Perfection

As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him. For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God? It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He enables me to stand on the heights. Psalm 18:30-33 (NIV)

Frequently, a coworker has a funny story to tell about her three year old grandson, B. He is a pistol and giving his parents a run for their money. This week, he got into trouble at preschool because he was telling the other children what to do. In particular, he was correcting the speech of another three year old who used the word her in a sentence when he should have used she. He’s three! The teacher had to ask B.’s mom to remind him who is the teacher and that it is not B.! I am so much like B. I like being in charge. At work today, we had a training session for History Fair judges and while I cooked the lunch for them, I did not go to the meeting. I have turned over responsibilities for that event to my staff. I know that they are doing fine preparing and managing it, but I find it too hard to participate when I am not in charge. I have so much that I want to interject! So, I stayed away. When husband asked me how the luncheon went, and I told him I did not go and why, he just shook his head and laughed. “That is a really bad character flaw you have,” he said. Yes, it is. Sadly, I recognize it and fight against it all the time, my desire for control and even worse, perfectionism. That is the hardest thing about my job as supervisor is giving people tasks and standing back and letting them do it. Their way. Which is a perfectly good way even though it is just not my way. I confess often I even try to tell God how to do things. The God who created the universe and keeps the stars in the sky sure doesn’t need me telling Him how to do things. Yet, I still try! Frail as I am. The bowl above is one of the most perfect glass pieces I have ever done. The purple glass behind the horse tells a story. You can see the flat plain of the earth where he runs. The wind drifts over his head and behind him forming clouds. If you look closely, you can even see the marks of his hind feet on the earth. All laid out in the glass. But, I didn’t make that glass. It came that way. I didn’t even align it to fit so neatly around the horse. I only placed the horse against the flat stripes to form the ground. I didn’t notice the rest of the details until after the bowl had formed. Like the layout of the bowl, I am only called to do the best with my abilities, and then, step back and leave the rest to God. My life is most orderly and content when I recognize Who is in charge and submit to His will and plan. Because it is in that moment that my way becomes perfect.