Where She Clears Up Some Confusion. Or Tries, Anyway.

"Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night."  ... Psalm 1:1,2

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So! Yesterday's post confused some folks. 

Perhaps it was semantics, you know, my usage of the word 'mediocre.' Man, I hate that word! Hey, look at the definition I gave. Who can thrive or love living like that? ("Neither good nor bad,  inferior, poor, not adequate.")

Anyway. Today, below, you'll find illustrations of what excellence means to me. 

Your ideas may vary. That's cool. 

When the couch and a donut are calling, but I take a walk for my health, instead--that's excellence.

Tearing myself away from social media when God nudges--not hours later--that is excellence.

Baking a pie for new neighbors (even though I'm nervous) because God asked me to --that's excellence.

Expressing my condolences online to friends when they lose a loved one or pet or they ask for prayer and I promise to pray --that is excellence.

Giving my family a clean, safe home is a gift to them--and also excellence.

When I stop making excuses about doing challenging things (because God doesn't fall for them anyway)--that's excellence.

Rolling my shopping cart back to its designated spot is excellence.

Mailing surprise gifts (or buying a stranger's Starbuck's treat)--sowing seeds through all giving--that is excellence.

Expressing to someone how their words or deeds helped me--that is excellence. Getting a bit more sentimental than saying only, 'Happy birthday' is as well.

Forgiving others is excellence. Being kind rather than offended or keeping score of peoples' mistakes is, also.

Finishing what I start is excellence. As is pushing past procrastination.

Refusing to gossip is excellence.

'Going the extra mile' with someone, doing more than they expected is excellence.

Not 'letting myself go' is excellence.

Being a wife my husband can safely, totally trust is excellence.

Not comparing myself or my house or talents or family to others' is excellence.

Being the first to apologize is excellence.

Doing today what I'll be satisfied with later on--that's wisdom. And excellence, also.

None of this condemns me. It convicts, though. 

And keeps me growing, busy with good, productive tasks, stepping not to the beat of the world's strife-y music. Uh, no.

And am I there yet 100%? Of course not. But hey, I'll get there much faster if my aim is for excellence rather than for a barely adequate, just-get-by mediocrity.

Jesus wants to live excellently through me--and I'm learning to let Him. When Jesus lived here on Earth? He was excellent every day.

And He asks that we be like Him.

There is no awful stress living His way. No ugly competing. No kick-myself-guilt. Instead, there's encouragement to keep marching forward, even through hard times, tears.

In a godly joy.

In love.

In determination. With focus.

In a strength not my own.

... all creating a history I'll not be embarrassed to mull over when I reach Heaven. 

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."   ... 2 Corinthians 5:17

"Only let us live up to what we have already attained."   ...  Philippians 3:16

Aim only for doing less than we're capable of--and we'll always hit that bullseye. Always.

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Oh wow. This book is even more gorgeous than I'd remembered.

I just slightly skimmed it, for it'll be the perfect (perfect!) wintertime book to dive deeply into and keep me far from cabin fever--or even--to make me treasure the time, the months of snow.

Really, I own many books, but this one? Perhaps the most gorgeous.




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This. This is what I mean--

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"Walk ... with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love." ... Ephesians 4:2