What If We Were Content, Confident and Grace-Filled?

I was scrolling through my Facebook feed this week and one of my friends posted a link to an article that talked about the controversy of breastfeeding in church. Of course the article shared views from women vehemently advocating it and others just as vehemently opposing it, and the list of comments that followed resembled an all-out war with the slinging of words back and forth across the line.

Also this week {and ironically also induced by Facebook...hmmm...seems to be a common denominator here, doesn't there?} I had a conversation with a friend about taking pictures vs. not taking pictures on New Year's Eve. I captured many moments of the New Year's Eve party we attended - but my friend didn't do the same at her party - stating she wanted to just be in the moment.

And I panicked when I read that.

I panicked because I suddenly felt I must somehow have missed the mark because I did take pictures. That maybe I wasn't a good enough date.

God and I had a long talk about that one, and in the talk, He impressed on my heart that it's okay to want {perhaps even need} to take pictures, because it's who I am. I'm a memory-capturer. Some people are, and some people aren't. Neither is right or wrong - as long as we are being the people God made us to be and not trying to be something else.

So here's my question to you in this fresh new year...

What if you were content? What if you were content to be the person God made you to be, quirks and all? What if you were okay being a picture-taker even when other people said that makes you miss the moment? What if you were content to be right where God placed you even if you have these secret {or not-so-secret} dreams of being somewhere else? What if it could be okay that you don't like running races {even though it's oh-so chic}, eating a whole-foods diet {which is also rising in popularity} or upcycling pallets to furnish your entire home just because Pinterest said you should? What if it could be perfectly fine to not have the most Facebook friends, the most popular Instagram account, and the most clever Tweets?

What if you were confident? Once you learn to be content with those things, what if you were confident {not obnoxious...confident} about them? What if you could stand in a room full of moms who live to nurse their kids in {or out of} church and you chose not to nurse your kids...and you also chose to be confident in your decision, knowing it was the best thing for you and your baby? What if you could hold your head high as a working mom and know that you are where God has you in this season even though all your friends look slightly down at you for not staying home? What if you could relax in an imperfect {dare we say messy} home and know that despite its lack of magazine cover appeal, you had filled your day with what you're called to do?

What if you were grace-filled? What if you could sit in the room with women who are wildly passionate about their opinions, as women tend to be, and you could not only be okay with who you are and be strong in who you are...but you could also offer grace to what feels like your opponent? The one staring you down? The one judging you in silence - or worse, in words.

What if you took your "races are a waste of time and money" mentality and set it aside to stand at the finish line and cheer for a dear friend who has worked so hard for months to train for this moment? What if you talked toy our shutter-happy friend and relished in her joy instead of shaking your head? What if you didn't go online to any forum and share your better-kept-to-yourself thoughts  even though you can?

What if?