Just today I received 3 emails telling me how to “grow my tribe,” “take my blog to the next level,” and “stand out from the crowd.”
You know, it all tempts me. Just tell me what to do, and I’ll do it. Ordinary, normal or average isn’t “cool.” We need to be exceptional!
Except that now, more than ever, I am very aware that I can’t. Right now it takes everything within me, to simply show up each day.
Scott Jurek just finished running the Apalacian Trail today (you guys! That’s 2,200 miles!) and beat the old record with his time of 46 days, 8 hours and 11 minutes. Can you even imagine?!
Me? Well, I got up this morning and did the workout that was scheduled for me. I am here today for my children even though I am battling a serious case of “overwhelm” compliments of PTSD.
Serious, like I keep having to go back to bed because I’m so overwhelmed by my unpredictable emotions right now. Serious, like, once again I had to skip attending church because I knew that it would make me panic in such a huge way that I’d probably not be able to do anything for the rest of the day.
Getting up today was my personal ultra-endurance event. Getting in my 2 hr workout and finding at least some measure of “brave” there to help me face life was my own personal record.
Doing what you can do today, even if it isn’t “tribe building” or “epic” is okay, my friends. We don’t have to be anything other than what we are, where we are to be loved by the Lord.
Go forth and be normal, my friends. Average is totally okay. And when things really stink? Well, we are still loved and accepted, right where we are.
I’m right there in the thick of it with you, being normal, or something like that.
the end.
ps~ I am aware that it is somewhat to very ironic that as a single mom of twelve children who loves to train for endurance athletic events, I am writing here, extolling the virtues of being “average.” 😮 This is my “normal” though, as strange as it is to other people! Give yourself a break, friends. Being who you are, where you are is okay.
My daughter has, “Courage, dear heart” tattooed on her collar bone. 🙂
That is epic. Love it!
And I don’t have the energy to build my blog up much either. I just write what I want to write, from me and for me. If it blesses others, that’s just fine and dandy! And your posts always bless me.
Yes! My thoughts exactly. I’ve spent a bunch of years feeling like I had to strive to be something amazing~ it’s woven into American society that we need to be epic, not average. Now I’m forced to scale everything way back, and I’m finding that there is some sweet freedom there. I’m just doing my best to be me, and am trusting that the Lord can use my broken self as He sees fit.
Somehow those last two comments had a typo in the name link. This one’s right, I think. Pfft.
http://www.thismomgrowsup.blogspot.com
Thank you, Susan. I needed to hear that today!
Carol, you’re so sweet! I keep trying to really “get” and apply this stuff that we talk about. 🙂