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Saturday, February 11, 2017

Black Jeans Aren't for Mamas

I am one of those women who enjoy dressing up. I like putting on my cute outfits those times that I actually get to go out of the house. I know some of you can relate, and some of you just want to stay in yoga pants all the time. Either way, stay with me here.

It was one such special occasion that I decided to wear my black skinny jeans. I was feeling pretty cute this day, pretty put together. I was taking my two youngest kids to Bible study, so I was looking forward to a little me time, too.

Well, it is winter in Minnesota. For those of you who don't know, that basically means your car is dirty for 5 months. They keep the roads treated up here in case it snows, which it often does. Also, I live in the country and have family and friends in the country, so I travel gravel roads a lot. Needless to say, our Traverse was transformed from its lovely shade of navy blue to a gross shade of grungy grey. 

Since I'm kind of a magnet for dirt, I of course find that I have rubbed my black jeans up against the dirtiness of my car while getting my baby out of his carseat. Great. I had to go to Bible study with a grey smear on my thigh.

Then at lunch, my daughter dropped white cheddar mac and cheese on my leg. Combine that with the results of my drooling baby, and you can imagine what I looked like. I was no longer the picture of a put-together mom. Not at all.

Nope. Black jeans are not for mamas.

But when we get discouraged or feel a little pitiful, God's word is there for us. When we try to have it all together and fail, God can help put us back together.

A verse that I have always loved is Ephesians 2:10. But this time, I backed up a couple of verses and found some more good stuff.
"God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago" (Ephesians 2:8-10).
See what I mean? There is such good stuff here for us! 

First, God saved us. We did nothing but accept His grace. The fact that He saved us through Jesus is the greatest gift of all. We can't earn it. We can't repay it. We can just believe and be thankful. I don't know about you, but I'm glad that God does not require a list of things that we need to do in order to be saved. He does not want to burden us. He wants to give us mercy and grace. Thank you, Jesus!

Second, the fact that I don't have to do anything to earn salvation is so freeing! We do so much as moms and wives. Jesus came to give us freedom. Freedom from perfection and striving! What a relief for this mom with a busy to-do list!

And then there's verse 10. We don't have to have it put together. We are God's masterpiece no matter what we look like, or no matter what we have on our jeans. So unlike my black jeans, Weare made new and washed clean by Jesus. And, in spite of our mess, He wants to use us in His plans. What a trade off! I give Him my mess of a life, and He gives me "good things" to do for His purpose. 

Black jeans may not be for mamas, but God is all about us. He's all about you! 


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