Day 257 - Progress not perfection

Tonight I am reminded that I need to focus on progress, not perfection. My mind is reeling thinking of all of the areas I can apply this principle to. In our little financial crisis right now I get so wrapped up waiting for Mark to just get a job and for everything to be better, that I don't pay attention to the progress that has been underway. I guess I just want the whole burrito instead of noticing all of the parts that are needed to make that burrito. If I look at our situation, we have had a lot of progress over the last two months and there is a lot to be hopeful for in the very near future. Yet, I am so void of emotions because of all of the disappointment we have faced. I have been too blind to see the small positive steps and blessings that might be underway. Mark has made a really great contact with a company that seems very interested in him. This did not come from a job interview, it's just kind of a cross your fingers and pray that maybe this company will want to hire him situation. For me, this has been a source of stress because I am so afraid to get my feelings wrapped up and then be disappointed. Yet, this is unlike anything that happened so far and maybe instead of focusing on the actual job, I should just focus and be positive that this relationship has even occurred. Focus on progress, not perfection.

I have been praying for God to lead me wherever He wants me to go with my writing and with this blog. In the beginning I dreamed that overnight I would get thousands of followers and that other huge opportunities would arise so that I can share my faith. Obviously that has not happened and to be honest I love this blog and my readers exactly as they are (plus this blog is God's grace not mine). I have known that God will have his own timing for my personal future, especially after all of the huge changes He has already made in my life. But I do think that all of my big dreams make me feel very inadequate most of the time. I think I have always felt like that. And yet, last week I was asked to speak at a MOPS meeting near the end of the year about joy and my journey. Then today, I was asked if I would like to be a contributing blogger for a local online publication (sadly no compensation). These are awesome and amazing steps for me and they are definitely progress straight from God. Tonight instead of looking for the bigger picture, I am especially grateful for these two opportunities that await me.  Focus on progress, not perfection.

Getting from here to there is usually very black and white. But we know that God is interested in our transformation and doing things on His time instead of ours. So maybe there is just as much value in all of the small steps we take to get to the finish line than actually just finishing. After all, in a life of faith we never really know how many steps we have to take to get to the end, so maybe the steps we think are small are really jumps and leaps towards the end. Or maybe it's the very last step. But either way, each step is important and should be acknowledged. Progress is progress no matter how small.