There's ideal Sarah and real Sarah.
Each night as real Sarah crawls into bed she plans what ideal Sarah is going to do differently tomorrow.
Ideal Sarah is going to get her butt out of bed at 5:30 AM (and she'll be happy about it) and she'll immediately get on the treadmill for 45 minutes. When she's done, she'll start the coffee pot (which is not still filled with old coffee from yesterday because ideal Sarah cleans up everything before she goes to bed) and then she'll head up to take a shower and get herself ready for the day. Ideal Sarah even picks out something cute to wear with accessories.
She then heads downstairs while all her boys are still sleeping. She pours herself a cup of coffee and grabs a seat on the couch to spend some time with her Savior, because ideal Sarah never forgets how much she needs Him.
When she's finished, she starts making a breakfast that does not consist of the options of cereal, oatmeal or toast. Ideal Sarah does not raise her voice when she has to tell her children for the 500th time that morning to get themselves ready. She doesn't forget to send the lunch money check and she certainly gets them to school with lots of time to spare.
Ideal Sarah always appreciates that she gets to be a stay at home mom. She never wastes time on trivial things, but goes about her day efficiently completing all that needs to be done.
She plans meals. Enjoys working on homework with her children and at the end of the night, she always takes her make-up off, brushes and flosses before ever thinking of crawling into bed. She's never too tired. Did I mention she also never throws stuff off the bed onto the floor?
Real Sarah despises ideal Sarah. Because even though ideal Sarah does not exist, real Sarah still wants her too...for some reason.
PS - Ideal Sarah also never buys a pound of crab salad and finishes it herself. She would never do that.
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Ideal Sarah must not be pregnant??? ;)
ReplyDeleteOoooooooohhhhhhhhh so glad I'm not the only one who has an "ideal" identity. = )
ReplyDeletethat is some good stuff!! the first line reminded me of that old Amy Grant song Shadows
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWdr_ZP4r-s
I have an ideal Nicole too......we also make plans before bed, but she is gone by the morning....
man, real sarah and real crystal have much in common... including their resentment for their ideals. :-)
ReplyDeletehow grateful i am that my Father and my husband loves the real me and not the ideal i think i will wake up to be.
LOVE this. One of my absolute favorites! :) Happy Tuesday friend!
ReplyDeleteOh to no throw my stuff off the bed onto the floor.... It's a wonder I have not slipped on the piles that stack up on my side of the bed and killed myself.
ReplyDeleteWOO HOO for Real Sarah, she's my kind of gal...
My guess is we all have one of those "ideal" people. I'll never be her and the older I get the more I'm learning to be satisfied with the "real" me. Mind you I'm not there yet, but I'm getting closer.
ReplyDeleteOh My..this was a much needed laugh and the "Ideal Sarah" is just like the "Ideal Me". Great Post!
ReplyDeleteevery single night i tell josh to wake me up when he get up, ive never once gotten up :)
ReplyDelete& i thought that it was a rule leave the coffee pot until the next use, have you actually ever cleaned it..? when Jennie was here she cleaned my grinder, i think she was grossed out..
im so glad that i dont have to come before Him as the ideal melanie- or id be screwed :)
LOVED this! I can totally relate.
ReplyDeleteI think "Ideal Sarah" and "Ideal Amy" would be the best of friends :)
ReplyDeleteDon't foget to put a bow in your hair and have dinner ready when Ben gets home, have the house sprouced up and boys all clean and ready for dinner! BARF!! I lived with real Sarah and I like her just fine!
ReplyDeleteI think I like real Sarah better because she is more like real Sara! :)
ReplyDeleteThis is why I love reading your blog. I realize that I am not alone. I also have an ideal alter ego that I never seem to live up to. Thank you for reminding me I am not the only one:)
ReplyDeleteSherry
LOVE this!
ReplyDeleteYep, can totally relate!
ReplyDeleteideal sarah sounds a lot like ideal brandi!!!!! :)
ReplyDeleteI hope Real Sarah doesn't spend a miserable evening in the bathroom after finishing off a pound of crab salad... here's hoping it was crab salad and not Krab salad... that would for-sure wind you up in the bathroom. :-)
ReplyDeleteI so could have written this. Well, except for the waking up at 5:30. ;-)
ReplyDeletePersonally I don't think I would like Ideal Sarah very much.
ReplyDeleteIt's time to enjoy Real Sarah & tell Miss Do-It-All Ideal Sarah to back off & let you have fun being content!
My letter to my younger self was about telling myself to relax more & enjoy life. Enjoy sleeping past 5am & cereal morning! :)
This is great. Entertaining and thought-provoking. It's a win-win. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, and I do this exact thing to myself too, and it makes me scold real Jodie pretty harshly which ain't no fun. :|
This just might be my favorite Life in the Parsonage post ever.
ReplyDeleteYou nailed it. I think most of my problems in life come from the battle in my mind between real Heather and ideal Heather. They don't like each other very much.
I was smiling and laughing all through this one. I do the same thing too...oh the pressure we women put on ourselves. I like the real Sarah too!
ReplyDeleteI loved Nicole's comment about how "we have it all planned out by morning and then she is gone by morning" LOL!
This was a great post!
Also, good comment about most of our problems being in our head. So true.....
Lots for me to think about today!!!!
GREAT post!! Real Tonya stays irritated with Ideal Tonya for not sticking around to do what she says she'll do!!
ReplyDeleteThat is so funny. Ideal Sarah sounds just like Real Kelly.
ReplyDeleteBWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Great post! Why do you think we do this to ourselves? Why can't we just accept that perfection isn't attainable and God's grace is sufficient?
So smiling at this post! You wrote it perfectly..and I think somehow we ALL must have an ideal second identity that's always trying to grow us :D May God fill your Thursday with ALL things GREAT! Sweet blessings!
ReplyDeleteWho is this Ideal Sarah? She is kinda annoying! sheesh.... She needs to get a life ;}
ReplyDeleteThis was my first time reading your blog. I can tell there was a reason I was drawn to this particular post. I totally am there! I loved everything that you said and thank you for saying it.
ReplyDelete