The Perfect Family

As women we tend to be harder on ourselves than anyone else could ever be. We look around and feel that we don't quite measure up. We compare ourselves to others; we fall short. I'm not just talking how we feel about ourselves, but also how we feel about our families. You know what I'm talking about. You seem to always run into "them" on the days when you're the most disheveled, the most at-your-wit's-end, the least patient. Hello! There they are, and there you are. Them looking "family photo shoot" ready, and your family looking as though y'all just rolled out of bed. Sigh.

Many times in the Christian world we are told that the "perfect family" doesn't exist - that there's no such thing. But I don't think that's true. I believe that the perfect family does truly exist.

I have the perfect family. And so do you.

Our families are perfectly made up of imperfect people.

When you look around and compare your family to someone else's - you are comparing yourself to other imperfect people. No person is perfect. But families were created perfectly.

The Bible tells us that children are a heritage and a reward from the Lord. I don't know about you, but when I hear the word "reward" I think of something good. Something meant as a specific blessing. And that is what I believe our children are. They were specifically - perfectly - placed in your arms as a blessing from the Lord. That imperfect little baby placed in your imperfect loving arms. Whether naturally born or welcomed through adoption, God knows what He's doing. Those children you have - they were made just for you.  Circumstances may be different, challenges unique, but our families are perfect.

God knew that we would look outside of our little worlds and compare "ours" with "theirs." He knew that we would go buy bigger and better and more possessions to keep up with the ideals of this world. But we can't do that with children, can we? We simply take what He gives us. He could not give your family anything greater than what he already has. Those children who drive you bonkers? They were made specifically for you. Those kiddos who are so different than you? They were made specifically for you. Those kids who call only you Mom? They were made perfectly for you.

Don't waste time wishing you could have the perfect family. You already do. Don't compare your family to another based on any worldly standard. If we simply look through the eyes of our Father, we see that He only gives good gifts. Our families were made by our loving God who took imperfectly people and had them create the perfect families. Not perfect in talents or appearance or performance, but perfectly made for us.