Aim For Excellence...Not Perfection

I have been some sort of a perfectionist for most of my life. Books have to be stacked from largest to smallest, movies in alphabetical order, things must be in their place, and frames must be level! I have been at the bad-end of many people's jokes, and just flat out annoyed some people. I pay attention to details and not much goes unnoticed by me, in some cases this is good, in others, it can be debilitating.

I usually aim for perfection in everything! I set very high standards for myself and sometimes for those around me too. These are often unattainable expectations that make me feel defeated instead of motivated.

I can't make a project look just like I want it, so instead of accepting my best attempt, I pretty much give up and turn in work that is half-hearted. In basketball I always got mad at myself because I couldn't get something to work just right. My brain would get stuck on the details and I could not make a fluid movement. So a move meant to be done quickly would be slowed down because all my movements had to be just right!

Things like that defeat me instead of motivate me. I find myself frustrated because I can't perfect it and stop trying. So instead of aiming for perfection, I need to lower my standards on myself and instead aim for excellence. Aim to do my very best in every situation, and let the details work themselves out.

Like with life guarding, I tried today to aim for excellence and not get caught in the details of my work! I had so much fun! I was free to interact with the guest and talk to them, I found myself smiling more because I wasn't fully focused on the little details, but my job got done the best I could do it and I did it well! I felt accomplished, not defeated!!

I want my life to be excellent, not perfect. I am human, perfection is not possible! I want to admit my mistakes, but enjoy life, smile more, and interact with those around me. It starts with work, perhaps soon it can be a lifestyle!

The Big Picture

As of Friday I will officially consider myself a lifeguard. I could right now, the uniform is laying out waiting for Friday to come! But I don't because right now i have only been taught how to be one, haven't actually done any of it.

Anyway...just learning about it has reminded me of just one part of God's big plan for me! He knows why!

Here's the thing, I know the rules of the park where I will be a lifeguard. I know why you go down slides a certain way. I know why you can't wear shoes or certain types of shirts and pants. I know why you go with the current in the lazy river and not against it. I know these things because I have been told.

My customers might not always know. I may tell them to take off their sunglasses before going down a slide and they might get mad, but I know it's for their safety. I might have to tell them their child is too small to ride, I know it's for their safety. I know the big picture, they can only see their desire to keep their sunglasses on and their child to ride a slide.

So often I get angry at God because something happens that I don't "agree" with. My desires, fears, pride, selfishness, insecurities...whatever part of my sinful nature is tickled gets in the way and I call God crazy.

I forget that He knows! He knows why I leave places. He knows why other people leave. He knows why we need to learn a certain lesson through a difficult time. He knows the big picture.

I almost hate to go back to it because it is still so overused in my opinion, but it fits so well!!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord. "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

He has our best in mind every second of every minute of every hour of every day of the rest of our lives! Our best, because when we dive in and grab hold of the best God has for us, He is glorified!

Glorify God, pursue his will, fall into His plan!

Hands and Feet

I must announce that this is my 100Th blog post! OK the end. :)

Not really, this blog post will actually be a little difficult for me to write, but it's something God has heavily laid on my heart.

I will never forget Wednesday, September 16, 2009. It was chilly and overcast with just enough rain to make the roads wet and slick. I was leaving my dentist appointment and had my very first wreck pulling out of the parking lot. It was my fault. I misread a turn signal and began pulling out in front of a vehicle I believed was turning. Turns out it wasn't. It was a front driver side impact. The air bags released. The axle of the tire was bent. Found out later the frame was bent. I couldn't open my door and had to exit out the passenger side. I could smell smoke from the air bags. The dingy thing just kept going.

I was distraught, injured, and extremely scared. The lady that hit me came out and began to ask if I was alright. She took one look at me and determined that I wasn't. My hand was swollen, my arm was bleeding slightly, I was in shock. She told me to sit on the curb and she would call the police and have an ambulance out to check my injuries.

I sat in shock. I was scared to call my dad, afraid he would be as upset at me as I was at myself. I had been driving for two years. I knew repairs would be costly.

I will never forget those first few minutes between calling the police and them actually getting there. The lady that hit me came and sat next to me on the curb. I was losing composure quickly so sure she would be angry at me. She looked at me then put her arms around me and said, "It's alright, these things happen."

I believe I caught a glimpse of Jesus that afternoon. I was positive she would be angry, but instead she had compassion and mercy. Her words comforted me, though I broke down in tears when she said them. She was Jesus in my life at that moment.

When the chaos began as the police and ambulance arrived she answered as many questions as she could for me. She made sure they knew my parents were coming and took a lot of pressure off me. I got my injuries looked over and then waited for my dad.

Once he got there he wasn't mad either. He told me it was going to be okay and began the phone calls and question answering. Of course there were details I had to take care of and getting my first ticket just added insult to injury, literally.

I don't know if the woman who hit me is saved or not. I can't even remember her name. But I do pray for her often. Thanking God that she hit me and not some crazy lady. I pray blessing for her and her family. I pray that if she isn't saved, that she would be. I pray that the mercy she extended me would be extended to her as well.

She challenged me to be the hands and feet of Jesus in every situation. A kind word. A hug. A smile. Just letting someone know they are not alone, can make a world of difference in the life of anyone. It probably won't be as extreme as hitting some one's car, but it could be. Jesus had compassion on everyone. We should too. We are called to be like Him.

People will do you wrong, just as I did when I pulled out in front of her. But what you do to them when they wrong you can either bless them or destroy them. Choose blessing!

Is Your Quacker Broken?

Today is my grandmother's birthday! To celebrate we went to the art festival that sets up near our city every year. I had only been one or two other times, didn't enjoy it anymore than the rest. In fact, since I had not taken my allergy pill last night I sneezed most of the afternoon!

Anyhow, when we first got there we had to cross the bridge over the river/pond (not positive what it classifies as, probably river) at the park the festival is in. My dad saw some ducks in the road, and being as much an animal lover as I am, decided to try and herd them back onto the sidewalk. As he did the male duck made a sound like he was trying to quack. Only it sounded more like air just escaping his throat. In all seriousness, and without really thinking about it, I looked right at the duck and questioned, "Is your quacker broken?" My sister and I got a good laugh, although I'm not sure what made her laugh. I laughed because she did!

The thing is, I can not begin to imagine being a duck without a quack. It is just like being a human without a voice or any way of communication. Communication is so important to who we are and most of all it is important to spreading the Gospel of truth as we are commanded to do.

Most of the time my attempts at evangelizing end up more like air just escaping my throat. I am so nervous that my words have no passion or purpose. I rely on myself to say just the right thing that there is no power behind them and only fear. I am worse than the duck with no quack!

When we follow God's direction in our evangelizing, and rely on Him to give us the words to say we have passion, purpose, and power behind us. We become more effective at communicating the wonders of God's love for us. We can easily show others the power Christ has given us. We are not just ducks without a quack, we have a strong voice, that is life-giving, to share with others.

I love this passage when God tells Moses he is the one who will free the Israelites. It really gets to the heart of the matter!

"Moses said to the Lord, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." The Lord said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say." Exodus 4:10-12

The last sentence is key! God is the same yesterday, today, and forever He will still help us speak and will teach us what to say! Now hopefully I can find ways to walk in this truth in my life! Will you look for ways in yours?