Perfectionists Always Lose

Perfectionism, in psychology, is characterized by a person's striving for flawlessness and setting excessively high performance standards, accompanied by overly critical self-evaluations and concerns regarding others' evaluations.

IN OTHER WORDS, IT DOESN'T EXIST..... In fact, sometimes our "perfectionism" expectations actually become silly. For example, from history:

1512 - After four years Michelangelo completes painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, a work of unprecedented brilliance. However, the artist is frustrated with his completed work as he regrets forgoing his original design: a series of canines sitting around a table and playing a game of cards.

1776 - Thomas Jefferson pens The Declaration of Independence, one of the most important manuscripts in human history. Jefferson grew frustrated at his inability to make the treatise rhyme....

1903 - Orville and Wilbur Wright build the world's first successful airplane and pilot it a distance of 120 feet at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. ....Wilbur notes that "I could get out and run faster than this."

Concerning my own projects and expectations, whether it be refinishing furniture, trying a new quiche recipe, painting a room, I see all the flaws.... but with time realize that the flaws also give the project a character of its own. I've become easier on myself, too. Without my various personal flaws, I would be purposeless. Seriously..... It is these very flaws that have given me a better understanding of others; these very flaws have brought me to my knees and to a closer relationship with My Maker.

Is it possible that the desire to do something great or simply to get something done is keeping us from doing something good or just getting the job done? Maybe, it doesn't have to be perfect. Maybe, imperfect has its benefits....





We each have different gifts, purposes. No matter how ordinary you think your project is or you are, with God's hand on you, it will turn out okay and sometimes may turn out to be extraordinary.

God alone is perfect and his perfection is manifested in Jesus Christ. To receive Christ into our life is to receive his perfection so that God accepts us as righteous because of Christ. Then this righteous needs to be worked out in our lives so that we actually take on the character of Christ. This is a process of being perfected by God’s power as we trust in the Lord Jesus and train ourselves to grow in godliness....Being perfected in the character of Christ is different than what is ordinarily meant by perfectionism.  (from "Soul Searching" article on Perfectionism)

Call Me Eve Everyday

Most of us know the Bible story about Eve eating the forbidden fruit after God specifically told her not to. But the serpent got involved, and Eve really wanted to "know" herself (in other words, "be wise"). So, she made a decision NOT TO TRUST what God told her to do and take a bite. The rest is history. *see Genesis 3:17 below

Talk about the statement, "It takes a woman to get things done...." Well, Eve, oops, what can I say....here we are eons later suffering, not trusting, suffering, not trusting....
(Another topic for another time.)

Recently, I have another perception of this beginning-of-time story in that I am "Eve" most every day of my life...  How so? Due to my own human nature, I want to know why. Isn't this why Eve took that first bite? Satan told her, "Your eyes will be opened, you will be like God." Eve desired wisdom. She wanted to know things. When God issued this decree about not eating from the fruit of this tree it was because He wanted her to TRUST Him.

Everyday when I do not TRUST that my situations are in God's hands, and when I think I will understand and be better-off  IF I JUST KNOW WHY, I am an "Eve."

As a child and, yes, as an adult, I would think, "Come on Eve, God commanded you to do this, such a simple request. Who doesn't listen to God?" ....

...and here, I am just like Eve.




Forgive me, LORD.
And, that's why God sent His Son, Jesus; He knew I couldn't achieve this on my own.
Thanks be to God.



... from Genesis 3:1-7 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" ²The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, ³but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'" ⁴"You will not certainly die," the serpent said to the woman. ⁵"For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." ⁶When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. ⁷Then the eyes of both of them were opened,

Giving It Away and Keeping It, Too

What can you think of that you can give away and, yet, keep it, too?

It's that time of the year when the garden is starting to produce. Yes, we have zucchini in abundance! Hubby picks it. We ask, "What are we going to do with this?" One can only make so much zucchini bread and, as of yet, I have not found anything taste-worthy to make out of this beautiful vegetable.  So I give away as much as others will take. Which leaves me with nothing until we return to the garden to see an abundance again.

I give household items and used-clothing to Good Will or Shop On State (a local shopping site). I liked these items when I bought them, but it's time for them to move on. I no longer have them in my possession; hopefully, someone else can get some use out of them.

When I'm ambitious, I make home-made cookies for my cookie-bear husband. He eats several at a time until the plate only has crumbs. I make and give. He receives. They're gone until I'm feeling generous with my time, again.

I purchase Christmas and birthday gifts for loved ones. Once thoughtfully chosen, carefully wrapped, and presented, they are no longer mine. I have given them away.

So what can I give away and keep, too?

My love for you.

God's love for me.

Doing Laundry in Heaven?

I'm going from fireworks (last week's blog) to doing laundry. The only segue I have is to know that while I'm doing this laundry or any other mundane chore that arises, the heavenly places are also busy. After all, Genesis 1:1 reads, God created the heavens and the earth. Should the heavens be any less busy than the earth?

I was not thinking of "heavenly places" while I hung out cloth diapers on a summer day on the farm where I grew up--the second oldest, the only girl with five brothers. I was probably thinking about riding my bike down the lane and back, setting up my space in our tree house, or sneaking berries from the garden.

This morning, some 55+ years later, as I pull warm clothing from the dryer, I am thinking of my mother and how we did laundry. It was a process that took up an entire day and, yes, usually done on a Monday.

A large "dirty-clothes-bag" hung from our bathroom closet to the damp basement below. My brothers used it as a punching bag when full.

I looked forward to unzipping the bag and letting a mountain of dirty clothes tumble to the basement floor. I also took pride in sorting according to color and textures while the ringer-washer filled with hot water and suds....

The diapers were often soaked in a bleach solution before being run through the hot cycle of the washing machine. On a hot summer day, by the time I finished hanging the last diaper, the first diaper was dry and ready to be returned to the house so the clothes line could be used for the darker chore clothes.

There was a certain amount of satisfaction in these menial chores: clothes drying in a gentle wind with sunlight gleaming. A stack of fresh towels still smelling of sunshine and country air.  ... Life was certainly less complicated.

Sometimes, I want to go back--maybe just for an hour or two, here and there, so that I can better remember....

I have no idea what heaven will be like; however, I don't believe there will be clothes lines or clothes dryers. Perhaps, fresh berries in multi-colors, a treehouse just for me, a long bike ride down a shaded lane? --and more than we can ever imagine!

Thoughts on Fireworks, Aliens and What's Going On Up There

We have just celebrated the 4th of July, and it is likely that most of us have seen a firecracker or two lighting up the sky. What a wonder this is. I don't know if you're a believer in UFOs, aliens, and whatever else is out there; however, I feel that something BIG is happening in the "heavenlies" -- something bigger than the most fantastic of fireworks.

John 15:19 reads, If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; as it is you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.... Jesus was speaking to his disciples, but are we not, too, his disciples?

In another verse from John18:36, we read, Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.

In the Lord's prayer, we express, Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.....  (think about this one)

Where exactly are these heavenly places, His Kingdom, and what is happening there? There's a lot we don't know or understand. I believe, however, that things are happening in heavenly places and have been happening since the beginning of this thing we call time.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly hosts.... Luke 2:13

Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands... Revelation 5:11

Our Creator God, the Ancient of Days, the I Am Who I Am would not be content twiddling his thumbs....Talk about fireworks! Just imagine....