Perfect

Good Morning!

I know...it's been a while and because of it, my thoughts are backlogged and ready to burst through onto the screen. It is time, though, that will keep them to a minimum. A little at a time. As it is, I'm writing on the very small window of "getting ready" time when the children are playing in their beds (it sounds crueler to say "cribs" for some reason...). I put in a "Rat Pack Christmas" CD for them and I'm hearing Dean Martin upstaire singing "It's Christmas Time All Over the World" harmonizing with Annie's half-hearted whimper.

Again, this will be brief.

God has been visibly active lately...not all days, months or sometimes longer, can I sense Him, but I'm asking to be made more aware of His love, His presence and His direction in any situation. As I'm able, I'll share a few of those experiences with you and maybe we'll BOTH be encouraged. Me, as I write it out and you as you read and hopefully, relate.

But today...this moment (which is about all I have), I will share that something happened in which I am afraid will be about as common as a viewing of Halley's Comet.

We got a family picture in which all were looking at the lens, no one was sad, snotty or stained with fruit juice, spit up or tears. We all look pretty darn happy and focused upon the camera (which my dear sister in law provided, along with her uncanny bent for taking good pictures). We took it 5.3 seconds after arriving at my brother & sister-in-laws home for Thanksgiving. I was akin to an Army commander with a do-or-die mission: while we are all fresh, happy and cranberry-stain free (yes, including myself who is prone to food stains), lets get in formation and capture the desired result as quickly as humanly possible. This time, it worked and I'm afraid that it has subconsciously set me up for disappointment in the years to come, when the individual will of each participant of this small army becomes increasingly independent and possibly even defiant!

Here is my point of sharing this with you: We worked so hard to capture a 'perfect' image and we wish it were always that way, but taking it a level deeper, on this side of Heaven, perfection is not attainable. We are imperfect people with imperfect bodies. Our vices, our personalities, our tendency to retain independence so often take away from our experiences in life. And yet, God sees His children as perfect. Perfect...really, just plain perfect. He made us just the way He wanted to. Yea, He knows we struggle and He knows that life here isn't perfect...but He's willing to lend a lot to us in what we lack. Power, wisdom, discernment, patience, understanding, compassion, self control, etc. It is all there for the asking. We simply must ask. And then expect and watch.

The whole idea of Him seeing us as perfect is beautiful. It means that we do not have an image we have to live up to in front of anyone else (even though that's our-or my-tendency). We can relax, even in our imperfections.

Dean, Frank and Sammy are not doing a swell job at keeping Annie happy (although Christopher is getting along with them famously), so I must depart. Thanks for swinging by the Cottage. I'll try to be here more regularly.

Happy Monday!