All I Need Is Jesus and a Good Pair of Jeans: The Tired Supergirl's Search for Grace by Susanna Foth Aughtmon

term, which is the very essence of discipline. It is not easy to practice self-control. Discipline is unnatural. It is not in our nature. But when we ask Jesus to come in and change our lives and make us more like him, that can change. make us more like him, that can change.
    Peter talks about it like this:
    As we know Jesus better, his divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. He has called us to receive his own glory and goodness! And by that same mighty power, he has given us all of his rich and wonderful promises. He has promised that you will escape the decadence all around you caused by evil desires and that you will share in his divine nature.
    So make every effort to apply the benefits of these promises to your life. Then your faith will produce a life of moral excellence. A life of moral excellence leads to knowing God better. Knowing God leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance, and patient endurance leads to godliness.
    2 Peter 1:3–6
    We tired supergirls do not simply decide one day that we will live a life of discipline or that we will exercise self-control in our lives. It begins with faith, pure and simple. When we believe in Jesus, we get to share in his divine nature, which is so very unlike our own nature. He alone gives us the power we need to live a disciplined life. As we begin to cling to his promises, we get to know God better. Knowing God leads to self-control.
    This is exactly what the Procrastinator is afraid of. He is vastly afraid that we will get up off of our proverbial couch and tap into Jesus and his divine power. Because if we do, then for goodness’ sake, we might be able to live the life we were designed for. We will be able to see the prize for what it is. We will be able to see past the momentary temptations to the eternal goal. We will be able to run with endurance and with strength. His strength. And we will be able to finish this race, this path that has been set before us with integrity and—do we even dare say it—victory. And that is far better than a chocolate piece of heaven. Even with a dollop of whipped cream on top.

12
    I GET TOO BUSY
FOR GOD
    I have already confessed that I am tired. I have permacolor dark circles under my eyes. And let it be known that I am so utterly exhausted because I live in America, and here in America, it is un-American to not be busy. In other countries, people like to lounge a bit. They have month-long vacations in the summer and drink tea in the afternoon. I want to move there because I am growing tired of being so tired. I start the day feeling like I am running late. Even if I woke up at four in the morning, I would feel like I had a late start. I get my kids up and prod my husband. Mass mayhem follows as we get three little boys dressed, fed, dressed again because a bottle of syrup has worked its way into sticky trails all over three sets of little boy shirts and pants. (Side note: someone needs to design a full-body bib. I once let the boys eat without their shirts on thinking this would solve the spillage problem, but they kept trying to lick food off their bare chests . . . but I digress.) And this is just the first hour of the morning.
    Then the serious “busy” is underway. Every single day is filled to the brim with busy. And not just general busy. Not frivolous busy like reality TV and eating cupcakes. This is really good busy stuff. This kind of busy will make the world a better place. A happier place. At least that’s what I tell myself.
    There is kid busy. There is school. There is preschool. There are diapers and more diapers. There is cleaning. There is laundry. Way too much laundry. So much laundry my eyes well up with tears when I think of the laundry. There are playgroups, parent meetings, and school fund-raisers. There is helping in the classroom and subbing at the preschool. There are childhood pictures to be taken and parks to be visited. There is homework, and tired supergirls,