what you see is what you get

I wrote this post months ago.  I read it often but for some reason I have never published it.  

My grandma mailed me a letter my freshman year of college and attached a devotional.  Today as I hold the letter and devotional in my hand I see it is tattered and old from me looking at it and reading it so often.  There is a hole in the paper that was once a tear drop.  My grandma's letter has helped me though many rough days.  I wish I could photograph it, but the ink as faded into a pale purple.  The devotional was torn from a leaflet my grandma got at a Wednesday afternoon tea she attended with her church lady friends.  She called it 'Circle time.'  She was so good about writing me when I was so far away from home.  She new her words and things she sent meant so much to me.

My writing below is an adaptation of the devotional and things my grandma and I jotted down next to the printed words.

More than likely you aren't gonna be perfect, so don't try to be.  You must must must be your own best friend. Period.  This is not up for debate...love yourself.

Sometimes you have to leave things undone.  There is just no way you can do it all.

Don't try to be all things to all people.

It is quite alright to be boring and untidy once in awhile.

Learn to Say no often.

Along with saying no, learn to not spread yourself too thin.

Time alone all alone by yourself is a good thing.

It is perfectly okay to kick back, relax and do nothing regularly.

Don't ever let yourself feel guilty for any of the above actions.

What you see is what you get from this blog writer, picture taker and recipe poster. 

Sadly, I think too many people care what others think about them on a day to day basis.  Doing so makes life harder.  Trying to please other people all the time just never works.  It is exhausting.   My grandma ALWAYS helped me to remember who the most important person was in my life....myself and of course God.  

And now my family of four.

I realize that it is okay to rest and relax.  It is okay to say no to baking a dozen cupcakes for that school fundraiser.  It is okay if a friend swings by the house and there is a load of laundry on the chair.  We must remember we are not all perfect and we aren't supposed to be.