Just Perfect

Perfect. It's a tough meaure to live up to. Especially when it comes to being a parent. Being the perfect parent - especially when life throws you a curveball - is really really really hard.

But really, what other measuring stick is there? If you don't measure yourself against perfect, then what do you compare to? When you want to cut a piece of drywall in a straight line, you make your cut line with a ruler - you don't freehand it. (or at least I can't) If I were to use a scrap piece to draw a line, I wouldn't be getting an accurate line. I need to compare to a perfect straight edge.

But perfection, as life quickly teaches you, is an inhumanly impossible feat. Striving for perfection is a path that quickly leads to frustration. So what are we to do? Do we give up? Who has a perfect father anyways?

I do. I have a perfect father. My Father in heaven is absolutely perfect. That's a pretty darn high bar to match. And you know what? God demands perfection.

And if that's where it ended, life would really suck. But it doesn't end there. God, my perfect heavenly father, has provided a way. Through Jesus, I am forgiven for not measuring up to perfection. So I get the best of all worlds. I get an example of perfection to strive for - and a way of measuring how I am doing. But I also get released from the guilt of not measuring up. I am fully loved, and am perfect in his sight.

So I take this into my parenting philosophy. I need to strive for perfection. I also need to forgive myself for falling short. And THAT is where the key is to reducing stress. And the reduced stress? It results in better parenting. Go figure.