Confessions of a Hot Mama: I’m Not Always So Godly

While I like to think that on occasion I manage to pull off the “hot mama” thing, that is not the hot I’m referring to…I mean literally hot. We are heading into day four of no power in the aftermath of hurricane Irma. Here in Florida where September still means a heat index of nearly 100 degrees I am literally a hot mama, and I am ashamed of how moody and grumpy I get when I’m hot.

I mean just flat out rude; and sometimes I really don’t even care. I want to be mean! Oh, never to friends and neighbors. Just to Tim and the kids. You know, the ones I love the most. (Hey, I’ve promised to always be transparent.) Of course the second my kids are rude I am quick to correct them and to tell them how thankful we should be.

Oh me….nearly 30 years of walking with the Lord and close to 20 of trying to help others do so….you’d think I’d be farther along than this. Being human is not something anyone, no matter what they try to make you believe, is ever fully delivered from this side of Heaven. It is so easy to beat ourselves up every time our “humanness” shows. (That’s why we should clothe ourselves in righteousness…cover that stuff up! Colossians 3:11-14 , Ephesians 4:24) But think about it – the Lord would not tell us to be constantly renewed in our minds if He did not know our minds would be constantly getting messed up! (Ephesians 4:23)

I love how Psalm 103 says God remembers that we are dust! We’d do good to do the same. Instead of wasting time beating ourselves up, let’s give ourselves some grace. We were made from dirt for goodness sake. We should accept our screw ups as part of being human, and receive His grace as part of being forgiven and get on with life.

Satan wants to stop us at our every blunder and say, “You call yourself a Christian? You should be ashamed. How dare you think you can help others or raise godly children. You can’t even control yourself!” Next time he tells you that I challenge you to speak out loud, “That’s right. I can’t control myself, and for that reason I will be controlled by the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25) Dust yourself off. Make a quick course correction, and start moving forward again.

Remember, dear sister, in our weakness He is strong. So the next time Satan tells you what a mess you are, tell him, “Thanks for reminding me!” Because like I once wrote in a song, “if it takes my weakness for His power to be known then, Lord let my weakness show.”

“But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and [a]show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may [b]pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me” 2 Corinthians 12:9 (AMPC)

For more transparency about my moods and weaknesses check out my post Full Disclosure and my series Holy Hormones!

So I want to hear from you…Do you waste too much time beating yourself up? I sure do. And for some reason these self berating sessions always seems to happen in my bathroom.

UPDATE: Thank the Lord, our power was restored! Talk about a renewed perspective on how good we have it and how blessed we are.