Finding Grace: Overcoming the Perfectionism Trap

Looking over my son that night, I couldn’t find any bumps or bruises. I searched as thoroughly as I could amidst the ear-piercing shrieks of pain that elevated my blood pressure to dangerous levels. I tried to replay the event in my mind, to calculate exactly in what position, and at what angle, and with what velocity the two-year-old had hit the ground like an X-games analyst would do after an athlete missed a landing.

Vlastimil Koutecky (CC)

One thing you should know about Abram is his propensity to destroy things. He takes special delight in ripping, tearing, throwing, popping or otherwise disintegrating whatever’s in his path. He’s perhaps the cutest child alive and has probably the best temperament of any of our four children as a toddler, but you can’t take your eye off of him for even one minute without discovering he has shredded another office curtain, dumped juice on the carpet, or yanked a wad of hair from his sister’s unsuspecting scalp.

The Lie Christians Everywhere Want to Believe

The moment I realized the blue lights in the rear view mirror were meant for me I could feel my body begin to tense.

It was as if I were suddenly asked to give a speech on a topic I knew little about. I felt two individual beads of sweat run from my armpit and down my side, giving me chills. Yet the temperature outside the vehicle was north of 90 so I couldn’t turn off the air conditioner but a few seconds. It is strange feeling simultaneously cold and hot. But that’s where I was.

No worries. The window would be down soon enough, equalizing the opposing forces of the AC and Oklahoma sun.

Michiel Jelijs (CC)

Of course the wait from the time you pull over until the officer approaches your window seems longer than it is. I’m not sure what he’s doing in there. Probably running the plates to check for warrants, liens, and proper registration. But I also imagine him doing normal stuff you and I do at work like finishing the last bite of Snickers and texting his wife to remember to pay the vet bill. Besides that, all the cruisers have those laptops in them now, and it’s gotta be tempting to check up on Facebook every once in a while.

So my angst grew minute by minute, primarily because of the unknown. Why had the police officer pulled me over?

5 Ways to Enjoy God's Word (Even If You Hate Reading)

Trust me, I know how it feels to be lacking in time.

At the Gilmore household, many days we're lucky just to have time to eat dinner. Were it not a biological necessity, we'd probably skip it (despite my love of food). But after work, school activities, homework, and all the other things we have to do when is there possibly time to read the Bible?

And even if time presents itself, if you don't understand what you're reading or why it's important how are you going to enjoy the process? 

CollegeDegrees360 (CC)

So too often we skip Bible time either because it's not urgent or because the process is boring and frustrating.

But what happens if you stay on such a course? What if you continue allowing your Bible to collect dust on the bookshelf?