Finding That Purrrfect Life!

 

“My name is Shirley, and I’m a perfectionist.” There, I’ve said it. I want life to be perfect—but it rarely is. Especially in these later years. As soon as I get over one illness, another pops up. Something thumps, lumps or bumps. Life’s imperfections are enough to get a gal down.

But you know what? Just like the word, there’s “perfection” within “imperfection.” The psalmist said “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:16 NIV). I always thought that verse referred to the length of our lives. But might it refer to the content of our days as well?

If that is true, then nothing touches me that has not been permitted by God to be part of the perfect life for me. So how do I fight always wanting things to be “perfect”? I’m writing this for myself, so let’s see where the Lord takes me.

My perfection lies in recognizing Christ is with me. Whether in ER or sitting in my chair watching “Jeopardy,” Jesus walks with me. And therein lies the problem. I forget about Him. If I sat beside someone and they never spoke to me, I would feel ignored. Yet how often do I ignore Christ because I’m too caught up in myself and my “imperfections.”

My perfection lies in trusting God’s timing. We’ve all heard “All of our receptionists are assisting other callers. Please remain on the line and . . . .” But we want attention NOW. So we give up and hang up. During a recent ER visit, a woman complained about having to wait. She left. Two minutes later, they called her name. She missed the very opportunity she sought.

My perfection lies in trusting God Himself. It’s easy to trust God when I feel well, enjoy a slice of pizza or type up a good devotion. It’s a bit harder when relationships or health or circumstances fly south for the winter. But that is exactly the time I need to “trust and not be afraid” (Isaiah 12:2). After all “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him . . .” (Romans 8:28). God’s grace will suffice.

My perfection lies in expressing praise to God and gratitude to those around me. Each morning I praise God the Father for His creation, Jesus the Son for His salvation and the Holy Spirit for His inspiration. I also sprinkle “thank you’s” along life’s pathway. Most recently to a young man who showed me how to zip around Costco’s on a cart.

Remember. The apostle Paul’s life was not perfect. He had many challenges from shipwreck to beatings to imprisonment. Yet he said: “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (Philippians 4:11-13). I too can learn to be content—even though life is not perfect.

Actually, life on this earth will never be perfect. Ever since Eve (and Adam) ate the apples, the earth has been cursed, and we live with the consequences. I hurt for people in pain, people with injuries, people in difficult situations. But I believe God has a purpose for each of us each moment of our lives. And our perfection lies in finding and fulfilling that purpose.

Pushing and Pulling God

 

Last evening I laughed as I watched a neighbor chase a deer from his garden. Clapping his hands, he ran into the woods after the doe. And I wondered if I ever chase God away from my garden.

 You see, deer, to me, represent God. Although I only see them periodically, I know they live in the woods surrounding my home. That’s how it is with God. I may not always SEE God’s Hand, but I know He’s there, surrounding me.

 So what about the deer that eats the leaves of my and my neighbor’s tomato plants? How does IT represent God? A good God would not allow something I hold dear to be taken from me. Or would He?

 When these hungry animals eat the tops of my plants (they don’t seem to bother the fruit), I will consider it a type of pruning. And pruning is good. It’s usually done in the springtime. And most plants flourish after being trimmed (not yet sure about my tomatoes).

 So I will consider that God may allow some of my favorite things to be taken—to help me grow.

 I recently was upset over a hair salon visit gone wrong. I cried. I worried my hair would never recover. I called my friend Kim and asked her to pray with me. She read to me a poem by Ruth Bell Graham that reminded me to trust God. And that’s what I plan to do. I’m growing.

 Even though my growth may at times be stunted, I PLAN to trust God on the good hair days and the bad hair days. The healthy days and the sick days. I’ll trust Him to use every downturn in life to draw me closer.

 As I look back over the years, I can see how God HAS drawn me closer even during times I felt He was far away and didn’t care. Every painful experience is but a tool in God’s Hand that He uses to build a sturdy foundation of faith.

 So do I ever chase God away? Well, I chase Him if I accuse Him of deserting me. I clap my hands and He runs if I give up on faith—stop going to church, stop reading my Bible, stop praying.

 But I invite God to draw close to me if I read an inspirational book, talk to another Christian (as I did on my bad hair day) or kneel at His feet. I invite God to stay if I just sit before Him and let Him wipe my tears. After all, God is compassionate. He walks with me whether or not I realize He is near.

 And like the deer will return to my neighbor’s yard, so God will draw closer to me. Or, I should say, I will draw closer to God. He’s never left my side.

 So I plant those tomatoes. I go about the business of living that will include good times and bad times. I trust God that those plants will grow and blossom and produce fruit. But if not . . . like Jeremiah wrote in Lamentations . . . I will trust God “even if the fig tree does not blossom” and the deer dine on my tomato plants. I know He holds my best interest close to His heart.

 
Please comment about a time you felt far from God but He actually drew you closer to His side.

           

           

Tear Down That Wall!

            We live in a hungry-deer zone. They munch everything from flowers to vegetables. Of course they have favorites—lilies, sedum and tomato plants among them. So when we saw the tips of our tomato plant munched off, my husband erected a barrier.

            He first put a heavy-wire support around the young plants and lined it with fine wire netting. When the deer continued to munch off the stalk tops, Bill put up four high posts and wrapped the entire plant with chicken wire. Even the top.

            Several weeks later we glimpsed the first show of yellow and knew it was time to start harvesting our sweet little grape tomatoes. The only thing was—I couldn’t. Bill had protected the plants so well, we couldn’t reach the tomatoes ourselves. The barriers had to come down, of course. Who knows if we or the deer will be eating tomatoes?

            That experience reminds me that sometimes, like my tomato plants, we have potential inside us, but we wrap our protection so tightly around us that our potential can’t get out.

            For instance, perhaps we’re asked to teach children in Sunday school. But we ponder: What if we have to get up earlier to ready our classroom? What if we can’t maintain discipline. What if . . . ? We protect our territory, ourselves, so tightly that our gift of teaching stays locked away.

            Perhaps we’re asked to offer a story of our faith at a small group gathering. But what if we blank out? What if the women don’t laugh at our jokes? What if . . .? Our perfectionism fences in a story that might be a real encouragement to others.

            Perhaps volunteers are needed to prepare communion elements. But what if it means gathering supplies and arriving at church earlier than usual? What if we spill grape juice on the white altar cloths? What if . . . ? Our worries fence in what might be a blessed way to serve.

            Pride, worries, perfectionism, past failures. Any one of them might prevent us from enjoying the blessings of God we might pass on to others.

            So how do we tear down our fences?

            Modify your expectations. You need not be perfect to perform a task. Who is? If that were a requirement, few, if any, would volunteer. Days in the classroom will not always look like a scene from a movie. Unless it’s a horror film.

            Fortify yourself for the task. Read God’s Word and let the Spirit speak to you, give you the confidence you need. With the God’s help, you and His Spirit can get the job done.

            Identify your gifts, talents and skills. Take a spiritual gift survey. Ask yourself, what do you enjoy doing? Are you a people person or do you prefer to work with your hands? Do you enjoy working with kids? Or adults? Ask people who know you what gifts they see in you.

            Edify others. Blessings are not meant to be hoarded. If God puts something to do on your heart, do it. Every now and then I send a note to missionaries telling them how much I appreciate their ministry. I hope my small act blesses their hearts. I know it blesses mine. Passing on blessings blesses the giver as much as the receiver.

 “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will all boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ’s power may rest on me (2 Corinthians 12:8-9 NIV).

            Wrap Up: So tear down those fences, which are really “defenses.” Don’t consider opportunities as intrusions, something you must “defend” yourself against. Consider them opportunities to advance in your Christian walk. As Ronald Reagan said, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down that wall,” I say, “(insert your name), tear down that fence.” 

Read It and Heed It

Please note: As of the end of this month, Blogger will no longer accommodate emails. So if you want to continue receiving my blog by email, please go to www.shirleybrosius.com and click on the "From my Heart" page. Then enter your email. You'll receive a confirmation link to approve. I don't have it set up yet, so give me a few days to accomplish that. :)

For years I taught shorthand students to write as fast as a person talks—60, 90, 120 or even more words per minute. With handwriting, we write only 30-some words per minute. I trained students to “take dictation” from executives. 

 Schools no longer offer shorthand, so I asked a friend what executives do without that support. She said they write their own letters and give them to assistants to “clean up.” Anyway, to the untrained eye, the shorthand scribbles on a page don’t make sense. And sometimes they don’t make sense to the writer either. 

You must be able to read what you write so that you can “transcribe,” type onto paper, what you’ve written. If you can’t read your writing, taking shorthand notes is useless. That reminds me that reading the Bible is also useless unless we do what it says. 

What good is it to read about prayer, if we fail to pray? What good is it to read about honesty if we fail to report all our income at tax time? What good is it to read about generosity if we fail to graciously give to others what we can? We need to read it and heed it. 

 “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16 NIV). 

 Notice “all scripture” is profitable. That includes both Old and New Testaments. We learn much about the character of God in both parts of scripture. And we also learn the consequences of staying true to God’s principles from biblical saints. 

 Some like Daniel have stood strong. Even when forbidden to pray to anyone other than King Darius, Daniel continued to pray to God—by his window. Because he refused to honor the edict of the king, he was thrown into the lion’s den. However, Daniel trusted God, and God rescued Daniel. 

 Others like Ananias and Sapphari have gone astray. They claimed to give the apostles all the money for the sale of a field when in truth they held back some for themselves. The couple died because of their lie. 

 At times we may identify with the prophet Jonah who ran from God. Then scripture rebukes us and, like Jonah, helps us get back on track. I like the way THE MESSAGE puts 2 Timothy 3:16: 

“The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God . . . . It straightens us out and helps us do what is right.” 

 The Old Testament points to a Messiah, and the New Testament identifies that Messiah as Jesus. Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount teaches us how to live in harmony with others. Read it and heed it. 

 Now just as I said shorthand students had to be able to translate their notes, we must be able to understand scripture. So listen to sermons. Attend Bible studies. Talk to a Christian friend. Consult helps such as Bible dictionaries. Sure, it’s sometimes challenging, but God offers ways, especially in our age of online resources, for us to find insight on challenging passages. 

 I once mentioned to a grandson that I had taught shorthand and was surprised when he asked, “Nana, what is shorthand?” As I listen to game shows that include Bible questions, I realize some people could ask “what is scripture?” May it not be us. May we read it and heed it. 

Book Review: Think Again

 

Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know

If you'd like to know how to turn an argument with your spouse into a discussion and how better to see things from someone else's perspective, this is the book for you. In Think Again, the author offers a lot to think about.

When we disagree with someone we often try to persuade them to think the way we think or we attack their way of thinking. Grant explains four defenses we make when we disagree. Just understanding how we think helps us turn disputes into debates. He offers examples of the impact just reading others’ perspectives—pro, con and balanced—can have on people. Interesting.

Grant closes the book discussing how to rethink options. “Rethinking liberates us to do more than update our knowledge and opinions—it’s a tool for leading a more fulfilling life.”

This Random House publication includes extensive notes and an index and even comes in large print. I appreciated the charts and enjoyed the cartoons Grant included. It’s just a good read that might keep you from being stuck in a singular way of thinking, something we all need in this complex world.

NOTE: According to Blogger, it will no longer publish newsletters beginning sometime in July. I have downloaded my mailing list and hope to transfer to another server. I don't yet know to what I might transfer or how to do that, so if you have any recommendations or suggestions for me, just email me at sgbrosius@comcast.net.