WWMID?

I tend to be the type of person that follows WDMID instead of WWMID. This can be a problem. I love historical fiction (I have tried to do the whole nonfiction thing and there are some INCREDIBLE nonfiction books out there but by and large I love the stories thrown in the fiction books that may not be historically accurate but are just so fun to read - check out Rutherford, Jakes or Follett for some WONDERFUL reads).

Anyway......my point, yes there is one. (Are you still wondering what on earth WWMID and WDMID mean?)

I read Roots when I was pregnant with Sofia and the ending was a COMPLETE surprise, I remember gasping (and mostly likely hitting myself in the chest because every time I swear I am not JUST LIKE MY MOM I discover I really am) and just being bowled over by the entire book. I was particularly affected by what the women went through, not only the women but the mothers. In reading all this historical fiction you discover how easy you have it and, as I have said before, sometimes blessings while always welcome can sometimes seem to be somewhat of an embarrassment. I mean if I can't pull it together with only three children, a wonderful husband, indoor plumbing, electricity and all the comforts that I have.......

WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT ME - AS A WOMAN? A WIFE? A MOTHER?

And that is when I had a revelation - I needed to think more in terms of "What WOULD Ma Ingalls Do" instead of "What DID Ma Ingalls Do". Fia and I had been reading the Little House books and I found myself getting sucked back into that world where I questioned who I was and my ability to do my job. Again, I live AN ABUNDANT LIFE - why am I tired? why do I have laundry piled up? why do we have egg based meals so much? Why can't I handle life sometimes when Ma Ingalls was able to cross many states in a covered wagon, fording rivers, making rabbit stew and milking cows? And then it dawned on me............

If a U-Haul would have passed Ma Ingalls' covered wagon on the way to the prairie and offered her a ride would she have said, "No, thank you. I prefer my covered wagon. It's so cozy in here with all my wordly possessions and my three children. Oh, and we haven't even forded the river yet! That is just pure excitement! I never know if we are all going to make it to the other side or not"? HECK NO! That woman would have RUN, FLYING INTO that U-Haul probably thanking the Good Lord every second of that ride to the prairie.

What about in the dead of winter when the girls and Ma are stuck inside with the wind howling, snow blowing and have been there for DAYS ON END.........................what if, GASP, a TV landed in the middle of their cabin? Would Ma say, "Oh, please take away that heathen item with it's mindless, endless programming - we are so happy playing here for 13 hours a day with our one corn husk doll and sewing projects."? Again, HECK NO! They would have sat down and after initially watching for all 13 waking hours every day for about a week probably Ma would have gotten it together and limited their tv time to an hour or two a day and done so guilt-free, thanking the Good Lord for this miracle that descended into their home. (Oh and I don't think that TV is a miracle from God and yes, it can be used excessively and there is endless HORRID programming but Ma Ingalls is a good, Christian woman and I am sure she would keep her girls away from anything indecent ;)

My point is.........instead of thinking about all these things that other women did before me, generations before me........I should count my blessings, knowing that they wouldn't begrudge me the conveniences and abundance of this time, right now. I should look at my day and see blessings, not inadequacies. And maybe your struggle isn't with Ma Ingalls or the women found in historical fiction books but with the woman who is line with you at the store (I almost cried when I first had Sofia and I saw a perfectly made up, thin woman at Babies R Us with an infant about Fia's age - I wanted to go up to her and say HOW DID YOU GET OUT OF YOUR HOUSE LOOKING LIKE THAT? I half hated her and half envied her) or the mom next door or your own mom or grandma.

Who do you measure yourself against and come up wanting?

Well, STOP. STOP IT RIGHT NOW. It's not worth it. Circumstances, life, people are different. Chances are you are doing just fine, even better than fine. And so today, join me in doing what I believe Ma Ingalls would do..........counting my blessings instead of my inadequacies.................

1. A beautiful feeling like fall day

2. Hot coffee

3. My girl seeing a new friend at school and shyly waving hi

4. A morning spent at the museum and park

5. Max and Ruby :)

6. Wonderful, seem like they've always been there friends

7. A husband who thinks of me first and himself second

8. A forgiving, merciful God

9. A warm bed

10. Seeing a mess and knowing that it comes from a beautiful place

11. Massive Schnabel equipment.............and the generosity and love that come from such people in the sharing of all they have