This post was contributed by Denise Wilson:
"I'm full of grand ideas, but no follow-through!"
This is what I feel about myself. That especially when it comes to seeing people in need, I get wonderful ideas. And then, they are so grandiose, I do not follow-through.
For example, I have a real-life friend in a time of need with a deployed spouse and an entirely sick house. I want to bring a meal. But my idea of a meal is something like a homemade chicken pot pie with a salad, a vegetable, and dessert. All this takes time to fix. Lots. I'm struggling with even getting good, normal meals on time for us!!! What to do??? My perfectionism won't allow me to whip up something quick but not tasty, or compromise with just a main dish, and I'm out of half the ingredients I'd need for anything.... So I do nothing.
Shame on me. That was pride stopping me.
So guess what? I swallowed my pride and ordered take-out for them from a nearby restaurant.
Next time, I may just order the next family pizza. What I learned was that sometimes we need to get over our ideas of perfectionism and just do what the Holy Spirit is setting on our hearts. (Another idea is to just double what you're serving your family that night, and take that over.)
Friday, November 13, 2009
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4 comments:
Wow Denise. This really struck a cord with me. I do this ALL the time! I keep telling myself I need to just do what I can (like you said, order pizza for a family instead of making a scrumptious homemade meal) but like you pointed out, my pride or laziness gets in the way. Thanks for pointing this out and encouraging us to be DOERS rather than just thinkers. If it were always the "thought that counts" nothing would get done.
This struck a cord with me as well. In fact, I rarely entertain because my house doesn't look like something out of Southern Living. My sunroom is more of a storage area and I simply can't keep the girls toys in their room. I worry if my cooking will be to their liking as well. I was discussing this very subject with a friend of mine here, a much wiser friend. She said, "Dana, your house was not meant to be a museum. You prepare food for your family and invite others to join you. If they don't like it, it doesn't matter. You offered them a free meal and an evening of fellowship with friends." Still, easier said than done.
Haha! I just did this last week with a family from our church who just had a baby! Or, rather, I DIDN"T do it. I mean, I went the foolish way and spent all afternoon "whipping up" something homemade while my children watched a movie! Oh that pride sneaks up on you, no??
Lisi - I have done this too.... And ended up sometimes really happy to do it, and other times a mess. :( I'm learning not to say "no" just because I can't go 100%.
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