A few weeks ago some very sweet friends of ours took us apple picking at their family-owned orchard.
After helping us pick, they sent all the apples home with us!
Since I had such an abundance of apples, I was looking forward to preserving them in a variety of ways.
I made 7 pints of apple butter one day for the freezer, and then I set aside the following Saturday to do some canning.
My two older daughters joined me in the kitchen, and we had a fun time cutting apples and just being together.
We started the dehydrator and filled it with apple slices while the stock pot filled with apples cooking for applesauce. I also made apple juice in preparation for apple jelly.
I was pretty weary by the end of the day, and I also got a second-degree burn on my forearm in the process, but it was so worth it when I admired my five beautiful quarts of homemade (sugar free) applesauce. I felt exhausted but happy with all I had accomplished. It seemed like a good days’ work.
After the rest of the family had gone to bed, I dropped wearily into my husband’s desk chair to catch up with my email and Facebook for the first time that day. I typed in a new status on Facebook: “I spent all day in the kitchen! I canned 5 quarts of applesauce, dehydrated some apples, and made apple juice for some apple jelly. Now I’m totally ready for bed!”
Then I scrolled down a bit and saw my friend’s status: “Canned 36 quarts of applesauce, 10 quarts of beans, and 10 quarts of [something else I can’t remember!].” I was impressed. And then I started thinking, How is that even possible?! I had filled up my biggest available stock pot with apples and the process took me all day!
The happy feeling I had been enjoying began to fade in the shadow of my friend’s much greater accomplishment.
I scrolled down a bit farther and saw a lady on the Trim Healthy Mama Facebook page posting a testimonial: “Reached my goal weight!” And I’m still 15 stubborn pounds away from my goal weight.
Then another friend’s status about the awesome date she recently had with her husband, accompanied by a gorgeous photo of the two of them.
I felt like a loser. I hadn’t accomplished as much as these ladies. Somehow, in reading about their lives and comparing myself to them, I started feeling sorry for myself.
I forgot to be thankful.
In comparing myself to others, I realized that I was sinning and not being thankful for what I have been given.
Such as the ability to can 5 quarts of applesauce, for a memorable time in the kitchen with my daughters, the FREE organic apples our friends blessed us with, and for so many other blessings.
When we compare ourselves with others, we can’t be thankful for what we’ve been given, because we’re looking at them and ourselves instead of at Christ and all of His goodness to us.
When I repented of the sins of ungratefulness and envy, I was able once again to enjoy the blessings that are part of my own life.
I think it’s so easy to fall into the comparison trap. Especially as we read blogs and interact through other social media. But we need to remember that we each have our own life circumstances. Our own blessings and difficulties.
And we each have so much to be thankful for, even if our blessings look totally different than someone else’s.
Do you ever fall into the trap of comparing yourself with others?
Thankyou so much for sharing this! I really needed to hear it! I so often feel like such a failure when I cannot do things as well as others. But in it all It's wonderful to know that we are still spending precious time with our children! Have a beautiful day!
Thank you for commenting, Jennifer! You're right, it's the time with our children that really matters. ♥
Hi Joy, what a wonderful post. I'm sat here not being saddened by all your hard work, but insired and sughing wistfully. I only recently became a SAHM and full time homemaker and as I'm learning all the other skills needed this seems like a distant dream! My Little One is not even two yet, just think when she's older I may be spending a day like this with her!! What a lovely thought. You just know that this day is something your daughters will look back on in the future with fondness.
God bless
mrsdbliss.blogspot.com
What a sweet comment, Andrea! After getting a second-degree burn this time, I was tempted to give up canning altogether, but it is so fun to see the results of your hard work lined up on the pantry shelves, waiting for winter. 🙂 Yes, look at all you have to look forward to with your little one!
Many blessings to you and your family!
Came across your blog while on another one…….music to my heart. It is that time of year to preserve the apples for the winter. I would love to have you to link up at my weekly Clever Chicks Blog Hop: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2013/10/clever-chicks-blog-hop-56-with-ruby.html
I hope you can make it!
Cheers,
Kathy Shea Mormino
The Chicken Chick
http://www.The-Chicken-Chick.com
Thanks for visiting, Kathy, and thanks for the invitation!
This can happen so easily! Thanks for sharing this…. 🙂 We so often forget to be thankful and that is the key…. good reminder! We are all so blessed and we only get a peek into others lives through this social media and we forget that. You are a blessing to me and I'm thankful to have gotten to know you a bit through your blog. God bless you!!
It's been such a blessing getting to know you, too, Tanya! Many blessings to you! ♥
I like how you said, "I forgot to be thankful". So true. I've found that the older I get that I'm slowly paying less attention to comparing and try to rejoice with my sister's accomplishment. I think Satan tries to steal our joy by what God puts in front of us to do. The key for me is remembering to be thankful!
You're so right about the key being thankfulness! I love how you said you're trying to rejoice in the accomplishments of others–what a great goal for us all to aspire to! That really inspired me, Jennifer, thank you!
You don't know what a blessing this post has been. Like all the comments I too struggle with never feeling like I am enough for my family, I don't have a crafty bone in my body, my home at times feels like a perpetual mess, I am a perfectionist type-a who is very much an introvert and I so struggle with letting things just go to enjoy life, I at times find myself envious of my sister who works, crafts, volunteers, is super outgoing and so carefree. So thank you.
Jenn, your comment was such a blessing to me. As an introvert, I've often thought the extroverts had an easier, better, and more fun life. But then I remember that God made me who I am, and introverts have a lot of strengths and positive qualities, too! I can totally relate to all you've shared. Many blessings to you!
I do fall into the trap, often! I compare my family, my weight, my achievements…but I rarely stop to express thankfulness for what I have! thank you for the great reminder post! Plus, we all put our "best stuff" on facebook…. I often think of getting off facebook, because it is such a trap…and it's not really REAL LIFE!! thanks for sharing your heart!
Yes! "We all put our 'best stuff' on facebook…" So true. Thank you so much for sharing your heart and the encouragement!
I love this post so much! Thanks for being honest with your struggle with comparing yourself with others. That is one reason I decided to cancel my facebook. I caught myself doing the same thing not to long ago. After my Grandma's stroke our family spent most our time caring for her and my Grandpa. I would read all these posts about fun vacations, date nights, and other fun activities other families would do together. I started to feel like I was the only one that ever went through hard times; which is not true at all. There is a season for everything! It's so easy to think about all we don't have. Whenever I do this, the song "Count Your Many Blessings" never fails to play in my head and I remember to be thankful. I've learned that a thankful heart is a happy heart. Whenever I start comparing myself, I'm no fun for my family to be around. Thanks again for this great post! Kristin E.
Thanks, Kristin! I've thought about canceling Facebook, too, for that very reason. At the very least I'm trying to avoid spending much time on there just to "socialize." 🙂 Oh, "Count Your Many Blessings" is such a great song–thanks for mentioning it! And thanks so much for the apples. You're a blessing. ♥
I so know that feeling and it is hard to not feel totally defeated and deflated. {The Lord showed me it was my pride…ouch!}
FaceBook is a tricky thing too, because statuses are typically shallow and don't tell you the WHOLE story.
Joy, I was so glad when I stumbled upon your blog. You posts, your sweet spirit, and your honestly bless me so much. The Lord is glorified by your efforts to bless and serve your family – so just keep His glory as your main focus. AND please, please remember – the memories and time spent with your daughters are eternal – jars of applesauce…not so much.
Warmly,
Carol {Puretsimple.blogspot.com}
Oh, yes…pride. That's for sure what it is. 🙁 Carol, your comments have been such an encouragement to me, and I so much appreciate you! Thank you so much for speaking truth and life to me today!
Ah, yes, the comparison troll. Nasty little monster can grow to the size of a mountain in a hurry, can't it? I have the same struggle at times. Seems the evil one knows just when to strike – when we're feeling most content with what we have. Thank you for sharing your story and encouraging us to seek Grace and find contentment in our blessings. I am reminded of one of your beautiful posts about a mother's hands.
May your day be productive and blessed! Your apple goodies all look SO yummy!
Sarah from VA
Thank you, Sarah! You're right, it does seem to happen when we're feeling content. I hope your day is blessed, also!
Very well written! I have often wondered how people get so much canning done in one day without a commercial kitchen and without killing themselves! And I can a lot! Great reminder to be thankful in all we do and accomplish and to rejoice with those who rejoice:)
Susie, your comment means all the more to me since you do so much canning/homesteading! Thank you so much for the encouragement!
This is a definite encouragement! It is so easy to compare ourselves to what we read on others' statuses and blogs, and we immediately feel like we aren't doing enough. All we need to do is what the Lord has us do, and that's plenty. He is our leader, and that's who we should be listening to and comparing ourselves to…do we look and act like Him?
Thanks for the encouragement!
Amen, Angie! "All we need to do is what the Lord has us do, and that's plenty." So encouraging, thank you!
yup…quite often. I never feel good enough.
I hate that feeling of never being good enough. And I struggle with it all the time. I'm so glad that through gratitude we can overcome those "never good enough" thoughts!
Joy, this post is amazing! I think social media makes it easier then ever to compare our normal life to the highlights of someone else's. I'm going to share it. 🙂 Loving your new blog header too!
Thank you, Jacinda! I so much appreciate your kind words and thank you for sharing!!
This is exactly what I've been struggling with. I think we often get so caught up in comparison that we do not realize the blessings that have been given to us. It will take away our joy if we allow it. I just wrote a post on this last week. My goal is to encourage other people and be happy with them in their time of blessings but also remember my own blessings are none less or more than theirs. As Christian women we need to build one another up because the world does enough tearing down for us. I think it's wonderful that you were blessed with fresh apples, and think of the memories you created with your daughters. They will last a lifetime, long after the applesauce is gone. I love reading your blog, it is such an encouragement!
Thank you so much for sharing these encouraging thoughts, Holly!