Perfectionism

I have been fighting a pitched battle recently with my drive for perfection. At times such as this, it’s a curse. As a child, I faced constant demands for perfection. Resistance is a challenge--especially since there are times when the quest for perfection is valuable, as in my prior career as a lawyer. My clients deserved better than a half-baked job on their case. I try to remember that I am not now, and never will be, perfect. If that’s good enough for God, I need to let it be good enough for me, and to remember my salvation does not depend on how I perform the tasks before me. Thank God for that!

We are gearing up for our next mission trip to Nicaragua. This year we will help the community of Las Lajas install a Living Waters for the World clean water system. My job is to organize the spiritual and health education for the people who will use the clean water. The spiritual part includes reminding them that God wants the best for them, including clean water. It’s the health education that is causing me sleepless nights. I’m comfortable teaching adults, but Las Lajas has also arranged for us to teach the students at three elementary schools, a total of some 150 kids. I have a curriculum, but I have to modify that to prepare something like a portable Vacation Bible School. We will be making copies and gathering materials, all of which we must carry with us to Nicaragua. Several women from our church who teach kids as a profession have volunteered to meet with us next Saturday. I am so grateful for their time and their expertise.

I keep reminding myself that while I have to do my part in the preparation, God is with me in this latest adventure. I know how important this work is. People’s lives are at stake, including the lives of children like my grandkids. Too many die around the world from lack of clean water. I’m grateful for the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of some of them, and I’m trying to remember that whatever I am able to teach them will be more than they know now. God is once again stretching my horizons, and I’ve been thinking about Mother Teresa, who said, “I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish he did not trust me so much.” Amen, Sister!

Grace and Peace,

Donna