How to Embrace Imperfection & Faith Filled Friday

How to Embrace Imperfection 
Seeing Jesus as my Wabi-Sabi

Aw, what a cute family picture. Don't we just look like we have it all together. Matching outfits and cute kids who just sit still, smile and obey.

But here's reality...

But why is it we long for that perfect shot? Why don't we want to enlarge a picture of crazy to mount on the wall? 

I think it's because our culture (perhaps most cultures?) value being perfect and the best. When was the last time you encouraged someone to try just a little, give just enough or get the second best thing on the menu? 

If our goal in life is to try to be perfect/the best and have it all together (and expect others to as well) then we don't point people to Jesus and His sufficiency but rather our own (or lack of it).

God's perfection is enough to satisfy our inefficiencies. Why not delight in that? 

When Austin and I were planning our wedding I couldn't think of the perfect song for our first dance. I just picked a song and months later I heard the perfect song and was so sad I didn't think of it earlier. In my discouragement the Lord reminded me that Jesus died for mistakes too. 

Our failures shine a spotlight on God's grace. 

So a person like me, a task-oriented, with a tendency toward perfectionism (unless it clashes with wasting time), I use to have to remind myself often, "Enjoy the process Laura."  But it hit me yesterday as my kids were being devoured by green head biting flies in what felt like 110 degree weather with people I didn't really know as I worried about my preschoolers falling off the deck into the Bay, that it's not the process I need to enjoy. Because sometimes the process just really stinks. It's enjoying Jesus as He walks with me through the process. I will never enjoy trying to comfort my screaming 3 year old because a biting fly got in his swim suit and bit him. No, but I can enjoy Jesus, the Comforter and Perspective Giver. 

How to embrace our imperfection and God's grace

So what does it practically look like to embrace imperfection? What does it practically look like to embrace God's grace?

Have you ever heard of Wabi-Sabi? It's the Japanese art of finding beauty in imperfection. Sometimes they would clean up a back yard and just before they were done, shake the leaves from a tree just enough to create a little mess as a reminder to embrace imperfection, a sign of beauty.

Embracing imperfection (better known as chaos in our family of preschoolers) for imperfections sake is crazy and definitely not beautiful! But embracing imperfection to see and display Jesus as the Perfect One, now that's an idea! That is beautiful!

Why not put a little flaw in something to remind you Jesus stands as our perfection.  
A reminder we don't need to have it all together because Jesus is our togetherness. 

And really, don't we all need the constant reminder to keep looking to Jesus for His sufficiency instead of our own.

So what can you do today to put a little flaw in something to remind you that Jesus' perfection is your perfection and sufficiency? 
A little too much of 1 ingredient? A dirty car? A pile of mess?

PS Thanks for your grace as I was not able to write this last week. My own little opportunity to embrace Jesus as my Wabi-Sabi. ;)  Power is back up and have at least some access to the internet so I hope to be back writing regularly next week. (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday's)

Also, a week of no power or internet access gave me some time to think and plan. So I did some fun stuff around Beholding Glory. Go ahead and take a look at the tabs. I hope you are encouraged and blessed! And I so much long to have it all perfect before you see it... but as a reminder that Jesus is my Wabi-Sabi, I am leaving some of it as a work in progress. :)

Faith Filled Friday Blog Link Up

We exist to glorify God, to display His heart and character. And I just love how we are all uniquely built to do that. So every Friday I want to give you, uniquely designed by God, an opportunity to link up your thoughts on God, art, baking, photography, parenting, marriage, writing or blogging and more if they tie into or display the the Lord somehow. 

So go ahead and link up below by clicking the link below and following the prompts. Please just let your readers know by including a link at the bottom of your post (or somewhere on your side bar) or put my button code (found on my side bar or the Faith Filled Friday Tab) so they can find these other great people glorifying God and we can continue to grow as a community. Thanks!    

And in effort to encourage others in their writing by faith, please take a minute to comment on the two posts linked up before you.    

Subscribe to receive a copy of the Life Purpose Plan; discovering how your uniqueness, current reality and the mission fit together for the glory of God.  

I'm linking up with Spiritual Sundays, Create with Joy, The Beauty in His Grip, Nebraska Graceful, The Wellspring, The Better Mom