YOGA PANTS

A few days ago I was having one of my moments of deep thought in my favorite place of solitude.  Yes, you got it, I was in the shower.  Our poor water bill has suffered much over the years with my eternal steam bath thinking/praying sessions.

I was thinking a lot about motherhood. I had this earth shattering thought…”YOGA PANTS DON’T DEFINE YOU!”  Rocket science, right?  On the other hand…yoga pants really DO define you.  I mean, I should NOT be able to see your cellulite from 20 yards away…oh, but others have written about this so I’ll let that one lie. (http://veronicapartridge.com/why-i-chose-to-no-longer-wear-leggings/)

(Personal opinion on the topic…who cares if you wear yoga pants but PLEASE cover up your butt! I asked Bradley what he thought about yoga pants and he said “what are those anyway?” ha ha ha.  I love my husband!)

Yeesh, I got distracted from my point.

Here’s the skinny.

I've had SO MANY conversations with women that have no idea what God wants them to do with their life. These are ladies that have been dedicated, loving, godly mommy’s and have done an AMAZING job at it.  NOTHING is wrong with that and I agree that raising our children is a necessary priority and privilege.  However, why is it that we have an epidemic of women that struggle so much with their purpose, especially once their children are to the stage of independence?? Why is it that so many women are LOST and WANDERING aimlessly through life?  Hence my thought that, “YOGA PANTS DON'T DEFINE YOU!"

If we had the chance to sit in Starbucks and hash out what I mean by that, here's what I'd tell you:

TO THE YOUNG MOM:

"Way to go, girlfriend!!!  You may not feel it today as you wipe butts and clean up that pile of blocks for the hundredth time, but what you are doing is SO IMPORTANT.  You are raising the next generation of Jesus Followers and you are doing a rock star job!! Today, though, I want you to remember a simple truth. As mommy’s we don’t have to check out from the world around us just because we spend the majority of our time un-showered, in yesterday’s make-up, with yoga pants, a ponytail, and a baby on our hips. Dear friend, we have to stop raising self-centered, narcissistic, children that are fed a lie that the world revolves around THEM.  

This will look different for all of us. For me it has meant that over the years my children have seen me spend hours and hours counseling and mentoring young women on my couch (my passion). They have seen me have quiet time and pray diligently for them every night as they close their eyes to sleep. They have seen us as a family open our home to bible studies and countless meals with neighbors and friends.  They have seen us give our time and resources to those in need and make meals for the sick. They have seen us visit hurting people in the hospital and cry with people that have lost a loved one. I want my children to see the reality of the gospel lived out in ME so that their little lives will be drawn more and more to Jesus. So friend, I ask you… are you setting the example for your children that life is not ALL ABOUT THEM, it’s ALL ABOUT JESUS?"

TO THE SEASONED MOMMY:

"Oh man, I like you a lot.  You have been my friend and encourager.  I’m drawn to the older, less petty people in life.  I’m proud of you, friend.  You have raised your children well and while they are far from perfect, that’s the whole point right?  We are all lost people in need of JESUS every day.

To you, I just want to say two simple things:

1) Don’t live in regret.  Don’t look back on motherhood and feel like you screwed it up.  Yeah, maybe you could have done things differently, but leave the past in the past and move on.  Satan likes to keep you wallowing in the poop of the past, but God wants to wash you clean and set your eyes on the future (1 Jn 1:9).  There is no such thing as a perfect mom.  Even that other lady that has those “perfect godly children” is not without her faults.  God did not create robots, He created people.  He loves us ALL THE SAME and has a wonderful plan for ALL of His children.  So, I ask you today to stop living in regret and “Let it go! Let it go!”  (sorry, I couldn't help myself…darn that stupid song!

2) Remember Ephesians 2:10 “For [insert your name here]are [is] God's masterpiece. He has created [me] anew in Christ Jesus, so [I] can do the good things he planned for [me] long ago.” (NLT)

While I don’t know your personal story and I don’t know how He has gifted you to “do good works”, what I do know is this, HE HAS A PURPOSE FOR YOU!  Don’t sit back waiting for the perfect opportunity to plop in your lap that will fill your life with purpose.  Just take a risk.  Step out in faith and try something new.  Maybe it will flop, but either way you win because either you found your awesome purpose or you can cross one more thing off your list.  You won’t know until you try! 

Jesus is coming back soon and I can promise you that the ladies I look up to so much sure don’t want to be caught sitting on their behinds.  I love you, sweet sister!  Get in the game and keep setting the example to all those young girls around you that so desperately need it.  Oh, and by the way, the same goes for you.  You might be older and think you can get away with the yoga pants, but PLEASE cover up your buns."  ;  )

Authentically flawed,

Tirzah