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freedom in the imperfection

[i don't...]


i don't floss

i don't bathe my daughter every day 
she's pretty clean, i have to say

i don't brush her teeth everyday 
mostly because it is such a battle every time 

i don't vacuum. ever. luckily my hubby does it 

i don't get out much. 
most days i stay at home and maybe run some errands, 
but rarely do i have play dates scheduled or friends coming to visit. 
you could call me a loner.

i don't like talking on the phone, especially just to chat 

i d
on't keep up with friends. new or old, i am terrible at staying in touch,
calling, emailing, etc. 

i don't take my prenatal vitamins everyday. 
at first they made me sick, and now i just forget since i'm not in the habit 

i don't finish almost every book i start. 
even if it's a really good one 
and even when i start with the best of intentions of finishing

i don't finish half the projects i start
or start half the projects i plan/buy supplies for 

i don't spend time outside. 
actually, i like being outside, but i just never venture out there. 
we have a great backyard and i know my daughter would love to be out there more. 
i just don't go out there 

i don't exercise. ever. 

i don't clean the bathrooms often enough. 
our upstairs guest bathroom door remained closed for ten full months 
before i opened it to clean it 
[after moving in, and it was seriously disgusting] 

i don't practice what i preach when it comes to healthy eating. 
in theory, i am extremely health conscious. 
but if you followed me around for a "day-in-the-life", you'd be really confused. 
i eat lots of sugar, lots of processed foods, and even diet coke. 
even though i have really strong evidence and research 
against consuming that crap, i do it anyway. 
i do buy organic, i do cut out lots of things 
but i think i have an addiction to sugar.  

i don't have a quiet time every morning. 
i want to, i wish i did, but i just don't. 

i spend too much time on the computer. 
i really need to limit my blogging/reading/window-shopping time 

i don't take pictures. 
almost never, actually. 
i probably have less than 50 photos of my daughter this past year. 
and maybe 3 of myself. 
and most of them i didn't take myself. 

i don't handle a full schedule well at. all. 
so, to avoid becoming overwhelmed 
i keep my schedule pretty much clear. 
sounds lazy and anti-social, i know.

i am almost never on time. 
i hate this one so much. 
my absolute worst quality is time management.

i write lots of lists, draw out lots of plans, 
have lots of ideas constantly whirring around in my mind and on paper... 
but rarely do any of them.


i read this post from simple mom yesterday, which prompted me to write this. i don't know if my blog gives off a vibe that i have it all together? because i don't. and just in case it seems like i do, i figured i'd list all the things i don't do. you know, all the areas i'm lacking. sometimes life [and especially blog-world] can feel so competitive and people can seem like they have everything figured out... but i think it's safe to say we all have a list like mine above. and there's freedom in putting it out there.

how about you? 
are there are a bunch of things you don't do?
would you share in the comments? 
you'll feel better, i promise :)

there may be some things on my list up there that are appalling to you. on the other hand, there may be some things you think are silly, that you would never categorize as a shortcoming. the point is not to judge either way, whether you think it's terrible or silly, but to feel free in admitting our faults and areas we know we can improve. because none of us are perfect, and none of us can do it all, all the time.

and now, at the risk of spiraling into a self-loathing kind of day, i though i should write out the things i DO… just to make myself feel better:



[i do...]

i do shower. everyday

i do get dressed in real clothes pretty much every day.
very rarely will i stay in PJs until 4pm 

i do feed my daughter three meals, 
and usually good nutritious food 

i do pray constantly throughout the day.
mostly because my mind spirals out of control if i don't 

i do meal plan every week, 
go grocery shopping for everything, 
and make something for dinner every week-night 

i do usually keep up on the laundry. 
when a basket gets full, i bring it down to wash it. 
sure, some weeks i'm behind but mostly i feel good about it 

i do keep the house mostly neat. 
at least downstairs, at least by the time my husband walks in the door. 
when daddy gets home, it normally looks tidy 
[that's saying a lot for me, because i am naturally SO messy] 

i do read a story and sing to my daughter before nap time 
almost every day. and i enjoy doing it.

i do play with her, color with her, 
and make sure she knows she is loved and wanted 
and important and treasured and beautiful, 
to me and to her daddy and to Jesus.

i do discipline pretty consistently. 
when she needs time out, she gets one. 
she's a really good two year old
but when it's needed, i do follow through.

i do give lots of grace.
people that others will usually write off or judge or condemn
i usually have compassion, usually give grace, usually empathize.
life is hard, you guys. let's extend grace, and pray for more

i do love Jesus. 
and though there are a hundred things i want to change, 
and a million opportunities for improvement in my life, 
my desire is to love Him more each day.



please do share! 
things you don't do, and things you do
let's encourage one another :)



[linking up with jami]


Comments

  1. This... cracked me up! I HATE talking on the phone too! HATE it! Just text me, ya know?!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love this. Love it!

    I found you through followers fest! What a beautiful blog. I have a Christmas series going on with a Christmas post a day for 50 days and it just started! You should check it out!

    www.readjame.com

    -Stacie

    ReplyDelete
  3. awesome post! found you through "we encourage tuesdays". i can totally relate to almost every single one of your "i don't do"s . one thing God showed me after i had my first child (I've got 5 now) is that i needed to give MYSELF some grace; not be too hard on myself. and when i did the best I could, He would make up the difference. And He has! :) glad to have found your blog! blessings, lora

    ReplyDelete
  4. {i adore you}

    i don't:
    hold my tongue enough (sassy pants)
    fold clothes (my husband does)
    iron clothes (my husband irons his & i go wrinkled)
    remember to take my vitamins
    like talking on the phone. at all.(love skype though!)

    i do:
    keep my house clean
    write letters
    show compassion
    read my bible
    play like crazy with my kiddo!

    this post is great, aly. bless you! xo

    ReplyDelete
  5. You sound like a fantastic mama. Those are the big things... reading with her, playing with her, and of course, JESUS!

    But I do have to say one thing:

    You should only floss the teeth you want to keep. ;0)

    I heard that a long time ago and it has stuck in my mind ever since... I just think it's a hilarious quote, for some reason.

    Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh Aly, we share many of the same "I don't" things.. I love that you did this.. I'm going to have to do this on my blog and link back to you! Thank you for your honest..sometimes it feels like I'm the only one that doesn't have their stuff together :) <3

    ReplyDelete
  7. I LOVE this post - your honesty and candor is refreshing! :)

    I laughed about the phone comment...I am SO not a phone person, either.

    I don't:
    - manage my time well.
    - wash my hair every day.
    - like to talk on the phone and prefer texting/email instead.
    - floss my teeth everyday either!
    - wash my car as often as I should. Which means I drive around in a dirty car quite a bit.

    I do:
    - love Jesus, my family and friends like it is my job.
    - make "baby talk" to our cat...and most animals, in general.
    - smile at strangers
    - love to give and receive hugs.

    What a fun post! :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love this!!!! What freedom! I think I'm going to work on my list today :)

    I'm your newest follower from followers fest :)

    ~Mae
    www.maemcconnell.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  9. love this love this love this. thanks for sharing girl. oh, and i can relate on a lot of those donts! :) love you!

    ReplyDelete
  10. So good!

    Thanks for keeping it real!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I really like this post and find that I have VERY similar "don'ts" as you do.

    I think your "do's" heavily outweigh the "dont's"... :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hello! Thanks so much for the candid honesty, and for the inspiration! I've been wanting to do a 'things I'm afraid to tell you" post lately, but since I am a new blogger I didn't know if now was the right time or not... then I stumbled upon this post and knew you had the right format for me! I just linked up to you in my own post here:

    http://www.thecolorfulones.com/2012/05/i-am-perfectly-imperfect.html

    And just a few of my own do's and don'ts:
    I DON'T put away laundry (though I do at least get it washed)
    I DON'T have a good memory
    I DO pray without ceasing
    I DO love pickles, penguins & purple...

    God Bless!
    ~Jess

    ReplyDelete

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