Knights Becoming and a Lady in Waiting

Not So Super

I've mentioned before that I'm doing a Beth Moore Bible study (Living Beyond Yourself).  Beth has a great poem about being Superwoman that really hit with me today.  I've been struggling to get in my study time-- I was up at 5:30 a.m. yesterday, which is just WRONG for me.  I was then up until midnight last night (which is far more normal for me).  In the morning, my dear daughter woke up at 6 a.m.  She never wakes up at 6 a.m., but she did yesterday.  I got in prayer time, but didn't get filled up from the Word.  In the evening, the same thing happened.  I had a late-night dinner-date with my husband before my parents go away (free babysitting).  Then we had the evening "stuff" to take care of before bed.  I sent my hubby on to bed and went to try to get my study done.  Again, Princess Moo woke up.  I decided to go ahead and pray, but you can't really do an in-depth study like Beth Moore with a baby nursing.

All this reflects Beth's poem.  I'm just going to put the first few lines here (in respect of copyright) and then try to paraphrase the rest.

Superwoman's Freedom Plea

Oh, Lord, who said there's just One Life to Live?

I'm sure I'm livin' a thousand!

The few times I do awake to pray

All My Children start arousin'!

Uh, oh! No time for quiet now

Think quick!  The day's beginnin'!

She goes on (using a lot of soap operas for humor?), saying that we want our kids religious, wise but innocent, and to have self-esteem.  We want to be professional in appearance, but have a perfect house.  We have to be the perfect wife.

I often feel like Superwoman near kryptonite (or whatever it was that bothered her; my husband assures me it was not the same thing as Superman, but a quick Google(tm) search says he's wrong.  Bwahahah!). 

What do we do to ourselves?  We must not just be healthy-- we must look like airbrushed models.  We workout, we go to Weight Watchers(tm), we drink our minimum eight 8-oz cups of water, and we obsess over our weight.  We buy clothing that flatters our figure and then can't find anything to wear when our figure changes and those clothes are no longer flattering.

We can't just have an organized, neat house.  It must be perfect.  We buy knick-knacks and furniture and curtains and STUFF that must be cared for.  We get the biggest house we can afford-- then spend money we don't have to keep it up, furnish it, or even to make it bigger.  We work in the house all day, in the yard all afternoon, and then repeat the process the next day, wondering why we're worn out.

We must be the perfect wife and mother.  As homeschoolers, most of us are freed from the "work outside the home" trap, but we have additional pressures.  We not only have to be an ideal helpmeet and gentle, loving mother, but we have to know everything about everything so we can teach our children.  We must have the perfect curriculum, so we spend more and more money, trying to find one that has no flaws.

These things are not all bad.  The Blubber Bloggers group is helping a group of women get their lifestyles under control.   Kim's walking group (note: offsite group) helps women to remember to take care of God's temple.  Amy's Clean Heart, Clean Home Challenge helps women get their homes under control.

The problem isn't taking care of these areas, it's obsessing about them... being Superwoman.

Today, I challenge you all to give up your OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder).  Give it up to God.  For today, don't be Superwoman.  Be a Spirit-filled Biblical Woman of God.  That's more than Super enough.

Great Post

11:28 AM, May. 5, 2006 .. Posted by PreschoolersandPeace

On any given day I could use this advice and wisdom. So today I think I'll just lay by the pool :) Oh no- wait- I have to meet someone for lunch, file passports, make a salad for a baby shower, cook dinner for my family, attend the baby shower... sigh. Well maybe I'll try again tomorrow.

Actually, I've been wanting to make a list of all the things I consider to be "on my plate" and prioritize them. I'd like to see on paper which things I need to eliminate. The older I get, the more I realize it's just not worth it to try and be a Supermom.

Isn't it true?

9:57 PM, May. 8, 2006 .. Posted by eakrabel

I recently attended a seminar entitled the "Superwoman Myth." Even though I know it is not humanly possible for me to meet the superwoman standard, I still set the bar there and beat myself up when I fail. Your post was very encouraging. Tomorrow I will not try to be Superwoman. I will just try to be the woman God wants me to be.