Realistic Role Models

Much of today's world is so determined to have the "look" that tells everyone around them that they are doing well in their lives, whether personnal or public. You see this in many peoples lives, and even in politicians (until reporters dig up grub from their pasts), it's everywhere if you look. The "perfect" family, the American Dream - you see? Do I have the best the store offers...to look like I really have things together?? etc.
No one wants people to think that they aren't doing their job, either being the " ideal Proverbs wife/mother" , godly husband/father, child, or maybe in their financial situations. It doesn't matter what the situation, people, unless they are cronic complainers, don't want the "truth" to show through.

What is true is that everyone, yes I said EVERYONE, everyone has the same trials that the Bible talks about. They may be in different area, because God is training everyone in a different way according to where their faith lies, but everyone experiences trials that fit their families.

My Mother wrote today:

A good understanding of the relationship between faith and hope seems to have little relevance when all is bright and sunny in our lives, but let sorrow, disappointment, illness or tragedy strike, an understanding of hope becomes so that we won’t stumble during hard times.
And hard times will come. ...
...Paul describes it as running a race. The runner runs past obstacles in the race by focusing not on the pitfalls and the pain in his path, but rather on the finish line ahead. He is determined to finish the race therefore he keeps on going, step by step, until he crosses the finish line. Likewise, the Christian also has a goal, the hope of eternal life. We hope in the resurrection and the new body we will receive. We hope in Jesus’ return and the restoration of order in the world. We hope therefore we walk, step by step, past pitfalls and disappointments of our present life to reach the eternal finish line. We choose to keep on keeping on, because we believe today’s pain is temporary while heaven is forever.So when bad times come, look forward in hope and keep walking. Don’t shut down. Don’t give up. Keep your eye determinedly trained on the goal and trust God to get you there, step by step. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

How interesting. In contrast, we all are growing each day and learning things that are needed in life - whether you are married or single. In a marriage, there are many things you learn, you need to learn how to serve & honor your spouse in a Godly manner, ....and by the time you die, you normally know how your spouse thinks in each situation - or so I'm told! :) Our relationship is a good and fun one. This doesn't mean that we haven't had our times of trial and learning- and it doesn't mean that we don't disagree on things, it's just that we have worked and learned over the years to make ourselves more accountable to how God wants us to resolve issues. Wow! It sounds like I've been married FOREVER! I am not a genius and I am still in God's hands as I learn EVERY day. I have had good role models, and I think that we, married or single, should be role models, not of "the perfect" life (which no one alive has) but of realistic goals and values and attitudes. Learning is a HUGE point of our lives. How we make our household run is totally our choice of attitude and learning, yet remembering that nobody is perfect.

Portraying the "perfect" life sounds like vanity in a way because it means that we are beyond the learning stage of life. I think that our whole lives are the "learning" stage, since you are always getting older, different things come up that you have to learn how to deal with. They may not always be what we think is normal, but God knows exactly where each of us needs to learn.

This is the end of my "book" for today. I was just rambling thoughts, more for myself than anything. It is fun to read my thoughts and see if I agree later....