Rejection

  I've been thinking a lot about rejection and people who get rejected at the hands of the church. I read an article about people going to Pride rallies to give out “mom-hugs” or “dad-hugs” for those whose families had cast them out. And the response to this gesture of kindness was that so many men and women came over to get hugs. They just needed to know they were loved and be told that someone accepted them as they are. It breaks my heart that parents and family members and churches can reject others so cruelly, and I know the pain of being rejected, because I have experienced it first hand. I, myself, was kicked out of a church at the age of seventeen when I became pregnant. I was told by people that they could no longer speak to me, and I couldn't come to their houses. Believe me, I know exactly what religious hate looks like, and I have lived through it. But I came across a verse today that speaks specifically to those in that situation. It says this, “Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.” (Psalm 27:10)

I want to remind you today that if people have kicked you out, thrown you away, or given up on you, God has not. He is still waiting with open arms. He doesn't ask you to clean up your act or do everything perfect before you come to Him. He just wants you, as you are, so He can walk through this journey of life with you and help you become all you were created to be.

Do not let religious people's opinions give you the wrong impression of God. Yes, God is holy, and yes, He wants us to do what is right, but He also gives us grace. There is not one person in this world who does everything perfect. (Romans 3:10) Not one of us could have a relationship with God without His grace covering us and allowing us to grow and get better along the way. So, friend, if someone has told you that you aren't worthy or don't deserve love, don't believe that lie for a second. There is a God who loves you and died for you just as you are. (Romans 5:8) Don't be misled or confused by the words and actions of hateful people who claim to be from God. God is love, and His people should be also. (1 John 4:7-11) Rest today in the knowledge that you are special and valuable to the One who made you.

With love,

K.W.

Perfection

Hey friends!

  I read an interesting quote the other day, and to be honest with you, I cannot remember where I read it at, so I want to apologize to the author who I am borrowing it from, and when I find the reference I will be sure to include it.  The quote went something like this, "Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly."
  At first after I read this I was a bit taken aback.  I thought, why would someone encourage people to do less than their best?  But then it hit me... that's just it!  Sometimes we get so stuck inside our heads about trying to do things perfectly that we neglect to start at all.
  Sometimes we gaze about the chaos that is our life and think, if only I had the perfect house, and body, and job, and money, and kids, and on and on and on.  When really all that is needed is to just make an attempt to do those things, even if we know they wont turn out perfectly.  It's ok to just pick up the house and clear the clutter without making it mother-in-law ready this week, or next week, or maybe not even this year (if you're me).  It's also ok to accept that you aren't where you want to be in life yet, but you can just enjoy the place where you are at, imperfections and all.
  I was talking to someone the other day who made the statement, "I just feel like I'm not a very good Christian because I say bad words and don't always act the way I should."  And the thing I told her was this, "God doesn't accept us because we are perfect.  He accepts us because we're not, and then He helps us get better."  You see, perfection isn't a point we arrive at anywhere on this side of Heaven, and it's definitely not a point that any of us start from.  And I think if we keep that in mind we will all be a little less harsh on others and on ourselves.
  Give yourself permission to just start this week, and let yourself be ok with not doing everything perfect.  Unless you're performing neurosurgery, you probably don't need to be perfect anyway.
Just make the attempt, and you'll be better off for it.  I can't wait to see you succeed.

~K.W.

Linda

  I want to share a story with you this morning. This is something that’s been on my mind, and while it may make a few people uncomfortable, I hope you’ll keep reading. When I was 16, I was being sexually harassed at work. There was a man who was more than double my age who used to trap me in my work space and make rude comments while I worked, and getting away from him meant I had to walk into him because he was blocking the only doorway. The problem with all this though, besides the obvious, was that I didn’t know I was being sexually harassed. I grew up in a church environment that taught me that if this was happening it must be my fault for wearing something too provocative, and because my Christian school refused to teach sex ed, I knew nothing about sexual safety whatsoever, although I pretended I knew a great deal around my peers.
  Now I know many of you are already screaming from the rooftops, “#metoo” and getting ready to spit in the faces of every man you know, but the real person I want you to identify with in this story isn’t me. The person I want you to see in this story is Linda.
  Linda was a good bit older than me, and she was one of the supervisors in our building. One evening  I casually remarked to her that the janitor was super creepy. I was too naive to describe his actions by any other terms. Linda did not hesitate a moment though. She looked me straight in the eyes and asked me why I said that. After I told her by the whole story, she grabbed me by the arm and practically dragged me down the hall to the office of the CEO. And as if the incidents weren't disturbing enough,  having to repeat them all to a 60 year old man who owned the company I worked for was even more so. Linda stood right by my side though and encouraged me along, and after I had told my story she lashed into a full blown attack, pointing out that this was not acceptable, and (much to my surprise) that this was not the first time this man had done this sort of thing and been allowed to stay. Her fierce arguments along with my testimony were enough to sway the CEO, and my harasser was fired on the spot.
  The point I want to make in all of this is that, those of us with louder voices, more experience, and access to those with power should use those things to help and protect those who may be too timid or too naive to stand up for themselves. It’s time that all of us grabbed our neighbors by the hand and said, “I’m with you.”  We live in a world that is divided on many subjects, but that should not stop us from reaching out a hand up to those around us. Let us be more like Linda today and use our voices and our influence to bring justice and strength to those who have none. And I believe that slowly, as we pick each other up, we will see controversy and division healed. We will see people of all creeds, religions, colors, and genders come together if we simply choose to love and lift up those around us rather than walking on by stating, “that’s not my problem.”  If someone in this world is hurting or facing injustice, it’s time we make it our problem, and we make it our mission to fix it. Wherever you are today friend, know that I love you, and I pray that you would be emboldened today to step out and be like Linda.
I can’t wait to see you succeed!

~K.W.

Take Out the Garbage

Hi Friends!

  I want to talk to you tonight about garbage.  Yup, you read that right.  Stinky, nasty, last week's chicken garbage, the kind that makes your whole house reek and causes you to say a prayer that no one stops by that day.  I dealt with this today.  All day, in fact, and here's the story.
  I smelled it the moment I woke up.  I walked into the kitchen this morning to make coffee and the smell was there.  "This garbage smells disgusting,"  I voice to myself and the dogs who were sitting by the back door waiting to go out.  But it didn't end there.  All day long the garbage problem continued.  Every time I went into my kitchen I vocalized how terrible it smelled.  When I came back from the grocery store I opened the house door and all I smelled was garbage.  "This whole house stinks!"  I yelled.  Finally, at around 3 o clock, when I was grumbling for the umpteenth time about how bad things smelled, I turned to my husband and announced.  "I realize that I have been complaining about this all day, and I also realize that I have not done anything to change the situation."
  So here's the real story friends.  We all have some "garbage" in our lives, things we need to deal with, something that is stinking up our atmosphere, but we continue to let it sit there.  All day I went around doing things to make the house smell better.  I opened windows and lighted candles, but when it came right down to it, the only way to really solve the problem was to take out the trash.  Maybe, like me, you've tried this in your personal life too.  You know you need to address your financial situation, but you decide to put your energy into eating healthier instead.  You've been putting off dealing with a particular situation, so you choose to do something else "good" instead.  The problem is though, that most of the time, fixing something else will not get rid of the garbage that is stinking up our lives.  Now don't get mad at me; I'm preaching to myself too.  But maybe it's time you picked yourself up, tied up the trash and walked it outside.  Maybe it's time to really evaluate what needs dealing with and just get it taken care of.  It may not be your favorite thing, but believe me, as soon as you get rid of the trash, it's amazing how fast the house starts to smell better.  In a few minutes it's like it was never even there.
  What I'm saying is, quit trying to cover up your garbage.  Quit lighting candles and pretending that everything is fine, because ultimately, you know it stinks.  Take out that trash once and for all and see how much better everything in your life becomes as a result of it.
As always, I can't wait to see you succeed!

~K.W.

A Fake Fight

  Friends, I want to share something with you tonight that is still fresh and raw for me. I am hoping though that by sharing it you will be blessed and encouraged to persevere.   I want you to understand that the enemy we face is very real, and he walks about “as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”  (1 Peter 5:8)  But what I also want to remind you is that, if God is for us, Nothing can win against us! (Romans 8:31)
   Now, what I want to share with you is this; often times when we try to make important, life altering changes, we run up against opposition. We are in a war, and our success is the enemy’s worst nightmare, and he will try every trick to make sure we do not succeed.   I’ve found that the process of change looks something like this...
  First, we get an inkling that change is needed. Perhaps we read about a new habit or feel the Spirit tugging on us to move in a new direction. It is often at this point that we begin wrestling with doubt. We face questions such as, “Do I really NEED to make that change?”  “What if I can’t do it?” “How will I find the time?”  And we let ourselves off the hook with excuses like, “It’s too hard.”  “I’m too tired.”  Or, “I’ll do it later.”  A lot of us get sidetracked right here. We wander away and put off or give up entirely on what we know deep down we should do.  If, however, you push past the doubt and make a decision to move forward, you are often confronted with the second road block on your way too change. For lack of a better label, we could call this obstacle, “circumstances.”
  Here’s where the rubber meets the road and you’ve decided to take the first steps.  But suddenly, as if out of no where, detours start to appear.  You start your diet and a friend brings in cookies for lunch. You decide to walk outside and it rains.  You vow to get up earlier, but your baby keeps you up half the night. It is here that you can choose to let your feelings win, or you can push forward. If you do so now though, know that you are playing for keeps. When your success means that others will benefit and God’s glory will be displayed, you can rest assured the devil will show up in full force to try to stop what you’ve got going.
  It’s at this point that you might receive a curveball, something so unexpected you decide maybe it’s not worth it to go on. Friend, dig in because if you’re facing this right now you need to know that your victory is only a few short steps of faith away. The enemy attacks hardest when you are nearest to your breakthrough.  Do not fall for the lies. Do not lay down and give up. Hold your chin up high and declare as Jesus did, “It is finished!” (John 19:30)  Warrior, your enemy has already been defeated. Don’t let him trick you into thinking he’s got a chance. Persevere, for you are being cheered on by a great cloud of witnesses. (Hebrews 12:1) Whatever you are being called to today, don’t give up. Others are counting on you to win. I can’t wait to see you come out on the other side successful.

~K.W.

Fake Faces

  Hello friends,  I have been thinking tonight about being who we want to be.  All of us have a person we want to be.  There is a version of ourselves that we would like to portray to the world and to convince ourselves is the person who we truly are.  There is nothing wrong with this.  In fact, we should all always be striving to be all that we can be, and if you see yourself as being happy, successful, healthy, fulfilled, financially independent, or whatever your goals might be, then you are much more likely to act in a manner as if you already are all of those things.
  What can be discouraging though is when we start to take a look in the mirror and realize just how far away we are from who we think we should be.  We all, myself included, have a tendency to try to keep our flaws or our shortcomings to ourselves.  Sometimes though, we have a bad day, week, month, or season of our lives, and we begin to look at ourselves and wonder just who it is that we have become.  The person other people see us as is not perhaps as flattering as we hoped.  We may have allowed circumstances or people around us to mold us into a version of ourselves that is far from where we desire to be.  We lose our peace as we begin wrestling in our spirits with the choices we have made and where we are verses where we want to be.
  The Scripture speaks specifically about this when it says, "If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength."  (Proverbs 24:10)  Ouch!  If that stings a little to read, I am right there with you.  You see, it's very easy to put on a nice face when things are all going well.  It's not so easy though when  you are under pressure, when something in your life is painful, when you have to make hard choices, or when being who you know you should be might cause you to look foolish to those you care about.  It's at these times though that we have real opportunities to grow.  If you can walk the talk when it's hard, then you really are making progress.  You aren't just faking it til you're making it, you have actually arrived at the next level.  If you are in that boat, I want to congratulate you.  You have grit, and great things are coming your way because of your self-discipline and perseverance.
  The people I really want to talk to tonight though are the ones who maybe are still faking it and looking in the mirror at night and feeling defeated.  I want to tell you, that if you are disappointed with your choices, or maybe a reputation you've created or who you feel you've become, you don't have to stay that way.  The enemy has this funny habit of trying to make us feel as though once we've fallen down that we won't ever be able to get back up, that we are stuck this way for ever.  That is so far from the truth.  There is a time and a season for EVERYTHING. (Ecclesiastes 3:1) Maybe you've been in a challenging season and you don't like what it has brought out of you.  Stop seeing yourself as failed, broken, sick, washed up, useless or unworthy.  God doesn't see you that way, not even close.  He sees you as your true self, the one He died for you to become:  whole, healthy, thriving, and filled with joy and peace.  You are all these things and more, and if you don't feel it yet, that's ok.  You can claim these things by faith and then start to walk them out.  The Bible says that God, "calls things that are not as though they were," and you have that privilege too. (Romans 4:17)
   Stop letting the enemy tell you who you are.  Stop letting other people's perceptions of you trick you into seeing yourself in the wrong light.  Start claiming your true identity today.  Silence the inner war.  Take your joy and peace back.  You are a warrior, and this is your life.  It's time to come up to the next level, take new ground, and claim victory in your life again.  Hold your head high.  You are a child of the King.  I challenge you not give in to the lies this week, but instead, start walking out who you truly are.  Make the right decisions, and step by step you will see yourself come into the truest version of yourself.
I can't wait to see you succeed.

~K.W.

The Jonah Dilemma

  Hello friends!  I was thinking tonight about the Jonah dilemma.  And if you've never heard that phrase before, don't worry; I made it up.  Jonah was a prophet in the Old Testament in the Bible.  His job was to go around and tell people messages God gave him.  But one day, Jonah was given a message he didn't feel so good about delivering.  God asked Jonah to go to the people of Ninevah, a city outside the country of Israel which was reputed to have been quite unsavory, to say the least.  Jonah, being the obedient servant of God that he was, promptly got on the next boat going in the opposite direction of Ninevah.  After boarding the boat, he went down into the hull of the ship and lay down for a much needed nap.  After all, running from God and from your purpose is exhausting.  And this, is what I am referring to as "The Jonah Dilemma."
  You see, for most of us, the problem is not that we don't know what we should do, but that we don't want to.  Maybe it's uncomfortable or causes us to change something.  Whatever the reason, I believe most people, like Jonah, don't pursue their purpose not because they can't, but because they aren't willing to do anything they don't like doing.  It's much easier to make yourself busy with other things and put what you're really supposed to be doing on the backburner.  Going about being busy but not doing what you are called to do is like boarding a ship headed in the opposite direction of where you are wanting to go.  Not only is it foolish and disobedient, but running from God will wear you out, make you miserable, and cause you to loose your peace and joy.
  For Jonah, it took a literal storm, being thrown overboard, and then spending three days inside the stomach of a fish to get him to head in the right direction.  For you and me, I pray we are not that stubborn.  What is it that you know you need to be doing?  Do you need to start that exercise program, write that letter, make the call, or pick up that book?  Often times the things we need to do to move forward are not earth shattering things.  They are simple daily practices which are, according to The Slight Edge, "easy to do" and "easy not to do."  Do not let the Jonah dilemma become yours.  Make the choice to move in the right direction today, even if you don't feel like it.  Don't put off what you need to do another moment.  Your success is waiting on the other side of that one small step in the right direction.  Will you take it?  I hope so, friend.  I can't wait to see you succeed!

~K.W.

One New Habit

  Good Morning Friends!  I was recently having dinner with a few family members, and we struck up a conversation about reading.  The question was posed, "What are some of the most impactful books you've ever read?"  Being that books are one of my favorite topics of conversation, and I love to read, I began throwing out book titles and what I had gleaned from them.  A few others threw in comments, but then one family member made this statement.  She said, "I don't know.  I've never really read any personal growth books."  I've been pondering that comment for the last week, and here's why.  Up until about six years ago, neither had I.  I read for fun, and I read for school, but it never occurred to me that I could read to better myself, grow spiritually, learn new life skills, and improve everything from finances to relationships.  And quite honestly, even if I had made this realization on my own, I wouldn't have known where to begin.  Walking into any book store you can find mountains of titles in the sections of self-help, spirituality, fitness, and finance.  So where to begin?  Which authors are reputable?  How could I be sure I was investing in something that would help me?
  And those questions are what provoked me to write this blog today.  Six years ago, I was introduced to a group of business people and mentors who changed my life forever, and I am so grateful.  They began encouraging me to read books, "ten pages a day" they said. Start small.  But the books they encouraged me to read where unlike the novels I had spent my time reading up to that point.  The books they recommended helped me to get myself emotionally stable, made me a better wife, helped me be a wiser mom, and took my faith to new levels.  But without the guidance of my mentors I would never have stumbled across these lifechanging reads, and so today, I am going to give you just a few suggestions as to some books which you can delve into to see change in your life also.
  First of all, if you're new to the world of "self-help" or personal development, I encourage you to start small.  Og Mandino writes several books which are quick and easy reads but contain life changing truths.  I recommend trying out The Greatest Miracle in the World or The Greatest Salesman in the World.  Both of these are written in story format and are a good way to introduce yourself to reading for growth rather than simply for entertainment.
  A bit more advanced read, but still very step by step and easy to grasp is John Maxwell's The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth.  I also just finished up Terri Savelle Foy's book, 5 Things Successful People Do Before 8 Am.  These two books will help you get started and give you a road map for personal growth and development.
  Additionally, if you would like to read something spiritual which is both easy to understand and very impactful, I recommend reading Bruce Wilkinson's The Dream Giver or The Prayer of Jabez.  
  I don't want to overwhelm anyone with an extensive list, and there are so many amazing books to choose from.  This is just a small list of some of what I have read and gained insight from over the past few years.  I encourage you if you would like to rise to new levels in any area of your life, begin by reading.  Many of us cannot approach a famous or successful person and ask them how they got where they are, but we can sit down with that person's book and receive the benefits of what they know.
  If you only start one new habit this year, I highly encourage you to start the habit of reading to grow.  You will be shocked and pleasantly surprised at how much your life can transform from the simple habit of investing in reading.  I know I was.  Grab a book and get started today.  I can't wait to see you succeed!

~K.W.

Hurry Up and Wait

Hello Dear Friends!
  It has been a while, and I am hoping that the New Year has refreshed, refueled, and refocused you to chase after your dreams.  If you are like I am, the New Year is always exciting because it offers a fresh starting point for heading towards your goals, and an ending point for evaluating your previous year's progress.  I do a lot of thinking around the New Year, and lately I've been thinking about when part of reaching our dreams requires us to wait.  I, for one, am not a "waiter."  I am a doer, a march-full-steam-ahead-because-my-mind-is-made-up kind of person.  (If you don't believe me, ask my dad, who was recently trapped in my car when I unexpectedly whipped off a road into a parking lot yelling, "Thrift Warehouse!")
  But more to the point.  For those of us who are driven to chase after our dreams and goals, even if the momentary goal is finding a low cost piece of furniture for your house, having to sit around and wait for someone to help us accomplish our goals is, well, frustrating.  For me, I am in a long waiting process of seeing a book come to publication.  As a doer, it seems to me like I should just be able to sit down at the computer, type out the book, and BAM!  Finished product.  But it doesn't work like that.  After I've done my part by writing the book,  I then have to begin waiting for the publishers, editors, and illustrators to do their job of making it into a complete work.  Now, trust me, this is not something that I could do without their help, but sitting back and waiting for someone else to finish my dream is like being halfway through a suspenseful movie for half of a year.  And honestly, aside from checking my e-mail repeatedly for updates (which I do), and covering the project in prayer, there's not a lot else I can do.
  Many things in life are like this though.  We may have a dream placed on our heart by God, and after we have worked and done our part, we simply have to sit back and wait for Him to bring it to fruition, and sometimes, for us doers, the waiting is the hardest part, because we aren't in control.  In the waiting phase it's easy to start to doubt or grow discouraged, but this is where we can exercise our faith the most.  Hebrews says it like this, "So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.  You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." (Hebrews 10:35-36)  So, whatever you are waiting to see completed today, maybe a business that's waiting for the right property to become available, an adult child who may have taken a path you didn't expect in life, or a marriage which needs to see restoration.  Remember, after you have done your part, embrace the waiting and let God do His part.  He is faithful.  "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed."  (Proverbs 16:3)
  Take heart today friend.  I'm waiting along with you, and I can't wait to see you succeed!

~K.W.

A Little Perspective

  Hi Friends!  I want to share with you something I think about often when I'm at work.  I think sometimes we can become overwhelmed by the challenges of our day, and it can help us immensely to step back and look at our circumstances with a little bit of humor and perspective.
  Recently, at a family gathering, my husband and I decided to look up the most expensive bottles of wine in history.  We were both amused and shocked at what we found, but one story in particular caught our attention.
  According to a story found at vinepair.com one of the bottles in the top five was a bottle of wine that was believed to have been part of Thomas Jefferson's personal collection.  This bottle was insured for $225,000.00.  Yup.  You read that right.  $225,000.  That's more than a lot of peoples' homes.  But, keeping in mind this large insurance coverage, imagine that you are a waiter working at the restaurant where a customer comes in and purchases this bottle to wine to enjoy with a group of friends for dinner.  Now imagine also, that on the way to the table, you drop said bottle of wine, and it breaks into a million pieces never to be tasted or enjoyed by anyone.  Bad day at work?  How about last day at work?  I'd say dropping a priceless piece of history is probably one of the worst days you can have on the job.
  As a family we got a few "oohs"  and "ahhs" out of this story, but my brother made the crowning statement of the night.  He said it like this.  "Next time you think you're having a bad day at work, just say to yourself, 'Well, at least I didn't drop Thomas Jefferson's wine today.'"  And you know what?  It works.  I find myself chuckling over this thought quite often when things get a little bit hectic on the job.
  Everything is about perspective, and we can learn to view our situations in a different way and, consequently, handle them in a much better way.  So, next time you are having a rough day, feel free to steal this little bit of perspective to get yourself back on track.  Now, get out there and own your day!  I can't wait to see you succeed!

~K.W.

What K.W.'s Dad's Thinking

  Good Morning friends!  For many of us this holiday season can be a busy time, and we can put a lot of extra pressure on ourselves trying to make it "perfect."  We feel we need to have the perfect home to entertain in, make the perfect dinner to feed our guests, and buy the perfect gift to convey our love.  We rob ourselves of joy though when we put the added pressure of perfection on ourselves.  It is often in the letting go that we find true freedom and peace.  With that being said, I want to share with you a very special post, guest written by my dad and sent to me in an e-mail this morning.  I hope you all enjoy the message of his words as much as I did and glean from it the lesson which can help you to enjoy not just this season, but every season as you move through life.  As always, I can't wait to see you succeed!

~K.W.

  "This morning I came walking out to my dining room table to see the art project [my grandson] and I had been working on.  I looked at it, and I could see all the imperfections.  There were places the paint was applied heavy, and places it was light, places the colors bled over into the other sections and didn’t stay within the lines.  I wanted to go over it, put a second coat on it so that when Aden came to get it it would be 'perfect.'  Then as I looked at it a little closer, I realized I was seeing the brush strokes, the paint that represented the application by hand of an 8 year old boy.  It suddenly dawned on me that I was not looking at a store bought, factory finished guitar; I was looking at Art, and it was Perfect.  Suddenly, I was looking at this with a completely different view. 

  When we were going to start this project, I didn’t want us to touch the guitar until we had made a plan, a plan  we could follow so it would be perfect and not some spontaneous paint slapped on the guitar.  I had visions of showing Aden how to carefully outline the edges and fill the centers so the edges would be clean and neat.  Once it was perfect, I wanted us to apply a clear coat that would preserve it perfectly.  Had I accomplished my goal it would not have been finished for a while, if ever; nor would Aden have enjoyed the project.  This was his project, his expression, not mine.  I had wanted to control the project, carefully allow one color out at a time, paint meticulously, clean up each brush so they constantly looked like new, and then when that was completely dry, move on to the next. 

  After we began and got the first color on, it didn’t get applied perfectly, but we had more coats to do, and we were going from the lighter colors to the darker.  There was still time to fix the 'mistakes.' When we began the second color, Aden put the paint in the palette before I got [to him].  I was expecting to see half the bottle poured into the palette, but he had watched and had poured out just the right amount.  I let him go thinking he would be working on that awhile because, of course, perfection has to be slow and meticulous.  A minute later he [was] out in the kitchen cleaning the brushes and palette, because, 'It’s done.'  I looked at it and almost cringed, but I [was] still thinking that there [was] time to 'fix' it.  As I [went] over to [re]clean the brushes he just cleaned, I look over and [saw] he [was] on to the next color.  He had discovered that the paint dried really quickly.  Pretty soon he was flying through his project.  When he did the back, he poured out all the colors in the palette at once.  It was difficult, but I let him go.  When he got done, he was ready to put the clear coat on, until we went to the store, and he heard me telling him that to do it right, it was going to take at least three coats with two hours drying time in between, and then of course, we needed to sand it [and] tack cloth it, before applying the next coat, so it would be perfect.  He had visions of this not getting done till Christmas.  He [very politely] convinced me that his project didn’t need a clear coat.  [It only needed] his signature to be complete.  

 

  Now, this morning, I am so glad I listened to an 8 year old boy.  As I look at it now, I see a guitar that represents his touch, demonstrate[s] his ability to work without my overseeing every detail, and [that] he got done.  The brushes and palette were cleaned.  No paint was spilled on the floor, and most of all, it got done.  

  How often in my life have I let projects that I wanted to do go undone for years, because if I was going to do it, I had to have the time and materials to do it 'right?'  All others wanted was [for] it [to be] done, (aka, a rocking chair for my little girl that never got done till she was all grown).  As I look at his project now, I realize how [truly] perfect it is.  I am hoping that this lesson sinks in [and] opens my eyes to a more creative side that I’ve always desired in my life but never thought I could have because I didn’t have the patience for perfection.  An 8 year old boy opened my eyes to the fact that perfection is not something without mistakes, it is something that represents our effort and creativity.  It is, as someone very dear to me has said,  'Perfectly imperfect.' "  

Written by:  Stephen Hoefler with inserts by K.W.