compared.

Lately I've noticed that there is a word I use quite often in my thought processes.

I'm fat, compared to her.
My bump is bigger, compared to her.
I look frumpy, compared to her.
My house is a mess, compared to hers. 
Our dinner was basic, compared to theirs. 
My closet is bare, compared to hers.
My hair is so messy, compared to hers. 
I play the violin horribly compared to her.
Our apartment is so plain, compared to theirs.


Do you see what it is?

COMPARED.

For a long time I would get on instagram or facebook, and start scrolling only to have a similar response to the majority of the pictures.

But there are TWO {probably more} huge problems with this thought process of mine.

#1. I am not them. Seriously. No matter how hard I try, I cannot become someone else! I am myself, I am the way God made me. I am perfectly imperfect. I have my flaws and faults, but the Lord is working on me!!

Right now I'm 22 weeks pregnant, and I have a 14 month old pulling constantly at my skirts. I have a hubby who works nights and sleeps during the day. Nights can be pretty rough which means days are long and exhausting. You can tell. Its an accomplishment the days I have energy to shower, and lets not talk about energy to walk down TWO flights of stairs to do the laundry.

#2. I was COMPARING my worst to their {most of the time} staged. I mean, really. Who posts pictures of their worst online? I was comparing my mountain of dirty clothes to the picture of a basket of nicely folded laundry. She didn't share the fourteen other loads still piled around her washer. I only see a little itsy bitsy square of her whole picture.

When I stop comparing myself to others, and simply try to do my best, things go a lot better. I have more energy. I get things accomplished. I am happy. I can be joyful. God can work on me some more.