on: how I don't have it all together.

See this bowl? I really love this bowl. It was a wedding gift from a sweet coworker. It's been on my table ever since we got married. I really love this bowl. (Did I mention I really love this bowl?)

I think God noticed my love affair with that silly bowl, and decided He needed to teach me a teensy lesson. But first, a quick side-story.

I've been reading Loving the Little Years: Motherhood in the Trenches. It's so, so good. Reading it makes me feel like I can do this whole momma thing. I got to this chapter where the author talks about stopping sibling fights (as if that's a problem for us right now... still, I liked what she had to say). Basically, instead of sending kids to their respective corners when they're fighting over a toy, or trying to get the "He Said, She Said" story out of each individual... what this mommy does (my paraphrase) is talk to them about the importance of people over things. She says that the emphasis should be placed on "maintaining fellowship" with each other -- and so, she asks her children, "Is that toy worth breaking fellowship with your brother/sister?" or "Isn't your sister/brother more valuable than that toy?" The point is, considering others is more important than getting your own way.

Alright. Back to the bowl.

Marty was fixing our dining room light the other night. He was fiddling with the cord, doing some rewiring. And then, CRASH! Down came the (heavy) chandelier. Right onto our dining room table. And, fatefully, sitting on top of our table was the aforementioned bowl... except now, it was shattered into a thousand tiny pieces.

My reaction was a bad one. I'll spare you the details.

But listen, here's the point: I was all proud of myself after reading that chapter in the book. "I'll just file that tidbit away for when my kids are fighting over a toy. Come on, kids. This is an important life lesson. No breaky-breaky the fellowship between you two. Cut it out, grow up, etc. etc. {all said in a wise, sage-like parental way}."

And here I was. Breaking fellowship with my husband, over a broken bowl.

I'm not sure how to wrap this story up... except to tell you that my love of pretty things is now 

(1) out in the open,

(2) one of my vices,

(3) in the works of changing.

Because people (particularly, husbands) are much more important than things.

Glad we got that all cleared up.

Also. If you happen to see a bowl like the one above... don't tell me about it. I'll be buying something unbreakable, or very ugly, instead :)