Shabby {Chic} Mamas

Welcome to the best group of mom friends you've ever had.  Everyone is welcome here, and especially Shabby {Chic} Mamas, who make it a goal to see the frayed and bedraggled parts of ourselves in order that the Star of this earthly show, Jesus, can be, well, the Star.  We use the term Shabby {Chic} Mamas to remind ourselves that we still "got it," without the vintage floral prints and shoulder pads.  We might love our sweats, but if it ever happened that we actually left the house, we can and do channel our inner "chic."

He is the reason we gather here, in our spit-up-on clothes and our cold cups of coffee that we've reheated at least 7 times this morning.  He is the one we long for in a Nursery full of reasons to lose hope, become discouraged, and lost in the sea of daily motherhood.  We gather here to love him up together, and better still, to receive his love for our threadbare souls.  We gather here to share the Truth that he IS Real, and how he has been Real to us that day.  The challenge here is to find him in the most unlikely of places.  In the chaotic, messy, and mundane moments of motherhood, he invites us to be loved and to show us our purpose in his Nursery.  It's a big one, with lots and lots of bunnies, big and small, who want and need to know the Realness of him, too. 

We gather here because the news stations do a really poor job of reporting the awesome-ness of Jesus.  His nearness.  His daily interventions in billions of people's lives.  I can't figure out why this guy is not the headline each and every night.  Consider this your new station for updates on how God reveals himself in the tediousness of life.  I just know he will place jewels in our path if we give him the chance. 

A couple rules, girls.

• Love, love, love.  No being mean.  Period.  There is enough in this world to discourage a Mama.  If a Shabby Mama is gonna feel safe in being herself here, we can't have any of that. 

• No religious or doctrinal banter.  I know, this one's hard.  These things might be important in some arenas, but not for Shabby {Chic} Mamas, because we are all about experiencing God.  Daily.  We are doing our best to stay afloat amongst the laundry and mac n' cheese, so getting controversial and heated about anything except our love for Jesus is a bit much. 

• Look in the mirror, baby.  No bragging.  What I mean by this is if you're gonna be here, you "gots" to be real.  The holier-than-thou thing is for other blogs.  Reveal your shortcomings, be vulnerable, and get naked spiritually. 

If you're like me, you need to hear that other mamas are shabby too, and that Jesus is still current, playful, fierce, present, interested, and speaking loudly today.  This is his forum.  May this be a movement that stirs up each tattered one of us to find him, really find him, and then spread the word.  C'mon Shabby Mamas, let's do this!