COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES

Until recent years (I don't have an exact date because it has been a gradual process and there was never a marked moment when I suddenly realized this change had occured.), I had been a MAJOR perfectionist.The kind of perfectionist who had to make sure EVERY school project I turned in was BETTER than everyone elses.  The kind of perfectionist who would get mad at myself and others for making mistakes.  The kind of perfectionist who, when I saw my first-born child color OUTSIDE of the lines, FREAKED OUT!!!!!!!  I think that was when the process actually started and God began to wean me off of my perfectionist addiction.  And so He has had me on a journey of learning to color outside of the lines, learning to allow myself and others to make mistakes and learning that HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT!

Here's what Paul had to say on the subject:
2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (The Message)
Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn't get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan's angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn't think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,
   My grace is enough; it's all you need.
   My strength comes into its own in your weakness.
Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.

Lord, please help me to let You take over!