Enough

I want to strive for excellence in Motherhood, but I often lose my way.  I want to honor God with the gift of motherhood.  I am inspired and encouraged when I spot excellence in others!  Journeying to excellence is tricky.  I think I'm on the road to excellence and one wrong turn and I am in the pit of perfection.

A mentor of mine defines excellence as, "doing the very best you can with what you have got!"  How freeing!  Because that means with the resources, talents, time, energy and limitations I have: I do MY best.  I can look at a friends beautiful home, amazing craft or their unique talents in 1 of 2 ways.  I can look at it with expectations of excellence and I will admire her work, her heart and the beauty she has created.  Or I can look at it with a perfectionistic heart and I will feel inferior, ashamed and hopeless.  I want the 1st.  Kathy Koch refers to a "perfection infection" that is rampant in our world in, "No more Perfect Kids."

The problem isn't that our world has been edited to perfection.  The problem is that I accidentally start believing I have to be perfect.  Fear is so sneaky.  Guilt is too.  They creep in 1,000 different way in a 1,000 different disguises.  Just when you think you have conquered them a new hill appears.  

Perfection verses Excellence

(by Kathy Koch and Jill Savage)

Excellence is something done well.  Perfection is something done without fault.

Excellence is attainable.  Perfection is unattainable.

Excellence is positive.  Perfection is negative.

Excellence is satisfying.  Perfection is never satisified.

Excellence is freeing.  Perfection is binding.  

Excellence allows for failure.  Perfection punishes failure.

Excellence EXPECTS mistakes.  Perfection panics at mistakes.  

Excellence is growing.  Perfection is dying. 

Excellence is learning.  Perfection is performing.

Excellence is open.  Perfection is CLOSED.

Excellence is motivated by confidence Perfection is motivated by fear.  

Excellence comes from God.  Expectation of perfection comes from the world. 

Excellence allows for many ways to accomplish something.  It allows for context. 

Excellence is empowering.  Perfection is rejecting.  

Perfection steals our joy and results in hopelessness.  

IF we expect perfection from ourselves, we will be in perpetual disappointment.  If we expect perfection from others, we will become hypercritical. 

For me when I have a perfectionistic heart it feels heavy and hopeless.  And, I am ultimately worshiping myself.  I am fogetting who I am.  I am a sinner.  And, I am wonderfully made.  What a perfect paradox of truth.  I strive to keep my eyes on Him.  Failing every day.  But, when I am looking to Him who is perfect then peace and joy fill me in my journey towards Excellence.  

Romans 8:6 really speaks to me on this issue in my life.  "Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.  If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death.  But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace."  

Perfection elevates and idolizes self.  Excellence points to the only one who is perfect.    Excellence admires and inspires.  Perfection envies and suffocates.  Excellence celebrates unique gifts. Perfection expects to excel at everything.  Excellence believes I am enough because He is enough.  Perfection is never good enough. Perfection is death.  Excellence is LIFE.