Help! I’m Living in a Glass House!
Growing up in a pastor’s home and then becoming a pastor’s wife, I know firsthand what it means to live in a glass house. Everything that you do seems to be seen by everyone in your church and in your community. It can become overwhelming if you let it!
I know that I personally felt stressed to have my house be squeaky clean, my boys polite and proper, and my personal behavior exempt from flaws and inconsistencies. Was I successful? Absolutely not… I would make myself physically ill and almost drive myself crazy. We can’t be perfect 100% of the time. It is unrealistic to think that of yourself, your spouse, your children, and your home.
I had to learn to let it go! That is not easy for a perfectionist like myself. I had to realize that a happy home is not a squeaky clean home. A dirty kitchen will wait until the next day. My boys are not going to be perfect. They are going to forget their manners sometimes and say unkind words to other children.
I learned that most people felt more at ease and felt like they could relate to us with my house, kids, and me being less than perfect all of the time.
Our lives are too short and our ministry is too important to let the “glass house” negatively impact our lives. Enjoy your husband and kids! Laugh, love, and make memories! So what if the bathroom is dirty, your family’s mental and emotional health is so much more important than that. Remember that those who are inspecting you aren’t perfect either. Take it from me. Life is so, so, so much better when you give yourself, your kids, and house some liberty to not be 100%.