Bless Not Impress

Most days, I'm a soft-spoken, sane woman, but oh, if you could see the tizzy I get into when I'm getting ready for guests to arrive. My poor kids watch me morph from their loving mommy, into Helga, the Housecleaning Nazi Mama.

"Hurry up. They're going to be here in TWO HOURS!! Don't you realize we only have TWO HOURS to make this place PERFECT before ________ gets here? Why are you just standing there. Clean, people, clean!!!!"

While I dream of a Norman Rockwell scene, my kids run for cover. I envision our guests walking into a perfectly clean home as wonderful smells greet them from the kitchen. In my fantasy, a fire crackles in the fireplace, and soft music plays in the background.

In reality, the clock ticks closer and closer to their arrival, and Norman never shows up.

During one of these tizzies, God gave me a little "talking to." I was expecting a big group of friends to come over for dinner after the Saturday night service, so I skipped church to get ready for their arrival. I was in the middle of a mad dash cooking and cleaning frenzy when I heard His voice whisper to my heart, "Becky, I don't want you to impress these people. I want you to bless them."

I was busted. I knew where my focus was, and it wasn't on blessing anyone. It was all about impressing. The Windex, the vacuuming, the yelling at my kids, the running around like a chicken with my head cut off- it was all about making ME look good.

"Bless Not Impress" became a little mantra for me. I still slip into tizzy mode on occasion, but I try to stop and pray that my focus will be taken off of myself and on to the people I'm about to see. This works for social situations other than hospitality as well. When I'm nervous about meeting new people at my husband's work Christmas party, or if I run into an old friend from the past. Instead of allowing feelings of insecurity to rule, I say to myself, "Bless Not Impress." That little saying reminds me to look people in the eye, to ask questions, and to get beyond facades. It is a simple way to remember to look off me and to see people instead of the fingerprints on my refrigerator door.

As we move into this holiday season, lets remember to "Bless Not Impress" the people Jesus sends our way.

Have a very blessed Thanksgiving!

Love,