Imperfect can still make perfectly wonderful memories.
This is a true statement. But at the holidays, we women run at break-neck speed chasing illusive perfect.
I have learned not to anymore. You see, I have perfectly wonderful memories from imperfect events and near disasters.
Like the time the tree fell over and shattered a half-dozen glass bulbs. We had to secure it to the wall with fishing line. (We still laugh at the pictures now as we try to see if we can spy the line!)
Or the time I decided to whip up my famous fruitcakes rather late at night, forgetting they bake at 250 degrees for TWO AND A HALF HOURS! (I had to sleep on the sofa and set an alarm for the middle of the night to get them out when they were done!)
My friend Kelli has taken my 5-day LET. IT. GO. Christmas Challenge. (detail below). She decided NOT to be a control freak about the tree this year. Well? Here is the result:
Some of you see a Christmas tree.
Us control freaks and perfectionists?
WE SEE 9 GOLD BULBS CLUMPED WAY TOO CLOSE TOGETHER!!!!
But Kelli has learned to see the joy on her kids’ faces as more important than perfect.
How about you? Will you embrace imperfect this year?
To see Kelli’s post, or to visit any of the other gals on my blog tour, click on the links below. You might win my new book of even one of two Kindle Fires!
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Don’t forget–if you sign up for my free 5-day resource: From Chaos to Calm: The LET. IT. GO. Christmas Challenge.
You might just win a Kindle Fire for participating!
This five-day challenge will allow Christmas to be less hectic and full of unrealistic expectations this year as you learn to control what you should and trust God with what you can’t. The result? Less stressing and more blessing!
This resource will come automatically to your inbox for five days beginning the day you sign up. That way you can pick a time that works best in your schedule.
Click here to join the over 8300 women who have already signed up for less chaos and more calm!
Love the post. I decided several years ago, I would never measure up to my own high standards, and no one will notice except me. It is a blessing to know that God did not make me perfect, he made me perfectly.
Great post and so true. I will remember it.
My sweet hubby says that I am so OCD that I’m actually CDO, because all the letters have to be in order ;-) This year, I am letting go of some of that and while it’s been difficult, it’s been good for me. I let me kids put the tree up AND decorate it by themselves…and I haven’t moved a single ornament to a more “perfect” place! Would love to read this :-) Thanks, Karen!
Karen–
I am such a poor housekeeper that I have no right to be picky. I need to get rid of a whole lot of things, and it seems I am just unable to keep up. That said, my three year old does help me put decorations and flowers on our Christmas tree, as well as with putting groceries away, dishes, laundry and cleaning the bathroom (when I do it). It does take longer, but I am glad it gets done, and he is so thrilled to help!
Honestly, our tree looks beautiful–people tell me so all the time when I show them pictures. It is worth it.
Now, getting my house tidy and organized may take my whole life to get right…sigh…
Thanks for all you do. I need to be more like you! ;)
Carissa in eastern Iowa
Growing up with a mom that was extremely stressed over the Holidays taught me a valuable lesson over the past 20 years of being a wife and mother. Your kids and husband don’t need a perfect Holiday……..they want to be a part of the fun and festivities. I think your Christmas tree is perfect just the way it is! Your children will remember how much fun they had decorating it and how relaxed and Christ like you were!
Oh my goodness! I started laughing when I read this:
Some of you see a Christmas tree.
Us control freaks and perfectionists?
WE SEE 9 GOLD BULBS CLUMPED WAY TOO CLOSE TOGETHER!!!!
I laughed because that’s me. My sister brought me an artificial 3″ tree that already had lights attached. As I looked at it and started decorating it I noticed the lights do not seem to be evenly distributed around the tree and some of the lights are attached under the branch. The nice thing is that the lights come off so I’ve fixed some of them that were under the branch. I’ve always felt like the lights should be sitting on the top of the branches. I’m even having a little trouble putting the ornaments spread out evenly. I’m a perfectionist. One thing I find funny about me trying to make my tree perfect is that I’m blind and can’t see it anyway and no one really visits me.
I got tired of being depressed on Christmas morning when things weren’t perfect so I quit expecting it. I embraced the imperfections of our “Charlie Brown” tree. Our one hard and fast holiday tradition used to be putting the tree up as a family on our daughter’s birthday, December 13th. We still do it then, just not as a family anymore. Both our children are out of the home now and living on their own. Makes putting the tree up a bit more difficult now, but we still put on the baby shoes and the old pacifier and ornaments we’ve had since our first Christmas as husband and wife. And the ornaments they both made as children. And when I make Christmas gifts, I purposely do something not perfect. I mean, I’m not perfect and neither is the recipient of the gift. So it kinda fits.
I think her tree is beautiful. My 3 year old grandson helped me with one of my trees this year and I have a lot of ornaments clumped on one branch at the bottom but it makes me smile every time I look at it.