Easter dresses & Tennis shoes...

Here’s a photo of our family from yesterday.  Look at my smallest princess sportin’ her Easter dress and, yes, her tennis shoes!  Isn’t she cute?!?  This is not something that I can say would have been ok any other year than this year… it’s not because 2012 is the year for ‘anything goes’ but it is because her mom is embracing the truth that what the world says is acceptable and even expected is a farce. 

For some of you, this won’t mean anything but for those of you who know that I(Dawn) have for-the-longest-time struggled with perfectionism and the lie that won’t die… the one that tells me I have to have it ALL together to be who I need to be… you’ll be able to celebrate this Easter dress & tennis shoes with me!!!   J

Perfectionism is way overrated!  For years I have cowered behind the lie that God can’t use me or love me unless I am perfect.  While I realize that there is no perfect person (only Christ, himself), I’ve felt the drive to be perfect for as long as I can remember.  What an exhausting way to live!  As a matter of fact, it wasn’t until I was just too exhausted to keep trying that I began to adopt the mindset that I was never created to be perfect but to experience a life of upward growth and maturity.     

Growing up in church, one of my favorite hymns as a child was “Just As I Am”.  Today I am grateful for the words from that old hymn.  While these words are a bit different, the message is the same in Lecrae’s present day mix, “Take Me As I Am”:

‘Ya purpose on earth is far from worthless       That’s why you’re glorified like your life’s been purchased     And it don’t matter if the world don’t see us            We still mean the world to Jesus’

Life is about moving forward and backward.  With God’s help, my forward steps will far outnumber my backward steps!  There will always be some who can’t take me as I am but that’s ok.  I know the ONE who does & guess what???  HE wants YOU just as you are, too. 

I Corinthians 1:31 says, “So then, as it is written, Let him who boasts and proudly rejoices and glories, boast and proudly rejoice and glory in the LORD.”  Today I boast….  I am changing and it is good…  I am acknowledging small steps of progress and giving Him all the credit.  God is doing some amazing stuff in the Chappelear home!  Today, we boast in HIM!!