My Green Eyed Monster is in the shape of an F

It’s the end of the day and I’m in bed with my little man and my friends. (My husband would want me to clarify that my little man is my baby and my friends are on Facebook.) Has today been perfect? Well….no, but it had its moments. Sissy learned to read a short little book, Bubba gave me some sweet loves & snuggles before bed, and baby boy painted his entire body with wet sidewalk chalk. (I said it wasn’t perfect!) As I scroll through my newsfeed I see everyone else’s Saturday fun; pretty faces out and about, babies smiling, proud baseball mamas, funny videos, and….. Wait, what?!? A birthday party? I didn’t know about a birthday party? Oh my gosh! We were left out! Not invited! They don’t like us? Scroll…. Scroll….scroll….Hold up, she got her nails done? My nails have sidewalk chalk crammed in them. Scroll….scroll….scroll….They had a date night! Ugh, we ate steak in bed. (That’s not a euphemism, we literally ate our steak supper in the bed.) Scroll….scroll….scroll….

And this is how I ended my night.

I put my phone down and thought about all the things my ‘friends’ had done. Honestly, the birthday thing kind of bothered me. I know it’s silly, but it sent my mind on a path of craziness. Did I invite these people to our last birthday? Did they come? Is there a reason why my family doesn’t fit in with them? Are we weird? (Definitely, I thought as I moved my steak knife to the end table.)

The thing is none of those questions mattered. I was focused on the wrong problem. My friends weren’t the problem. They were just living their lives and posting amazing memories just like everyone else. The problem was me. I was jealous. I really hated that realization.

Galatians 5:19 says, “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Goodness…. Jealousy and envy? These things are on the list with witchcraft and orgies?

I am not being preachy, I just think it’s kind of crazy how so much of ‘public Christianity’ is focused on things considered big bad sins, but we let all the ‘little’ things go. More than that….we feed the little things. Sometimes, it feels like things such as; envy, jealousy, discord, dissensions totally make up our churches.

I am not close to perfect. Actually, my faith is often very weak. I have never set out to write a helpful blog post because I know all three of my readers are much holier than myself! I simply wanted to write this as a reminder to myself. So here goes;
Katina,
Remember, jealousy makes you miserable. If that green eyed monster jumps into your home via Facebook, put your phone down. Your life is bliss even when it seems stressful. Read some of those sad Facebook posts and imagine how they must feel looking at all of your happy posts. Erase jealousy from your life in every way you possibly can. Jealousy makes you bitter. Bitterness causes wrinkles. You don’t want wrinkles! (You are too poor for Botox.)
Your friend,
The Boot State Mama