What You Need To Know About Daring To Be Human, & A Flawsome Story

I asked my oldest daughter last night what she thought I should blog about today.

She looked at me and offered a few suggestions about decorating. The girls are pretty excited that I have been helping decorate a popular, local restaurant in our town.

Here’s a little peek into some of the spaces that we gave a little love to at Magerk’s in Bel Air.

(Total aside, it has been SUCH a blessing working with Magerk’s – I hope you pop into visit soon! And aren’t the moss baskets SO fun? My amazing Mom MADE them!! If you want details – leave a comment below!)

But then, I followed up the conversation with my daughter with this question:

“What do you think people are struggling with right now?”

To which my wise 12 year old replied,

“Everyone has a hard time with something – a lot of times you just don’t know what it is.”

Truth spoken.

Friends, I am so glad you loved this DIY thrift store lamp makeover post from last week.

But, do you know what?

I received so many comments and private messages that what you really enjoyed, what really touched you…and what you really needed, was the very last part of last week’s post.

The encouragement piece.

So?

I am going to pick up where I left off last week.

Because?

Because, as my sweet daughter confirmed…we all have a hard time with something.

But?

We often don’t know what that something is for someone else.

Why is that?

I think it is because we don’t really like to talk about it…maybe because we like to give off the idea that we’ve got this whole “human, life thing” handled.

Meaning?

We wear the mask of “I’m F.I.N.E.” 

Everything is “Fine.”

And so?

I think what often makes any struggle even harder?

Is the simple fact that we feel like we are all alone.

Even worse?

We believe the lie that we are the only one who is having a hard time.…because everyone else seems to be just “fine.”

“The devil has nothing to do with the truth. There is no truth in him. It is expected of the devil to lie, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

JOhn 8:44 NLV

So?

I think we could all benefit from some realness.

At the end of my post last week, I went on to touch some of triggers of what you might have been wrestling with during the week:

Maybe you were pushed to your limits.

Maybe someone gave one of your kids a hard time.

Maybe you you felt totally and completed wiped out.

Maybe you had a long list of to do’s and it morphed into a list of “un-done’s.”

Maybe you lost your temper.

Maybe you miss someone.

Maybe you are not feeling like yourself.

Can I just be honest and say, that I pretty much identify with almost every single one of these inside, under the skin, tug of war, muddy and messy mental matches of the heart.

Not only can I play house with a whole host of wide ranging emotions, concerns and stresses. I can write heart lifting messages on Friday morning and lose my heart pounding temper on Sunday night at bedtime.

Real good.

Allow me to elaborate with a short, real story of a peek into the “humanness” under our roof.

It is around 9 pm on a Sunday evening.

Now, since the return to school, Sunday nights have been, let’s say challenging.

As in it feels like we are trying to navigate a course on Ninja Warrior just to get all the people to the “other side” of cleaned, brushed, book and bed-ready.

So that, we can wake up on Monday morning and do it all over again.

Bless it.

I mean…on Sunday nights…you have already crossed the Friday finish line of what was most likely a long week.

And then bumped right into the bouncing busy weekend of all the things. Good things, yes…but even good can be…exhausting.

And so?

By the time Sunday night slowly slides into secure place?

In the words of MULTIPLE women I have heard utter these exact words this week…

“I’m done.“

Maybe you have heard yourself whisper this same “donesies” chant too?

Yes indeed, on Sunday evening I am “brush your teeth and get into bed” DONE.

And so?

On this particular Sunday night, after changing into my own comfy cozies down the hall, I rounded the corner expecting to holler into the girls bathroom to ‘finish up.‘

And instead?

My eyes landed on our youngest daughter, standing in front of the sink, completely naked, SOAKING wet from the shower she had just exited without a towel and now?

She was washing her hair in the sink.

Makes total sense.

Ummm.

No.

No. It. Does. Not.

I lost it.

My human brain could not compute why there would be any reason why the perfectly poised shower head that was still running could not do the job of a simple, soon to be tucked into bed, hair washing.

But, rather one would self select to drip-dry all over the floor while we soaped up our blonde strands in front of the vanity mirror.

My soapy sink runneth over in all the directions.

Oh friend.

Not my best Mom moments followed.

Still fresh from real life, I recanted this story to fellow Momma’s on the soccer practice fields this past Monday evening and as I watched their heads nod and listened to their voices respond in a tangled chorus of

I’m glad I’m not the only one.”

I remembered again.

How important…how deeply and utterly critical it is that we dare to be human with one another.

That we dare to show our flaws, warts and peeks under the shiny covers of Fb and Insta highlights.

Because we most certainly are human and we most certainly all have our own unique struggles.

Do you know what else?

After the sink hair washing incident?

The following Sunday night…we didn’t have a hair dilemma, instead it was a tuck into bed situation.

Our youngest, Livvy had crawled into bed to go to sleep with our oldest daughter, Eve.

This sister slumber party was a fine situation all Summer. However, now it is not, due to the fact that Eve wakes up much earlier for middle school than Livvy needs to.

And so?

I insisted Livvy sleep in her own bed to get a good nights rest.

Eventually Goldie Locks made her way to the bed that was “just right” for her and all drifted off to dream land…but wowzers.

Sunday nights have been a bit of a doozy around here.

Maybe we are the only ones who ride the Sunday night struggle bus?

Maybe for you it’s the manic Monday morning routine or maybe…

Maybe it’s simply the dull ache of hard, morning, noon and night.

Our personal Sunday evening struggles got me thinking more about our girls and the possibility of their own version of “Sunday night scaries” since returning to school.

Perhaps, their growing minds are muddied too on Sunday nights as they start to stare at the blank pages ahead of their weeks and they get their decision making minds mixed up. Hence the sink hair washing selection versus sensible shower option.

And maybe, maybe…last Sunday night as our youngest daughter tried to sneak into bed with her sister…

Maybe she just wanted to be close to someone who felt the same way she did.

Isn’t that just it?

When we feel a bit weary, a bit overwhelmed, a bit worried…frayed and flawed.

It helps to be close to someone who can relate, shake their head yes and reassure you that…

it’s not just you.

Evie does this for Livvy on a sleepy Sunday night snuggle…

And friend…I want to do that for you.

Come close, sit next to me.

I am far from perfect or having it all together.

I lose my cool.

I forget.

I flinch.

I fail.

You are not alone in your misfires, missteps, misunderstandings, mistakes, and mixed up feelings.

No friend.

Most certainly not.

Because when we dare to be human and allow ourselves to be seen, frays, flaws and all…

it gives permission to the person beside us to shed her mask and dare to be human too.

How does the popular quote go?

“You are a limited edition.“

Yes and Amen.

We were each created with a uniqueness poured into each of us specifically with layers and levels of personality, gifts and quirks.

“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.”

psalm 139:13-14 NLT

And?

We are in fact LIMITED.

When we accept our own personal limitations as to how much we can handle, how much we can lift, how much we can carry, how much we can give…than we honor the very gift of our humanness.

“Humanness” by definition is: “The very quality of being human.”

We were never meant to be perfect.

We were never meant to to do it all.

We were never meant to hold it all together.

The full lens filter for perfection, all capable and never drops a ball is over-rated.

In fact.

We have a God who already filled that position.

“Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.

psalm 147:5 NIV Emphasis added

Friend, I hope as you move from your now to your next…that you feel encouraged to step fully forward, flaws and all and know that you are most certainly not alone in this human thing.

Not even a teensy tiny bit.

Keep going…you’re doing great. Even on messy Sunday night spillovers of suds and struggles…remember it helps to be close to someone who feels the same way and who wears the same worries and woes on her heart.

Being honest about our very real humanness has a way of healing our hiccups.

Go ahead friend, be human…

I Dare You. 🙂

Dear God,

I know that sometimes I take the very breath in my lungs for granted. Thank you for creating me and for the great gift of my humanness.

I am so thankful that despite all of my flaws and failures that You still choose me. Thank You for inviting me to be part of Your work on this side of heaven.

Amen

Living on a prayer,

Heather

Professional Photography credit to: Breanna Kuhlmann Photography