I have quite a few projects going on right now, which as a mom to young kids I think is a pretty constant thing. But, in my home life I have been doing The Gentleness Challenge from M is for Mama which has been challenging and humbling at the same time. In my work life I have been volunteering to make decorations for a women’s event at my church and have had a handful of custom orders all come in over the last few weeks. This all has been culminating with the start of the school year (which you can read my blog post about from last week). So saying it is a season that feels extra busy, would be totally accurate!
The custom order that I need to finish by this week is a bear stuffie that a mom requested for her baby due next month. I plan to do a whole blog post on this order because the idea she had is so cool, but it is not something I have made before. Her and I found a pattern with the style stuffie she liked and I knew I wanted to make some practice ones. In this process I have seen how I can lean towards perfection rather than the process. Each time I have made a practice one and sent it to her, she has responded with how cute they are, while I am able to see the things I would change. I always will make things that I know will hold up and last but when it comes to details there is a balance between struggling with perfectionism or being too critical and seeing the creativity in something. Or even seeing the sentimental value in something, this bear will be special no matter what because it was made specifically for him with materials that are meaningful to her as the mom. I am not trying to justify something that is not quality made, what I think I have been convicted of is recognizing that there is only one human who was perfect and that is Jesus. He came to Earth as fully man and fully God and when we recognize our need for him in our lives, we can submit and allow Him to work in our hearts.
I was making things for the event with a few ladies at church yesterday and that conversation came up. I was teaching them how to make something and talking about how I may want it to look one way but everyone is different. What I may see as off center, someone else will like askew. Something doesn’t have to look a certain way to be beautiful and what I see as beautiful someone else may not. One of the ladies said “having something that is not perfect reminds us that none of us live in perfection, only Jesus does” and I was like WOAH yes that is a very good way to look at it! Here is what will mean the most. Knowing that another woman in your church community made it by hadn’t matters. Knowing that the woman who made it was praying for you while doing so matters. Knowing that the women who worked together on all of the decor were able to fellowship and connect matters. There is so much that goes into our work that is more important than the little detail (which are still very important). But we can allow perfection to get in the way of progress; or at least I can. I won’t lump everyone reading this into my struggle.
This morning even with The Gentleness Challange, God was gave me a situation where I was able to see progress. And just last night I had just been telling my husband I felt like I wasn’t seeing much change. In a nutshell Elisha and Jack were fighting over a book; she took something she knew was his and he didn’t ask for it back but just wen to grab and it ended up ripping. The whole thing was frustrating because they both were not being thoughtful but instead of getting upset, I was able to calmly walk them through what they could have done differently and have them each apologize then reconcile. I felt like “Oh okay, God, thank you for showing me that progress has been made!” I am not always going to respond perfect just because I’m working on it this month with the kids, but I am making progress and that is just what I need. I would never want to get to a place of perfection because then I wouldn’t have a need for God. My struggle also helps me look forward to our place of perfection in Heaven with Jesus forever.
If you also struggle with expectations and how to manage them so you do not fall in to a place of perfectionism, I am praying for you. I am praying that God will reveal areas you’ve made progress and growth to give you encouragement.
Blessings,
Ellen
