The Dangers of Comparison

I haven’t posted in quite a while if you haven’t noticed.  I seem to have fallen into the comparison trap.  Let me tell you about it.

A few days before Thanksgiving, my girls were sick.  Then, on Thanksgiving, I got sick.  I was down for almost two weeks, in fact, I just started feeling 100% myself a couple days ago.  It was just a cold, but it was a bad one.  I could have been blogging during all that “couch time”, but I couldn’t.  I’d begun the comparison game.

My house was a disaster,

my Christmas tree was up with lights, but not decorated,

there were a thousand things I’d thought about doing for Christmas with my girls, but hadn’t even begun.

I found myself browsing other people’s blogs and feeling more and more depressed about all the things I wasn’t getting done.  I was disappointed and even a little mad that I’d gotten sick during a time that should be really exciting.  I kept thinking I could at least be writing during this time, but I didn’t even want to because I was seeing all the neat things others were writing about and feeling like I had nothing to offer.  

A while back, a girl from church began cleaning house once a week for my mom and sister.  I kept thinking I’d love to have her come clean for me even every other week, but certain things were holding me back.  Money for one, but I think the biggest thing was the comparison game.  I look at Caroline from The Modest Mom who works full time from home, has five children, and homeschools her older four.  She had a mother’s helper for a while, but doesn’t now.  And you know what?  Her house is still cleaner than mine.  (She may argue this, but I know it’s true.)  I read posts by Amy at Raising Arrows encouraging moms to get on it and do their job of homemaking.  I find these posts incredibly encouraging, I really do!

But in times like this, when everything is crazy, I just find myself comparing me to them.  If they can do it, why can’t I?  

Earlier this week, I was going over all this in my mind and I finally decided I was letting myself fall into a dangerous place.  I am not Caroline.  I am not Amy.  I’m not Linda or Emily or Sarah.  I’m not saying my life is harder or more complicated than any of theirs.  It’s not.  I’m just saying that it’s different.  I’M different.  And God made me that way!  

So I became okay with that.

And I hired the girl from church to come clean.  

She came on Tuesday and it was SUCH a blessing for me!  It helped me realize that that was exactly what I needed!  Not only did I need the kick start of house cleaning, I also needed to let go and accept that I am who I am and although I’ll continue to try to be a better mom, wife, homemaker, etc., right now, if I’m not okay with myself where I am, I’ll never improve!  After all, God loves me where I am.  He doesn’t compare me to anyone!  

That’s what this blog is about anyway.  Being a better wife, mom, homemaker, and Child of God.

So I’m back!  No more comparisons.  I’m happy with what I do.  I love it!  And I’m going to keep on doing it!

The bloggers mentioned in this post are all wonderful women I met at a blogging retreat this fall.  They are amazing and I’d encourage you all to check out their blogs!  Here are the links to the rest of the women’s blogs.  They’re all really, really great!

Mrs. Joseph Wood at A Moment with M.O.M

Emmalee with The Hoggatt Homeschool

Stephanie at Harrington Harmonies

  

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