Get it together, Gracie! Oh how I wish stating those words could somehow shape up all of the loose ends of life that give me trouble: my clutter, love of consuming media, lack of spiritual discipline, the draw of the couch over the treadmill, and my botched attempts to maintain routine. All these trip me up to where the words “get it together, Gracie” rattle around in my scattered brain.

Okay, melodrama is over. Yes, these daily shortcomings do sting a bit, and yes, I’d give anything to wake up and claim victory over all of them. But, I’m discovering that perhaps it’s time to allow these words to wash over me like rain, stop wallowing, and grant myself the grace of imperfection. I’m never going to get it together, and it's mentally exhausting and demoralizing to habitually give myself demerits for my shortcomings.

So with that, I’m changing the grading scale. Pass or fail just isn’t fair to me and my hard work as a wife and mother. I will come up short, but I will never wake up and decide to give up. That, in and of itself is a win! My goal for 2020 and beyond is to laugh at the words “get it together,” enjoying the irony that it’s an impossibility to have it all together all the time. Let’s be honest, do any of us enjoy hanging out with others who (appear to) have it all together all the time? I don’t. In fact, I’m drawn to people who can laugh at themselves, be a little self-deprecating, and take solace in friendships with other imperfect people.

This blog is a reminder to me to honest about my okay-ness, celebrate my wins, and be a little more kind to myself when I don’t quite succeed in my expectations. We all have areas of our life where we can pat ourselves on the back for a job well-done. I’m a mediocre housekeeper, but I’m a pretty imaginative and healthy cook. I really struggle to maintain routine for my girls and me, but I’m diligent about getting quality sleep at night. I’m a little socially awkward, but I’m fairly comfortable with maintaining constant contact with my God. I hate busy work, but I thrive on problem-solving.

If all aspects of life were created equal, and we all excelled at each one, there would be no reason for a perfect savior to rescue us from our messes. I badly need a savior to clean up my messes. The reason why I can proclaim in a cheeky way to “get it together, Gracie,” is because I claim God as my source of strength and hope, and he always has it together!

Wanna be cheeky with me and learn to laugh at yourself? This is a hub for those of us on journey to openly accept our okay-ness, actively use our strengths, and claim grace for our weaknesses.

Welcome to the grace hub!

My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.  -God