I’ve never read the book “Beautiful Mess: Motherhood for Every Moment” by Sherry Surratt and Tracy Eyester, but I heard a pitch about it once. What I remember was the idea that there are really special friends in your life that you would open the door and welcome them in to your home when the couch is piled with laundry, the dishes are stacked in the sink and the children have destroyed the house. But you trust that woman. That time in our life was a beautiful mess, especially if you’re now looking back at how quickly the years flew by.
Five years ago, I had a group of friends from the early 90’s find each other and start getting together for dinner. We had all met through the church we attended. We found our lives were still beautiful messes, but we were the women that we each would allow through the door. That we could share the hardships of divorce, children on drugs, children dealing with mental problem and suicide issues, and our own health issues. It was a very sweet beautiful mess every time we met to share a meal and catch up on life.
This last Friday evening I experienced another beautiful mess. A dear friend held a wine tasting party and then because it was such a beautiful evening we had a fire on her deck. I had intended to leave and go dancing. We all kept saying “oh my it’s ____ I need to go home” (starting about 10,) but we kept sharing beautiful messes until it was 12:45 when we left! (Seriously, we all left together, no one wanted the evening to end.) When you feel safe to share, safe to be vulnerable and safe to be loved on; beautiful messes become very sweet times.
Who do you share your beautiful mess with? Think you can’t do that? You should learn how. It was the best group therapy for over 4 hours! There were 7 of us and we all had a lot to get off our hearts. A lot to be unburdened from. A lot to realize we aren’t alone in the struggle of this thing we call our life. Things we don’t need to be proud of because someone else thinks we are a rock star for! Things we aren’t alone in and thus we need to remove any shame from our thoughts or just the realization that someone else is there/has been there and I’m going to be okay. That we all have a daily struggle!
Phil 2:1-5 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus
Father, help us to understand that you gave us each other to be in community with, to be authentic with, to love. Help us to know that when we have the mindset of Jesus and we are experiencing life with a person who has the mindset of Jesus, that it’s safe to share our deepest wounds, secrets, hurts, fears and even funnies. That together we are better and You are glorified. Amen
Grace Under Pressure 