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How I Let The Kardashians Mess With My Head {Day 21}

I’m not ashamed of the fact that I love the Kardashians. They make me laugh and most importantly, in all my shallow silliness, they make me feel sooo normal. My shopping trips to the Gap with my 40% off coupon seem like I am the cheapest, most frugal person compared to the kind of money they drop on designer brands as they cruise around LA. My 4 bedroom, 3 bath house is like a squatter’s hut if you placed it next to one of their perfectly decorated mansions in California. And my kids look like shabby little vagabonds compared to North and her little denim jumpsuits and diamond stud earrings.

At least my kids know how to accessorize!
After I watch an episode of their show, or spend time on Pinterest, or visit a friend’s brand-new custom built house, I start to let disappointment at my own life creep in because I am THAT affected by what I see. Look how shabby (not chic) my furniture is. These rooms could really use another coat of paint. New light fixtures would do wonders for my house. People probably think we are so poor because I dress my kids in hand-me-downs. I will make sure to put a big bow in Emmy’s hair so we look more ‘put together’ (or to distract from the huge spaghetti sauce stain on her shirt!)

So let me ask you dear reader, how satisfied are you with your life? With your home? With your clothing? With your stuff?

And if you answer is “not very” or you could instantly rattle off a long list of “if only I had…” then let’s talk; because the name of the game is perspective.

Where do your eyes go all day long? What are you taking in? Because this will greatly affect the state of your heart. I cannot be surprised if I am dissatisfied with my life after I spend 30 minutes a day watching a reality (NOT!) show, 20 minutes a day on Pinterest, 15 minutes scrolling the FB feed, 10 minutes on Instagram, and 5 minutes flipping through a catalog or magazine.

Looking at my own heart and all the ways I wish my life was better or different makes me feel a little woozy when I take my view off of myself, and place it with the other 99.99% of the world.

Last week I learned that every 10 minutes, 111 children die from hunger. Most of the world would LOVE to live in my outdated house. Many mama’s would do anything to be able to clothe their children with the options available to me each day.

I hesitate to bombard you with statistics (but they are there. and they are heartbreaking).

If you struggle in feeling content, practice the discipline of gratitude. For everything in your life you feel frustrated by, think of 10 things you are blessed with. Do this all day long and your heart will change, I promise-- because mine did.  And though I often wander back to my old ways and petty vanities, I am grateful for the taste of simplicity and contentment I have experienced over the last year.

This is what I am tackling this afternoon. And in doing so, I am thinking of these women in rural South Korea I read about last night who carry their entire family's laundry 2 miles to nearest stream, and use a baseball bat style contraption to beat their clothes clean in the water. For the Love! So I have shamed myself into feeling better about spending an hour folding all of this, while I drink my SuperSized Diet Coke I bought myself as a treat and listen to Pandora on my i-phone.

This is our guest room! Isn't is so inviting? The Hospitality Queen in action.
And how on Earth are you people having more kids? I truly feel like the litmus test for growing a family is not "Do you have the capacity to parent another kid" or "Are you and your spouse financially able to support more children" but rather: “Can you handle more laundry?” 

The answer in our house today is a clear and resounding: "NO!"

7 comments:

  1. If it makes you feel better, I would LOVE living in your outdated house! We live in a 1,000 sq foot, 2 bedroom condo that has ugly cabinets and wood panelling, revealing the fact that it was designed in the 70s. And we're trying to fit another kid in this bad boy (did I mention there is zero storage space and our living room is also our dining room?). Needless to say, this is something I struggle with all the time and need perspective. I often am embarrassed to have people over because all of our furniture has been donated to us, so it's not even like I've been able to doctor it up well. But you know, we're a one income family living off of a campus ministry salary (and you know how small that is!). I have to remind myself of the things you were saying often. And try to keep myself away from the Kardashians (I love them too!) and the Real Housewives of OC sometimes ;)

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    1. Exactly Krystal! And we lived in some TINY places so you would think I'd be grateful. I was for like 6 weeks then I kept visiting friends who lived in bigger, newer homes and suddenly mine didn't seem so great. Sick-out!
      Okay well just an unsolicited tip about the two bedroom-- new baby can scootch in anywhere. Remember how we decorated our sweet first-born's nursery with Pinterest crafts and new furniture? Baby Mack slept in a pack-and-play in a walk-in closet for the first 6 months of his life. He is only slightly emotionally damaged (stage 5 clinger) from this experience. Stay away from those Kardashians! Watch the Middle, their house is the best! And this is my fav perspective article everrrr: http://momastery.com/blog/2014/08/11/give-liberty-give-debt/

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  2. Wahhhhhh. Did the pressure get to you? I understand if so:) hope we hear from you today....

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    1. lol yes Veronica Greear I totally cracked! Thanks for asking, I'll be back today! I'm glad I have you as my accountability partner to follow up with me,

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  3. It's your own fault for spoiling me;) Btw, the comment on evaluating if you can handle the laundry for more kids-YES. We were meant to be a 2 kid family I think:( Hahaha...

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  4. Loving your blog and your great sense of humor. Thanks for the reminders regarding contentment--something I'm really struggling with at present.

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  5. I somehow stumbled upon your blog today and have enjoyed reading your posts! I'm much older than you and you remind me of myself when I was younger. Please don't be so hard on yourself! It's ok to buy yourself a Diet Coke when you're out with the kids ...don't feel guilty! Find some balance ...no need to totally cut yourself off from spending..if you can afford it, do it! You're at a very, very hard stage of life with two young kids and a husband that works a lot. It's ok if buying a sweater makes you feel happy, as long as you can afford it! It doesn't make you a bad or materialistic person. �� you don't need to totally cut yourself off in order to appreciate being content with what you have. I know I've kinda overstepped boundaries here since we are total strangers....and I may be totally wrong with the advice I've given...I'm just speaking from experience! I was really hard on myself when I was young at home with my daughter and looking back, it was totally unnecessary...being a mom is the hardest job in the world ...cut yourself some slack ��

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