Thank you for this friend 🙂 You sound so much like me. I’m constantly forgetting things, and rely heavily on my friends to keep my mom calendar in check. I’m so grateful that they don’t mind helping me 🙂
It’s good to know that I’m not the only one like this.
This just makes you even more beautiful and precious in the eyes of those who read your blog and in our Father’s eyes. I love people who are open and honest. I get asked this question a lot and I say the same thing. Some days things go smoothly and other days Momma is a mess. It is on those days that I’m falling apart that God’s grace with shine down on me and others can see I’m just like them. A woman who lives day by day living to serve her God. God bless you, Courtney.
Thank you so much for this. You have no idea how much it means to me and I really needed to hear this today!
Fun post…I get this question a lot too and my answer is always, “How do I do it all? I don’t! God gets credit for any good in me!”
Love your heart and love this post! Thanks for your encouragement, being real and giving all the glory to God!
Ahhhh, I feel so much better. I hate reading the list of things a woman has accomplished and still feels great. It makes me feel they want a pat on the back. I can go to bed now knowing it is OK if I am tired and didn’t get it all done today. Thank you.
I am eager to read this to my Resolution for Women girlfriends on Wed night……this week our resolution is about being AUTHENTICALLY ME!
Amen Courtney, I’m right there with ya my sister. Love you girl. Lynn
Courtney, this post just further shows your awesomeness! I’m a firm believer in being authentic! Love your blog, and thanks for sharing your real moments….I still think you probably handle them with more grace than a lot of us, which is part of what sets you apart.
PS-Glad to see you back more often 🙂 I hope the small break you allowed yourself was just what you needed to get through a busy, demanding time in your life.
That’s what I love about you so much. You are real. A real woman with real issues who serves a real Savior. Love. 🙂
Rachel, I so had to post that quote to Facebook. Great words.
Get the same questions, too….love doing all the stuff God has called me to do, but keeping up w/the house doesn’t share the same passion and joy!
Don’t worry about the 4th of July stuff…I just took down our Easter bunny flag outside and replaced it w/a pumpkin one! 😉 Always thought about how I needed to change it every time I walked by it, but then I’d forget as soon as I walked inside and got lost in doing one of those joys!
Thanks for sharing!
You are absolutely precious in His Sight! Thank you so much for this post. BTW Your children are sooo beautiful! God Bless You!
The heritage night story was my favorite! I laughed out loud. 🙂 My preacher is widely known around the world, but when he gets up to preach he ALWAYS starts his sermon out praying that God would allow us to see Jesus, and just Jesus through him. We must separate the message of Christ from the messenger. Thanks for sharing this post!!
Thank you so much for this post. It does ‘appear” that you and the Proverbs 31 women have it all together and I am SO scattered. I feel like I can do a lot of things ok, not many of them very well, and none of them fast! It is comforting to know that “you Ladies” are more like us than we can imagine. I have often wondered how you have time to sit down and write like you do because I can’t focus on a grocery list or even my prayers.
I am thankful for your post today. Maybe I will feel less inadequate if I keep the points that you have shared in my mind. I also need to keep reminding myself that the perfectly groomed young mothers that can serve on every committee in the school, work out every day and have their children fed, bathed and in the bed by 9pm everynight and are probably not good at everything. Appearances can be deceiving and very discouraging! God did make all of us different for a reason. It just seems from the outside looking in that other people have it all together, maybe they don’t…
What’s that line about comparing our background scenes to someones highlight reel? I love this post. It’s 10 p.m. My husband has been putting in long hours (left at 5:30 a.m. and still isn’t home). My laundry isn’t folded yet, the bathrooms really need cleaned, there are plenty of things out of place..but I took a break to read your blog and some other of my favorites and then I’m going to bed to get the rest I need to not be a beast tomorrow. Nope..no one gets it “all” done. 🙂
Your blog has always encouraged me! Thank you!
God bless!
It’s comforting to know we are not alone. We are not perfect, but flawed lovers of Christ. I love this post thank you for being transparent and sharing your heart.
Love and blessings,
Adrienne R
So glad to hear this! It’s good that you can have a sense of humor about your mistakes (albeit a little while after the fact). I’m not quite able to laugh away today’s follies, but I’ll probably start tomorrow with a few smiles. 🙂
Whew!!! I feel so much better, knowing I am normal. : ) I love this post, and amen to nailing who we are.
God bless you friend!
Thanks for sharing!
Great post!
Dear Courtney,
I think this post is a very gracious gesture. However, as one of your long time readers, I think that we all must keep in mind that your site is called “Women Living Well”. It seems to me that your focus is on encouraging us women of God how to live well for Him, our husbands, our children, our communities and our selves. If every post of yours focused on your failures, your mistakes, your short-comings, your imperfections–we’d hardly be encouraged to live well. Instead, we’d feel discouraged and probably a bit annoyed that you complain so much! 🙂
My point is this: please continue to focus on the positive. Keep encouraging us to be the best and to do the best with what God has given us. I thank you for your sincerety and for “keeping it real” on this post. But, I don’t get the sense that your other posts are false or untrue or made up. I think you are real there, too. Keep doing as God would have you to do!
God bless you!
Thank you so much for this Courtney! Just the past few weeks I have been very down on myself, for this very thing! I suffer from a chronic immune illness, which in turn leaves me sick 98% of the time, and well, I try to do it all..and as much as my heart and mind want to…I just can’t! I have so many passions, a brain overflowing with creativity, ideas, projects, blog topics, and a desire to honor God with ALL of my abilities, instead of pacing myself, I try to do everything! I’m finding that impossible to conquer, with a husband, kids, homeschooling, managing a blog/website, and now in the process of opening up a modest clothing boutique [online]. And with change of weather, my illness is in high gear. I am so overwhelmed. Just the other day, during my “falling apart” session [LOL at myself] I asked myself, how does Courtney from Women Living Well, and some of those other blogger friends do it? LOL, now I know. ;] You are such an inspiration, and encouragement in so many ways, and have helped me to strive harder to be a better help mate for my husband, and, well, in so many other areas as well…but this, by far, just a simple understanding that we don’t have to have it all perfect and “together” all of the time, is so refreshing. Just wanted to tell you thank you for your words, and your heart for what you do, and for those who look to you.
You are a blessing.
God Bless!
Thank you so much for this Courtney! I’ve been running myself ragged trying to keep the house clean, exercise, take the kids to their activities, blog, cook dinner, etc. It’s nice to be reminded that no one is perfect 🙂
that’s awesome. thanks for posting this and being “real”. So encouraging!!!
Thank you for being so real! It is easy to get discouraged when you think others can do it all while you are struggling! I’ve learned not set a monumental task for the day, instead focus on getting one small thing done and being proud of that accomplishment and then move onto something else. And it really does amaze me how long it takes you to clean house and how amazingly quick it’s dirtied up again! 🙂
I love it “Nail being you!” What a great reminder, to stop trying to be what we are not. And your background is Hungarian? It interests me about the US, the background of everyone. I’m in Australia and am a typical fair-skinned, freckled, auburn haired girl with Irish /English background. Your kids are beautiful, by the way. Such gorgeous smiles!! Xx
Priceless…and so eloquently written!!! It is always wonderful to see someone who has made it to a place of prominence admit that they are still human! I think if more were real about their struggles, triumphs, and everything in between we could make great strides in deleting this wave of guilt and condemnation floating through the Christian community. Thanks so much for sharing!~
~rose~
Love this Courtney! Not that you aren’t perfect lol, but that you are a busy mom, and don’t stress about not doing it all. Most of us can’t! Thanks for your honesty, and your porch looks great! P.S. I share your post on my blog’s FB page, hope that’s ok! It’s inspiring:)
Barbara at Chase the Star
chasethestar dot net
Oh Courtney, this is an answer to me!
In my father’s house, my aunt & mom always stressed PERFECTION. That is good and fresh food for breakfast, clean house at noon, and clean, ironed clothes at afternoon(insist to not using the washing machine!). Everyday. And that makes them in the house always! Rarely going out, even vacation. Must clean the house, there’s a lot of clothes to washed, etc…
When I get married, and now have a child, my mom pushed me for this perfection too. And since I can’t, we hired a helper. She cleans the house & wash the clothes, cooking sometimes. And now, we moved to a new city, no helper, no relatives. We will be on our own and I’m depply stressed with that perfection. I prayed to God to give us a helper, but somehow I got a feeling that this time we won’t have a helper. And… Your post came in! Yes ! What’s my priority. Dishes, clothes can wait. But doing the 1st and main thing in the priority list bring Him glory. I’ve lost my prayer time because of chores. Ugh ! How it was a waste!
Thx for this encouragement Courtney.
Thank you for reminding me that I am not perfect and am not expected to be!! We can’t do it all, all the time!! Have a great week Courtney….I hope you find your wreath and door mat without too much digging 🙂
DeeAnn
Thank you Courtney, we do set ourselves up don’t we? Sometimes we need wisdom to recognise that although there is a plethora of advice and lovely wholesome blogs out there, in reality, we are but dust. Imperfect but still used of God, that is the message – in our weakness He is strong! I praise Him for you Courtney, you have shown us your pj’s, your un-made up face, that your husband admires your sister’s amazing ability to get so much done, your untidy worktops, your frailty as you approached the deadline of your book and now your description of your messy (ish) front porch. But, how beautiful all of this is, there is hope for us all, we can strive but know that we are already loved and accepted by the Beloved.
Bless you Courtney.
Julie
thank you courtney for this post. I totally love reading your stuff and its really helped me grow as a mam and wife. I thank God for you:)
Thank you so much for your honesty and transparency, Courtney. It is so lovely to hear bloggers like you tell us how it actually is – we can so easily imagine what your house is like!! And yet the reality is so much better – because not only is it real but it’s family and its wonderful! So thank you – this was exactly what I needed reminding of today and I truly thank God for all you do and how you minister to us.
Tx
Thank you for posting this one Courtney! I do find myself wondering how certain bloggers do it all and your authenticity is refreshing. 🙂 thanks for being vulnerable!
Love your post! My place too is a tornado most days. It’s nice to hear I’m not the only one, lol
TOUCHDOWN!
Great post. Loved the porch story (because I had a garage sale LAST MONTH and the porch still holds the leftovers!) I feel like sisters now. 😉
Looking forward to hearing you Allume! Yours was a great session last year. You’re so real. Love that.
I still have decorations up in the entry way from Christmas 2011. 🙂
What a sweet post! I love that you aren’t afraid to share that you too have “mommy moments” as I like to refer to them. I especially like the last paragrah
Rejoice in your uniqueness. Nail being you! Do the good work that God created in advance for YOU to do! Have fun being you! Delight in our differences! And definately don’t try to do it all – I’m not.
Thank you for that reminder that comparing means that you’re telling God that He didn’t do a good job of creating you. We are all unique and beautiful. I’m going to work on today “Nail being me” 🙂
We all need to hear this and share topics like this on our bLogs as to not give the wrong picture to our followers :). Thank you for sharing, it’s great to keep things real!
I want to thank you for writing this. I have days where I am really hard on myself not because I am trying to compare myself to other people on purpose but it gets discouraging sometimes when I see so many people my age doing things which are considered “the next step in life” I really needed to read this today and I thank you again.
Courtney,
This is probably one of the most important posts you’ll ever write. You should put it on your calendar to post every year because there will always be those who think you’re superwoman, who will need to read this in the future!
As a fellow blogger, I can relate to the ease of writing, as opposed to doing many other things around here. Writing is like a magnet for me and I have to literally MAKE myself get up out of this chair to take care of other things.
Thanks for being transparent:)
You are just so precious 🙂 Thank you for your lovely email. I, too, often compare myself to the women on the blogs I read, and inevitably feel I fall short way too often.
This was a wonderful reminder that we all have different gifts to use for God’s glory; we can’t use anyone else’s because we’re not meant too! I have been subscribed to your emails for about 6 months now and I just want to share how much they have been an encouragement to me.
Erin
Does it matter if everything is perfect?! Check out Lexi’s bright smile – there is your answer!! A happy little girl with a bright countenance!! This is what we want to achieve!
Well, I still happen to think you’re pretty amazing! My standards are waaaay lower than yours, sadly, but I rejoice in the love of my husband, the love of my kids, and the LOVE of my SAVIOUR.
(I rejoice for a day or two a *month* too when my house is tidy 😉 )
Thank you so for this. Well written from the heart…
While it’s really good to know that you are, in fact, human…I rejoice in the fact that you don’t give up…you keep pluggin’ a way and you give the glory for all that good stuff to God! You’re an amazing woman …I love reading your posts, they encourage…give me a kick in the bottom when I need one, a pat on the shoulder to let me know it’s going to be alright…even after a bad mama moment…so long as we keep our eyes on Christ. Blessings girly…you got the good stuff goin’ on! 🙂 *(and you can ask my husband…I don’t clean up flower pots either…or ever weed my garden…sigh.:)
This made me laugh! It seems like a mirror image of my life. I sent my child to school all filled up for picture day a whole week early. 🙂
That was suppose to say “dressed up”….:)
Really enjoyed this!!
Courtney, you made me smile! Love this post!
Thank you thank you thank you for your post this morning! It was EXACTLY what I needed to hear. My husband had just called asking if I knew about our son’s dress up day at school. I had completely forgotten even though I received an email about it last night! I was starting to feel really awful as this is his first year in school, and I’m already messing up… but then I read your post in an email. Thank you for the reminder that none of us is perfect… especially the part about your kiddos as those directly related to my day 🙂
Great post! And a great reminder. I had to laugh at you dressing your daughter up early! Funny because it wasn’t me. 😉
I adore you. That is all. 🙂
I could not sleep early this morning, it was close to 5am! I opened this email and just sighed, thank you so much for sharing your heart. I find myself comparing myself out sometimes, and what a reminder this morning not to do so that we all do have our own task for our Heavenly Father, and we are all special to Him, no matter what kind of decorations we have on our door 🙂 I absolutely love receiving and reading when I can your blog, we are new homeschoolers and we have our 2nd child on the way on less than three weeks, and it is a breath of fresh air to read your “realness” May the Lord bless you! Thanks 🙂
No one can do it all, but we feel like we should be able to. I think this is a big tactic Satan uses against us. He gets us feeling worthless and comparing ourselves to others and it gets our eyes off Christ, which is exactly what he wants.
I don’t know how the house can turn into a disaster so quickly. Sometimes I think having my kitchen cleaned up for half an hour is a record!! 🙂
I’m in the relieved group. Thanks so much for being real.
Oh Courtney…I just LOVE you! You are so real and honest with your posts. Thank you for being willing to be used for Him!
Mary
http://memyselfandmercy.blogspot.com/
Courtney, I love your transparency! I look up to you as a wise advisor (even though I don’t know you–because you often give very wise advice via this blog of yours) and I think it’s nice for Christian women to be inspired by you! God uses you in this way. But it’s also encouraging for you to point out that no one can do it ALL, ALL of the time! Thanks for sharing your heart and for your honesty!
Courtney–
Thank you for being real–gut-honest. I am so FAR from all together that I don’t really even know how to fix it. I just keep my head above water, but I never seem to make any progress. It took a lot of years of bad habits to get this way, I know, but I feel like such a loser sometimes…
Please pray for me, that I can become a better homemaker–I really need His help!
Carissa in eastern Iowa
You’re not alone either, Carissa. Just keep doing your best!
Carissa, I’ve had those days. God is GOOD all the time and He’ll always be there for you. Know that in our weakness He is strong and He will always be there along with us praying for you. One day at a time for sure 🙂
Thank you! I appreciate your sharing. I am blessed by your words.
Thank you for your honesty, Courtney! I think many of us need to hear this!
Loved this! I have a friend who *used to* think that my house was always clean! So, one day she was coming over with the kids and I left it all…the counters, the laundry baskets, the shoes…all the normal things that I would quickly put away and clean up before someone was coming over. She walked in and looked around with a funny look on her face as I said, “See, this is really my normal! I left it all for you to see that my house is not always clean!” Even though all she would have to do is move a door or look closer at my carpet to see dust and dirt 🙂
Your blogs inspire hundreds of women, and your sense of humor and acceptance of who you are and what’s important (and as important, what’s NOT as important) are blessings to us. I need to fret less about little chores and get back to my own writing. Thank you – daily.
What I really like about you is your honesty and realness. Nope I wouldn’t be one to assume you have it all together, I don’t think any of us do, but what is refreshing and encouraging is that you show us to keep trying, to keep being our best as women of God and moms for our children, and wives for our husbands. So thank you Courtney. You are a gem.
Absolutely…love…love….your blog and how you walk in Jesus with it! Blessings, K
Courtney, I am moved by your honesty. Thank you for letting us women know it’s OK to be GENUINE, HONEST, AND OPEN about who we TRULY are in Christ. Showing those moments that we don’t have it all together and removing the mask of saying we do have it all together. BEING REAL FOR HIM in how the Lord has made us to be. God Bless!!
This is so timely for me. I have been dying to be a woman who has it all together, and I’ve tried to play one at my daughter’s private school. In just the past two weeks that has blown up in my face several times. Between bombing Family Feud at family night, being late nearly every day for a week due to being in the middle of a move, and bringing her in the clothes for her fundraiser half a week early, I have been so down on myself. Being a mom is the hardest job out there! Ack! It makes me miss the business world where everything was set and orderly… But my coworkers were nowhere near as cute 😉
Thank you for being you in this oh so crazy world 🙂 Keep up the great work God has given you 🙂
I found your blog after a lady at church mentioned the Proverbs 31 study with Good Morning Girls. I had the best of intentions in doing that study and printed off all the materials. . . which I plan on doing just at a different time :). I say all this to say that although I didn’t complete the study, it has been such a blessing to find your blog! I look forward to your post everyday. I am a newlywed, and I have learned a lot from you regarding my marriage and my selfish attitude. You are such an encouragement to living a life fully for God.
I love the last paragraph of today’s post, “Nail being you”! I am in a season of my life right now that sometimes seems discouraging, but I have to remember it is just that – a season. Ecclesiastes 3:1 is a good reminder of this. But no matter what season I am in, I must remember to be the person God created me to be and live it to the fullest!! Thanks Courtney!
Thanks for your honesty and for helping the rest of us to feel less inadequate 🙂 We all have the same number of hours in a day to work with. Sure, some of us are faster at certain tasks and less efficient at others. If we are working within our authentic selves we are at our best and our most productive. Obviously you have found your niche. Keep up the good work.
Love this post!!!!
Thanks so much for this post. I needed to hear others make these statements as well as what you said. I am in the process of decluttering some very desperate areas in my home–seems as if I get one area completed I have to go back over one area I had already done. I feel this keeps me humble and depending on the Lord to guide my time each day.
And this is why I love your blog! You are so real! Thank you for always being honest and open in all that you share with us. God bless you!
I was so blessed and comforted by this post Courtney, thank you for your honesty, your humor and your guidance as we all travel these paths back to God in our own unique and wonderful ways !!! May God bless you abundantly for all that you do (and don’t always get too)!!!!
Amen! We can NOT do 100 things well. 🙂 So thankful for the reminder…. I was just lamenting to my hubb that I cannot find the fall decorations, and I dont want to buy new ones, and don’t you know this is my favorite season, and soon those beautiful fall colors will have to go away for ANOTHER YEAR….. and then this post. Thank you for your sweet reminder. 🙂
Thank you for being so honest and upfront… This really touched my heart today and I actually quoted you in a blog post. Thank you for being such a wonderful open and honest Christian woman! <3
Thanks for reminding us how slippery the slope of comparison can really be! My motto has become, “Don’t compare your life to someone else’s highlight reel! Great reminder!
I love this post. I am “accused” of doing it all. I don’t have kids at home anymore and when the grandsons (ages 27 months and 9 months) come to visit, they usually stay a couple of nights. I remove all the items that are of no interest to them (and would get more “no-no’s” than anything), bring up the tub of toys, books, etc. and let them have free rein. They can’t hurt anything and I would rather have chaos in my house every couple of weeks then unhappy babies. I still haven’t set out our Fall decorations on our front porch because I have been too busy switching clothes closets for the Fall weather and compiling donate piles. My guest room looks like a pile of clothing but that door closes too 🙂 I try not to resent the remarks from family members and friends and I know I am just me – I get involved in a project and everything else suffers because I stick to what I am doing at the moment. It is interesting that people who say things are too busy finding faults in my life instead of looking at their own or fixing them and I pray that they will see that faults can be good and normal. I always tell my friends “I came to see you – not your house” God Bless you and your posts – I look forward to them every day.
Hi Courtney,
Loved this post and your honestly. Glad to know there are others who write things down and their calendar and then don’t look at it 🙂
Thank you so much for your transparency. I LOVED this post. I am a teacher with a 5 year old and a 3 year old. I struggle so much with perfectionism and making comparisons. So when I mess up, I am extra hard on myself. There is just so much to juggle that sometimes way too many things fall through the cracks. I have also forgotten about nursery duty and forgotten about dress up days at school or AWANA. And once at school I completely forgot to post my midterm grades…..AAAHHH! Thankfully my administrator is VERY understanding and just reminded me that it needed to be done.
Courtney – love this post! Thanks for the reminder that we are all imperfect human beings and lovers of Christ. I’m right with you. Walking with the King!
In His Grip,
Monica
http://happyandblessedhome.blogspot.com/
Thank you for this, Courtney! Whenever we take a picture in our house, I make sure there is no mess in the background! That way, we only have to remember the good in that moment. In reality, that one angle was probably the only clean view in the whole house! We never advertise our failures, because we are ashamed of them. But this can be misleading and discouraging. Thank you for being honest. You have encouraged a multitude with this one post.
Courtney,
I’m involved in a lot of things, including leading a couple ladies Bible studies a month. Sometimes it’s so hard to teach because I feel like I’m no where near what I need to be in that area. But truth is truth, and as long I don’t think I know all the answers, it will benefit everyone to talk about it! So thanks for the post, I really needed it today. 🙂
This post blessed my heart so much!! I’ve wondered about how some women are able to “do it all” while I’m over here barely hanging on. Thank you so much for being “real” and sharing your heart with us. I cannot begin to tell you how your words are an answer to prayer! We all have our strengths and weaknesses and it’s amazing to see God work when we come alongside each other.
I think Ree Drummond had this issue too….readers thought she was super women until she wrote about it. She said she had help, make mistakes, got tired, etc. We’re all just human, aren’t we? Thanks for sharing all you do!
God Bless You Courtney!! This was a great post that touched my heart and encouraged my soul! I am a first time stay at home mom and I have been beating myself up about getting everything together. Even when I would take a break to re-group, there was something that I felt I needed to do better while on the break lol!! Today I am “starting over”, the to-do lists of days gone by are no longer holding me hostage. I have a plan for today and I cannot worry about tomorrow. God knew I needed this, thank you so much for sharing!!
Courtney, if I had a dollar for everytime someone called me superwoman, I’d probably own Europe by now! I’m a wife (to my college sweetheart), boy-mom (to 1), working full-time, completing my Master’s degree, attending church weekly, and volunteering when I can. My plate is more than full, but many people don’t know the strength that they see today from the secret pain I held for more than 15 years of my life (I mean, 3 forms of depression and God is STILL good). It’s really day to day and though we may wear an invisible superhero cape, I’m blessed to be imperfect and loved by a perfect God. God bless you for your honesty! 🙂
Awe, Courtney, Thank you so much for sharing this today. Sometimes I feel like a failure, especially the weeks (like last week) where I’m sick and can’t seem to find which way is up. 🙂 I appreciate the fact that you are honest and open with us, your readers. Such a nice thing to know that we, as moms, are not alone in the fact that we clean one minute, and the next minute, the place is trashed again. I am the mom of a 4 year old, 3 year old, 1 year old and a baby due in March, so I feel that the “clean-up” stage is never ending. I’m trying to enjoy it all, but somedays it’s hard not to have a pity party. 🙂 Thanks again for this post, definitely lifted my spirits. 🙂
I maintain a household, raise a son and work a full time job outside of my home. I spend 40 min one way driving to said job… my house isn’t eat off the floor clean but it’s respectable. Nobody comes to visit us anyway. My house is l.ived in and I’m ok with that. Its more important to me that I spend time with my growing boy than cleaning. He’s only little once.
thanks so much for sharing! like so many others have said it’s great that you are so real in what you write! and you’re so right, it’s so important to just be who you are no matter what, God has a purpose for life, no matter how messy it can be at times. thanks for the encouragement and have a blessed week!
morgan
Love the transparency Courtney. I’ve always felt “Don’t put me on a pedestal, because it’s further for me to fall,” or “If you get close enough to me, I WILL let you down, because I am human.” Just appreciate others letting their humanity show through. I love how Lisa Harper says “the church is full of broken people in various stages of healing.” Joining you in the journey, Joyce O
I love you girl1 thanks for being to real and accessible, and sharing your heart! xoxoxo
I love this post, Courtney! Thanks for being so honest. It’s great to hear how busy moms are so much alike!
Love it! It’s great for us to be flawed and weak, that way we can point others to our Savior who does do it all!
Thanks for your honesty:) I guess when I watched your TV show from RR, it seemed like you were super woman. It showed you greeting your husband in a dress / all done up. Serving dinner, homeschooling, and ready to be with your husband at a moments notice:) Good to know you are more real,
then dressed up:)
Thank you so much for this!!! I SO TOTALLY VERY MUCH needed this reminder today! I also often get asked how I “do it all” – all being drive a school bus, am “secretary” to my fiance during tax time, am mom to three kids ages 9, 7, 5, blog and make EVERYTHING from scratch for my multiply allergic family (5 yr old daughter has 20 food and 20 chemical/medicine/enviro allergies, half of which are anaphylactic and include corn, dairy, soy, gluten, coconut, sunflower, latex, etc.). Thank you for reminding me my weaknesses are okay, and that I am NOT and do NOT EVER have to be super woman.
What gracious words! Recently I heard a wise woman say that we should never compare ourselves to, but we should be inspired by, the girls we see in our lives who are good at what they do and how they live for Christ. I love that. So easy to compare, but SO encouraging and life giving to be INSPIRED! Thanks for being transparent!
Many people needed to read this post from you, including me! Thanks for sharing your genuine heart!
Why do we compare ourselves (negatively) to other women so often? I don’t know why, but I certainly do it a lot. Probably more so since I started blogging a few months ago, and saw the incredible number of things that many women (like you) are doing. I just need to remember to be the best that I can be and to focus on the things God wants me to do. Thanks for the encouragement.
Thank you for this honest post. It has actually motivated me to not fall into laziness and work hard as a wife, mommy and homemaker. God is using you in such a beautiful way, Courtney. Be blessed!
Courtney,
Just reminds me of the parable of the talents…Obviously, you have a gift and I am glad that you share it with us all! Hopefully we can all take inventory of our own gifts and talents and magnify them in a way that is pleasing to the Lord.
Courtney,
I had a really hard day yesterday (the “I just can’t do this!! day), read this today, and it’s exactly what I needed to hear. I’m a working mom with two small girls, so I have hard days here and there, but I’m encouraged and ready to give it to Jesus instead of trying to do it all myself. To Him be the glory.
Thanks for suggesting that I read this blog! I believe that I will be able to homeschool if I just keep the mindset that “not everything has to be perfect.” 🙂 Thanks Courtney! Blessings, Lauren, lholmes79.wordpress.com
Love this! Just found your site and Pinterest! Thanks for so many great ideas. God bless you and your family. Kristen
Thank you!!! I recently started following your blog and your pins on Pinterest. This is a relief to read. Although, in my head I know that no one person is capable of being a Super Woman…I feel like they are when I judge only what I see online. Then, I compare myself to them and feel terrible. Why can’t I be/act/organize/clean/dress/homeschool/etc like them? They seem to have it all together. (Lies from Satan to discourage me, I know!) So, I always appreciate it when a blogger takes a minute to be real with their audience. It is refreshing. Thanks!!
Thanks so much! I have never looked at the micro version of this verse. God has a specific calling for me; it does not include being Betty Homemaker. I MUST stop comparing myself to women are called to be a mother and housewife. I will never be satisfied unless I am wholeheartedly pursuing God’s call. I am thankful for my call and will be content in it!
Thanks! I LOVED this just as much the second time reading it. It endears us more to you and makes us respect you more. I cannot tell you how many times I get discouraged from reading other blogs (not yours–you’re uplifting and encouraging) because I feel like I can’t measure up or just shouldn’t even try to be the mom they seem to be. It seems like lately everyone has extra $$ to just adopt an orphan or two and add them seamlessly into their already large group…be able to afford Christian school for all of them and take fantastic vacations. We are literally selling any extras and taking no vacations just to scrape enough for our two to go to Christian school and pay off debt from when we owned a building business when the economy went bad. My car perpetually has the engine light on but it’s still going–why buy a new transmission until you HAVE to. I’m convinced God just keeps it running for us despite it making weird sounds and jerking funny for 2.5 years. Thanks Courtney!!
Lexi is so cute! The Hungarian dress and head wreath is very similar to Ukraine’s. Love it … and enjoyed your post 🙂
Great post. Sometimes things get lost in translation… it may be pure joy and light and love streaming from our fingertips to share with the virtual world but what happens to it when it is read by others is another story. Yes, people have the tendency to compare. Or to label stuff as self-righteousness. My husband confessed to me last night that sometimes the reason he does not share my passion when I tell him about something revealed in scripture that has made an impact on me, a way I can really see and feel God working in my heart and life, is that it comes across as self-righteous. I had no idea he interpreted my enthusiasm in that way, and now I pray that knowing it will help me to consider my words and the circumstances in which I share them without hindering me from sharing the joy with him. Why is it that rejoicing with those who rejoice is sometimes just as hard as weeping with those who weep? A good reminder to both sides of conversation… be a good listener and a good speaker by meeting the other person where they are. Get out of ourselves. BUT when posting on the internet it really is more one-sided, so the responsibility falls on the reader to glean what is good from what we choose to follow. Thanks for making that easy on us, Courtney!
I am sitting next to PILES of unfolded cloth which have been sitting there for about a week. I somehow managed to clean the kitchen before my 2 yr old son dragged me to play w/ him but the our dinner table hasn’t been wiped and bunch of cups, a bottle of ketchup and hot sauce are just sitting there getting rotten. (.. Do they actually go bad?) I am pregnant and haven’t been well rested, hm,, forever. My house is A MESS and my OCD suffering mother in-law and brother in-laws who LOVE to speak their mind, are coming this weekend to celebrate Memorial Day together. Today was supposed to be my cleaning day but I ended up stuck at a church event which I wasn’t even supposed to be at. I was going to clean when my son goes to sleep but he somehow decided that life is too short that he rather stay up late, then sleep for couple hours then wake up again to surprise mama. It’s 5 am now and I feel too guilty to go to sleep but too tire to do anything. So here I am, reading your blog, procrastinating and feeling overwhelmed.
It seems that everyone has a perfect lawn, perfectly clean house, restaurant quality dinner and well disciplined children who don’t even know what TV is. (at least compare to mine) I always feel terrible for my husband for what he is putting up with. At the same time I am angry at him for not helping me at all. But then again he works 11 hrs a day. Arrrhghghghrhwhr !!!!
I need to get up early so I can go help my sister with her work, then come back and turn this house upside down within couple of hrs. Jesus, if I can finish cleaning the toilets, it’ll be a miracle. Oh gosh, if there is anyone out there reading this post, before end of today, please pray that I don’t just lose it.
Well look at this little gold mine I just found in your blog and YOU! It’s so lovely to meet you, Courtney!!
I love the authenticity you share here… no one has it all together! I have snowflakes on my bathroom mirror- the one bathroom our entire family has to use because the other one has ‘been under construction’ for 9 months.
My son JUST cleaned his window which housed ghosts and goblins from halloween.
It’s August.
Yeah. That. 😉
Thank you so much for sharing! Everytime you do a video everything looks so spotless and clean I think someone could eat off your floors. I had the impression that you would never, every find a dust bunny on your floor ever. I really enjoyed your sharing!!!! Now to go get through some of my piles of stuff and I have tons.
Excellent post!
I wonder where the idea came from that “doing it all” is something we should even be striving for. Seems that so many blogs are devoted to talking women down off the wall of feeling insecure about the outward aspects of keeping a house or how “together” they appear to others. Is this something that women have always struggled with or is it a particularly prevalent struggle in this generation? I’ve asked this question of women born in “the silent generation” who grew up in large ethnic families, crammed a bunch of relatives into a 2 bedroom apartment, worked hard, did chores (without fancy chore charts), and didn’t worry about how creatively decorated their home was, if there were crumbs on the floor, or what the neighbor dropping in would think of a pile of unfolded laundry. Frankly, I think they just didn’t have the time for such stuff – if it even occurred to them in the first place. They were busy surviving. Sometimes I think the plethora of blogs out there that remind us not to worry about stuff so much, actually make some women dwell on it more and put unhealthy thoughts into their heads that hadn’t even occurred to them in the first place. We all need encouragement, but let’s be careful not to place the thought in women’s heads that being “superwoman” is even something anyone should be striving for. Our standard needs to come from the Scriptures alone.