It's Ok To Do Things Differently

In a world of social media influencers, cancel culture, and the pressure to conform, it's ok to be different from each other.

I see this me-against-you mentality everywhere.

Social media platforms-

Crunchy versus non-crunchy!

Working Mom versus non-working mom!

Traditional school versus non-schooling!

All organic versus non-organic!

Prescription drugs versus natural!

How about this- we all do things differently, and that's ok.

My family isn't your family, and your family isn't my family. My husband and kids are not your husband and kids, and they all have different temperaments, personalities, and quirks.

It's not a one-size-fits-all mentality.

It's ok to make your own bread, go all organic, and cook everything from scratch, just like your favorite homesteading influencer.

It's also ok to buy bread from a store, pop a frozen pizza in the oven from time to time, and eat a non-organic cookie.

It's ok to research a prescription drug and decide it's ok to take, and it's also ok to believe that some natural treatments work, as well. (Give me my bottle of oregano oil- I'll stack that against every prescription drug there is, because I have proven time and time again that it works on my own bacterial infections.)

It's ok to be a wife living solely off her husband's income, and it's ok if you have to supplement that income in some way, shape or form. While I am all about finding something to do that allows you to stay home while doing it, I understand that we live in a very difficult time financially, and inflation hurts.

It's ok to be all about traditional schooling, and it's ok if you want to focus on the three R's.

It's ok to do all online school, and it's ok if you only allow textbooks and a good old fashioned notebook.

It's ok to throw away the tv, and it's ok if you allow your kids to watch the ipad sometimes.

It's ok if you keep your home spotless, and it's ok if it looks lived in.

It's ok if you cook everything from scratch, and it's ok if you open a package and heat something up.

It's ok if you co-sleep, it's ok if you sleep train.

It's ok if you breastfeed, it's ok if you formula feed.

It's ok if you birth at home, and it's ok if you birth in the hospital.

All of us are different, and at the end of the day, what is the most important thing?

The most important thing is this- that you are raising happy, well adjusted children who love you, love the Lord, and want to live their lives bringing glory to the Lord.

All of that other stuff is just fluff.

If you are busy around your home, raising your children for the Lord, running it, overseeing it, working with your own hands- whether that is by baking your own bread, or using your talents to bring in some supplemental income- you are doing a good thing.

The mom cancel culture has to stop.

Of course we all have our own ideas, opinions, and beliefs, but how about we focus more on encouraging each other as moms and wives, and stop tearing each other down because we do things differently?

I would classify myself as a spunky wife and mom to lots of kids who homeschools with traditional textbooks, is crunchy sometimes and couldn't care less other times, has a growing side business from home, does organic when she can and doesn't worry about it other times, is patient sometimes and sometimes not, loves her kids fiercely and obsessively worries over them pretty much 24 hours a day, and is a little more independent, sassy, and opinionated than a lot of other Christian stay at home wives and moms.

And that's ok.

My husband and kids like me just fine, and I am sure your husband and kids like you just fine, too.

If you don't fit into the "perfect social media influencer mode", don't worry. We weren't intended to fit into a one-size-fits-all mode.

God created you with a unique personality and unique gifts and talents.

Stop apologizing if you don't like to sew. Stop apologizing if you don't bake homemade bread. Stop apologizing if you aren't all organic. Stop apologizing if cows and a homestead and chickens aren't your thing.

Rest in the fact that God made you unique, and you are perfect for your husband and perfect for your kids.

Love God, love your husband, love your kids, and at the end of the day, that's enough.