Thursday, July 31, 2014

"Gracing"

"Why do we keep holding each other to a standard of perfection
instead of letting us all be held by the arms of grace. 
Perfectionism is a slow death by self."
Ann Voskamp

Company is coming.  As sometimes happens when company is coming, I can be found looking around my home with a critical eye. Our home holds a mix of eclectic pieces out of necessity more than planning.  Most everything was purchased or given to us over ten years ago.  Furniture doesn't pall match, the fireplace is covered with plastic and tape (a result of it not functioning properly), oak, maple, and pine wood in different stains and styles are everywhere and our kitchen is original to the house.  Alas, in my company-is-coming eyes, it all falls short of acceptable. Or if I am honest is it "perfection" that I .am looking for.

Convicted by Ann's quote and God's whispers, I had to ask myself ~~Is it really my home I am concerned about?  Or is it approval from others in regards to how they see our house, our nest, us.... me.  How they see me.  Once again I began to recognize that I hold myself and my surroundings to a very high standard for reasons I need to let go of.  Echos of the past that tell me I am not enough. As I am....as I look....as I live.  Seriously, do we give too much value to the expectations of those who judge us by their standards?  Those who are unwilling to see others from a place of grace. 

And if I give value to those who judge, then what do my eyes see when I look at others and their homes.  And is this need for approval that still comes to the surface a part of that perfectionism that is a slow death by self?  Ugh.

It is good to ponder these things. It is good to reject the need for approval when it tries to resurface.  It is good to stare at our reflection and embrace with grace who we see looking back.  It is good to see others through the grace that lives in us.  Jesus holds us in arms of grace.

Today I have been looking around my home and "gracing it" with deep appreciation for the many blessings I have in our eclectic nest.  I like this "gracing".  Recently I heard a pastor share that as a child he was told to pray over a painful wart by "gracing it".  He did and it left.  Praying grace has power!  Can we do the same with the critical eye we hold or receive?  Replace it with grace?

We can if we take God at His Word.  He delights in us.  We are His masterpiece.  We are more than enough with Jesus.  We have all we need.  By grace......

1 comment:

Kim Fernando said...

I love that idea of taking God at His Word, and I need to practice gracing myself and my life. It's so easy to let the judgements of others hurt, and then I start looking around assuming everyone's judging me in the same way. I hope you have a wonderful time when company's in town.