Book Love: Of Mess and Moxie

Of Mess and Moxie: Wrangling Delight Out of This Wild and Glorious Life by: Jen Hatmaker
page count: 254

I had read a few of Jen Hatmaker's earlier books (recommended one waaaay back here) but I didn't really remember anything about either of them so I'm not sure what prompted me to add this to my to-read list.  (A very large part of my to-read list comes from a new release of an author I've enjoyed in the past.)

Regardless of how it ended up there, I'm so glad it did because I found this book to be an absolute delight.  I read it in about a day (a lake day, which generally lends itself to lots of reading, but still). 

This is another book in the "you don't have to have it all" genre that I've found myself reading a lot of in the last year, despite, not usually, feeling that overwhelmed and run-down. I think I just like the reminders of the beauty in this life, no matter how crazy.  It's reassuring for when our life will, inevitably, get busier (I see you, school days, less than a year away). 

Sure, life has plenty of messy parts and hard stuff going on and most of us could use a little more grace, maybe take things a little less seriously (will anyone notice that my bathroom floor grout needs a good scrub if they come over?  Maybe.  It really does need a scrub, but I can't let that stop me from opening up my house.)

Part of what I liked about this book, compared to the many others in a similar vein, is how funny it was.  I genuinely laughed out loud multiple times over her observations of motherhood, being married, the importance of naps and tacos, and just life. 

How to Find a Missing Child
1. Prepare to take a shower or go to the bathroom.
2. Shut the door.

Programming Note: The missing child should barge in immediately, but should this method fail, silently open a candy bar or start a very important phone call.  Look down: there is your kid.

Can't every parent with a mobile child relate to this???  I am never more interesting to my kid than when I want to use the bathroom solo (which is every time I use the bathroom but that doesn't always work out for me.)

This was nowhere near a straight humor book but I certainly appreciated the humorous parts because a lot of life is really funny, if you stop to think about it.  And if we can't find the laughter and the joy in the every day, when can we? 

This is written from a Christian viewpoint but also argues that Jesus would appreciate a good nap.  What's not to love about that? (Who doesn't love a good nap?  Besides most kids.)

The thing is, God absolutely created us and His world with tastes and sights and sounds and connections designed to thrill.  He thought up humor and laughter and delicious flavors coaxed from the earth.  He gave us beautiful colors and dance and music and the gift of language.

There was plenty of good advice and I marked too many pages with quotes I wanted to remember.

 “This life is not a race or a contest, there is enough abundance to go around, your seat at the table is secure, and you have incredible gifts to offer. You are not in competition with your peers.” 

 And maybe the most touching part was a open letter she wrote to her parents:

“Of course, in a hundred years, no one will remember any of us and our story will be lost in obscurity, but for us, for all these years when we were kids and then grown-ups, when you were young parents and then grandparents, this is the only story that ever mattered, and it was such a marvelous one. The best story I ever imagined.”

For every time I get nostalgic about my long-gone childhood:

“The middle place still has a lot of life left, so we'll store up these years like a treasure, remembering them one day just as fondly as the first phase of our family when we were dirty kids drinking water out of the backyard hose.” 

This book helped remind me of all the goodness in this crazy, beautiful, non-perfect life.  There is a lot to be thankful for, a lot to appreciate, a lot to treasure, and lots to laugh about.  And any book that reminds me of that and is fun to read, well that's a major win.

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