PASSING THROUGH THE VALLEY OF DARKNESS

Crystal Weber 10-23-11

We all will have times in our lives when we face the dark unknown.  It is important to realize that things will happen – things out of your control and things you will not like.  But you can never give up.  Cling to your supports – your families and friends –because you don’t have to go at it alone.  This is when it is vital to surround yourself with loving, caring, wise people not afraid to offer the truth in a gentle word and helping hand.  Throughout your life you will have some people in it that are the “good-time” buddies – and that’s OK, don’t get me wrong.  But make sure at least you have at least a few people in your life that are in it for life, those people that stick by your side in thick and thin and you never doubt will always have your back no matter the situation.  Thank your lucky stars for those people and never take them for granted. 

Humans are resilient things and it is amazing what one person can get through and keep on moving. I am always incredibly surprised by how different people react to things so completely differently. With some people it takes one small unfortunate thing to make them crawl into a ball and hide or even turn their anger on their loved ones instead.  It may be difficult to understand people like that but it is important we do not judge them and that instead we be patient and offer our assistance to them.  At the same time, we are not to allow them to continue on in their way unnoticed or walk all over us in their anger.  Keep loving them and praying that someday they will have a chance of heart and let a little light inside of them.

With other people they can sustain catastrophe after catastrophe will grace and strength and bravely continue on in their lives through anything.  They may be lying on their death bed, been left by someone they love, lost someone in a tragic accident, had a miscarriage, been afflicted by a painful disease… unfortunately the list goes on and on.  Such is life.  There will be lots of bad things but all of the good and wonderful things make it all worth it.  Those strong, amazing people are the ones that I admire intensely and hope to be like. 

So know that throughout your life the darkness will come but will eventually give way to the light.  Stand strong, grab someone’s hand, and journey on through the winding road of life.  Believe me, it’s worth it. Never give up and never lose heart for you are greatly loved by many.

Psalm 23: The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside still waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD my whole life long.

PERFECTION IS A SHORT ROAD TO DISAPPOINTMENT

Crystal Weber 10-02-11

Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.  ~Confucius, Analects

Nobody’s perfect.  This is something I’ve heard as long as I remember but it is still hard to think about.  I was one of those born with a trait called perfectionism. Mistakes are inevitable for humans but that doesn’t mean they are easy to swallow.  I can’t stand it when I mess up. But I would rather be constantly working towards something than be lazy, so it’s not all bad. As with everything in life, it’s all about balance and so I’m working on finding that exact balance best for my life and you can too.  Robert Hillyer once said, “Perfectionism is a dangerous state of mind in an imperfect world.” After all, pencils have erasers and computers have the backspace key – mistakes can be fixed so don’t dwell on them.

So, when you mess up in your own life, don’t beat yourself up about it.  Just take what you can learn from it and move on with your life.  Mistakes are the quickest way to learn lessons and experience personal growth.  If we are constantly chasing after perfectionism we will miss out on our lives.  Look around – do you know anyone who lived their life perfect, without mistakes? Sure, Jesus! But no one except the Son of God can claim to live their life in perfection so just relax and know that it’s ok that you mess up.  Other people will forgive you and so you need to forgive yourself too.  According to John Henry Newman, “A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault.”  Don’t waste your life waiting for something that deep down you know cannot come to pass.  Go out and live in boldness today in the knowledge that you will mess up sometimes but that in no way diminishes your character or accomplishments. 

I feel like sometimes we don’t go for something because they are afraid we won’t succeed.  I’ve discovered life’s just too short not go try.  “Striving for perfection is the greatest stopper there is. You'll be afraid you can't achieve it. ... It's your excuse to yourself for not doing anything. Instead, strive for excellence, doing your best,” Sir Laurence Olivier. My personal mantra is to work hard and do my very best and go for it because I’d rather try for something and fail than never try and always wonder.  And who knows, maybe I will even succeed?  Many of the world’s greatest figures we would never heard of if they had quit the first time they failed.

“Use what talents you have; the woods would have little music if no birds

sang their song except those who sang best,” Reverend Oliver G. Wilson.

Perfection is a short road to disappointment and life is a long, winding road so just be yourself and do your best and live your life out loud J