Why Being Perfect Is Not Always Better

Why do we feel like everything has to be perfectly in place before we start a project? Or that we have to follow a specific set of guidelines to get meaning out of an activity? Maybe the lesson comes from the messiness and the journey.

Starting Family Traditions

It's always been important to set a strong foundation of God in our family. Researching bible lessons and doing morning devotionals on a routine basis - didn't work. Using a flip calendar with daily scriptures - never got off the ground either.

It's so easy to get caught up in having everything laid out perfectly and having this set structure and if it doesn't happen or I fall short one day, the whole thing falls through.

This is a fault I have to work on in all areas of my life from laundry to encorporating the Bible into their life. It doesn't have to be perfect. You just have to do it. The you here, would be myself.
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The Night-Time Prayer Tradition

A few weeks ago, we started doing family prayers at bedtime. The first night, it was new and exciting. Everyone sat still, kept quiet and participated, even the baby.

How we do it, my husband picks someone to go first and then they pick the next person. We have missed a few nights here and there, but it's something we have actually made a commitment in doing.

When it doesn't go perfect

Tonight, we are all in the baby's room for "night night prayers", the kids in their pjs and the baby in her sleeper and wearable blanket (these are adorable by the way, how did I not find wearable blankets until the third baby?!).

In the past, when they get rowdy I try to make them sit and be quiet - it's not respectful, I would say. Always feeling like they need to be reigned in, like a herd of bucking bulls.

It was no different tonight in the rough-housing and rolling around in the floor, but I was different in just watching them play. When it was time for their turn, they got down to business.

Big sister went first and prayed for the sun and the moon (where do these things come from??), in addition to her regular family and friend prayer she does. All while brother and the baby sat on a storage tote and flipped themselves off, again and again.

The baby went next and joyfully screamed her usual, "Amen!!". Brother was after her and he did not disappoint, with his hands together and his eyes closed tightly shut, "God is great. God is good......hey God, thank you for this day and for this food. Thank you for - names his family, a few other random items and watermelon, the neighbor's new baby and popcorn."

Perfect can be in the mess

It doesn't matter how crazy or messy it looks. We get to see inside their little hearts and minds. I'm not the most touchy-feely kind of gal, but hearing a child pray is something special.

One night he even prayed for the baby growing in the lady's tummy at Cracker Barrel. He was referring to our server while on a trip two weeks before. It's amazing what kiddos remember and how they are touched.

I want to remember those moments about tonight, and every other night, and not that everyone wasn't sitting down perfectly still in a line, waiting patiently for their turn. Only God is perfect and he makes perfect things from our messes. Don't miss those special moments because it wasn't perfect in our minds.

Start today! Do something, anything!

Most of the time when things are the most successful, is when I worried or stressed over it the least. It was an after thought that night I said "let's do night time prayers tonight." I didn't plan it or research the perfect way to implement a new tradition. We just went with it.

I'm certainly not saying never plan (that's just crazy talk - I love planning), but don't let it be overwhelming. If you are like me and love to plan but get caught up in it being perfect and never get to it, take on smaller tasks and work your way up.

It's been humbling, especially after baby number three, to recognize just how much I can't plan or control the situation. I had this idea of what staying at home would look like. It looks NOTHING like that. It's been difficult to lower those expectations.

It has been exciting to hear what they want to pray for and to feel somewhat accomplished and as though we could add more to our traditions as we go. It doesn't have to be laid out with every detail in place before we get started. (Why do you think this blog needs some work- if I waited until I thought it was perfect, it still wouldn't be up.)

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Keep going

Once you start it, keep going. Even if you miss a day or a few days here and there, keep going. Half the devotional didn't get printed, keep going. Finish the other half later, or don't.

We don't do any daily devotionals. I have read, two days this week, out of a children's five minute devotional book. I hope to work up to everyday. And then maybe that turns into something longer with more meaning later. But for now, I'm ok with getting in as many days as I can.

I encourage you to get started and keep going in whatever journey you are working on or need help obtaining. Journeys are messy. God is perfect.