Mommy Blog

A Hot Mess

in Thoughtful Thursdays on April 13, 2022

Now, be honest…how many of you reading the title immediately conjured an image of ME in your minds?

Trust me. I get it. I am totally a Hot Mess.

While I definitely have my moments (and I’ll share my latest offering in a bit), I am not the original Mess. Shocking, I know. Settle in, grab a cup of coffee—I’ve got a lot to say today!!

The term that we are all so familiar with, gained its extreme popularity around 2007, from the show, Project Runway. I never watched that show, but I have, through the years benefitted from some of its terminology. And still, the Hot Mess contestants—even from 2007–were not the Original, either.

As many of you know, my husband and I are building our forever home. It seems to be taking a lot longer than it should…part of me realizes that I’m just impatient and want to move in NOW; however, there is another part of me that truly does understand it takes time—good old fashioned time—to erect a well constructed home. And yet, there’s another part of me that simply does not understand why those two elements cannot work together…meaning Timely and Sturdy.

It’s that third conundrum that got me into trouble.

Throughout this entire process, I have let Jeff take the reigns. He has had very specific ideas about light fixtures, paint colors, and wall textures. I have not been nearly as attentive.

Over the last YEAR, I have watched my husband stress and fret and manage a construction site, that we actually PAID someone else to do. Jeff is NOT the General Contractor for our new home, although he has performed in that roll since Day 1. Looking back, I am exceedingly thankful he took such an interest; otherwise, as we crawl toward a Closing Date, we would be met with significant disappointment and overwhelming annoyances over the “little things” that were missed during construction.

Now, having said all of that, I have stayed out of most of the back and forth between the builder and Jeff (even though I am copied on all communication). I have learned through the years, that when I do not fully understand something, it is best to keep quiet.

That all changed late yesterday afternoon.

I forcefully inserted myself into the conversation, that in my mind, was incredibly one-sided. In other words, Jeff was (and had been) asking pointed and directed questions, with little to no response.

So, I replied.

I was defending my man (who is MORE than capable of looking after himself, but he’s still my man). I have watched him stress, worry, lose sleep, and exhaust himself doing someone else’s job—all the while having a FULL TIME JOB besides the construction of our home. Mama Bear doesn’t only come out when a woman’s kids are mistreated…at least this one doesn’t.

Why am I telling you this?

I mean, if you really think about it, I don’t come off in the best light today…especially if you read the email I unleashed. My Hot Messiness was fully activated and in glorious Technicolor yesterday…but as I said, I am not the first.

We are smack-dab in the middle of Holy Week. Tomorrow is Maundy (or Holy) Thursday.

Tomorrow, Christians all over the world celebrate (yes, celebrate) and remember The Last Supper that Jesus shared with His disciples.

It is also the night He was betrayed by one of those disciples…one whom everyone considered a friend, Judas Iscariot.

You’d think it was Judas who was in the hot seat of my post.

He isn’t.

It is Peter.

Of all of the Twelve Disciples, Peter is definitely in my Top Three favorites. Why? Because, he is the original Hot Mess. Peter often spoke before checking in with his brain. He frequently acted rashly and impulsively. And, he failed Jesus miserably in the hours after the Last Supper: First, Peter makes a promise to follow Jesus anywhere—even to death. Later, he does follow Jesus after He is arrested, but denies even KNOWING Jesus, let alone being one of His disciples. And somewhere in between both of these epic displays of humanity, Peter’s temper and hot-headedness got the better of him.

That is what I want us to look at.

After supper, after Judas leaves the group to tattle to the Jewish leaders as to the whereabouts of Jesus; the eleven remaining disciples and Jesus head to the Garden of Gethsemane, so that Jesus can pray. (See Matthew 26: 36 ff, Mark 14: 32 ff, Luke 22:39 ff, and John 17) Jesus knows He is headed to the Cross. He knows the horrors and tortures and humiliation He is about to suffer. Jesus, fully God, yet fully man, felt every human emotion. He knew without a doubt the difficulty of the task set before Him. “And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground” Luke 22:44 (emphasis added). He knows He is about to be arrested in a place of prayer…His disciples…His duh-ciples are still ignorant of the absolute necessity of these events.

As Judas leads a battalion of Roman soldiers to the garden, Peter unsheathes his sword and slices off the ear of Malchus, a servant of the High Priest.

Can you even imagine? What in the wide world was Peter thinking??

The Roman soldiers are known throughout history for their strength, brutality, enjoyment of that brutality, and their inability to show mercy under any circumstance…and here we have our resident Hot Mess—one man—ready to take on an entire battalion armed to the teeth.

Peter. Bless his heart.

Jesus put an immediate stop to the fighting…or what would have been a slaughter. “…he [Jesus] touched the man’s ear and healed him.” Luke 22:51

Jesus was then lead away, and His disciples scattered.

So, how in the world can I equate my email to Peter’s actions in the Garden of Gethsemane?

I am NOT Peter. But…I DO have some unflattering character flaws, and those flaws are only exacerbated when someone I love is in danger or being mistreated. Peter eventually redeemed himself. In fact, the entire Church Universal is built upon him. That should give you extreme comfort; I know it does me.

With all of my flaws, my hot-headedness, my unwillingness to remain calm in tense situations, and my overall general sinfulness—I am still not only useful for the Kingdom, I am valuable.

And you are too.

This past Sunday was Palm Sunday; the first day of Holy Week…the first day of our journey to the Cross at Calvary, and the first step towards an empty tomb. Tomorrow, we are one step closer to the darkest, yet most beautiful day in all of human history. If you have never attended Holy Week services, I encourage you to find a church near you. Most services for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday are in the evening. Come as you are. Come from the office, the Walgreens, the construction site. All are welcome.

I can’t take back the words I typed out yesterday, I can only move forward, taking steps in the mercy and grace that is provided to me through Jesus on the Cross. You can’t change your past either, but with Jesus leading the way, your future is secure.

If you are in the Houston area, join us for services.