I've been thinking about excellence...

Excellence is Like an Impressionist Painting with Millions of Dots

Pointillism is the practice of applying small dots of color to a surface so that from a distance they blend together. I viewed the work of a pointillist artist in an art gallery in Sedona a few years ago. I could not help but be enthralled with the amount of patience involved in working with this artistic style. Stepping back from the painting, I did see a beautifully blended picture.

Speaking of dots, Dara Torres says, "Sure, a dot is a dot. What's the big deal? But, if you care enough to make each dot the exact right size and the exact right color in the exact right place, something amazing occurs."

Dara ought to know since she is the first American swimmer to compete in five Olympics. Her philosophy is that swimming is about having the mental discipline to get every detail right, every single day.

In the book entitled Champions: The Making of Olympic Swimmers, Daniel Chambliss wrote, "If you swim sloppily 364 days a year, nothing great is going to happen on the day of the next big meet, no matter how excited you get... These little things matter not so much because of their physical impact but because psychologically they separate the champion from everyone else... Most swimmers choose every day not to do the little things. They choose, in effect, not to win... In some sense, everyone 'could" win in the Olympic Games, but 'could" doesn't count. The gold is reserved for those who do."

I like the way the metaphor of the dots helps me understand that when I give something my best effort each and every day, then I can be assured that the finished product will be my most excellent work. Colossians 3:23 even reminds me who I am to please. Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord, rather than for men. Whew! No guessing, no wondering, no anxiety. Just peace and rest with no regrets!

I've been thinking about energy...

Doling Out the Energy in Precise Doses!

Energy is power efficiently exerted. The study of energy and how it works itself out through a human body is fascinating to me. I have long been a student of my own energy supply. That is why I like a month-at-a-glance calender. I can better anticipate the energy ebbs and flows throughout the days ahead and manage my life more responsibly.

A good synonym for energy is strength. Having studied my energy flow, it is apparent to me that I do not have an unending supply of strength. It is so easy to become physically and emotionally exhausted. Therefore, how I use or conserve my strength is a matter of stewardship.

Olympic swimmer, Dara Torres, shares an interesting concept about energy in her book, Age is Just a Number. "One of the most important skills for a competitive swimmer is the ability to dole out energy in very precise doses. To win in the finals of a race at a big meet like the Olympic Trials, Olympic Games, or World Championships, you have to burn up enough speed in the preliminaries to make it to the semifinals, and enough speed in the semifinals to make the finals, but all the while conserving juice."

I like her metaphor of "juice" to describe energy. I remember a character in a movie once being described as having "lots of juice" and sure enough, when we were introduced to that character later in the story, he was fascinating.

As God's daughter, shouldn't I have "lots of juice" too? I have the unique privilege of replenishing my energy supply from the pool of His vitality as often as I desire. Scripture tells me this is so in Psalm 73:26, My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the STRENGTH of my heart and my portion forever. (ESV)

I wonder if the reason I have limited energy is to remind me to come back to Him?

I've been thinking about left field...

I May be in Left Field but I am Still in the Game!

Lenore Wolke of Wayne, New Jersey says when a mother is raising her children, "it is like she is a softball coach. She runs the game and makes sure they get to all the bases they have to and they get there safely." Then their sons get married and the mother gets positioned in the outfield. "The son is at bat, his wife is on first base, his job is at second base and his wife's family is on third base... Mothers of sons are out in "left field" waiting for the ball to come their way."

Grace Thatcher of Yorba Linda, California follows the five good mother-in-law rules:
1. Let go. Don't interfere in the couple's decisions.
2. Be independent. Have interests that don't include your children.
3. Be flexible. There is more than one way to make potato salad.
4. Cultivate a cordial relationship with the other parents.
5. Claim your boundaries. Avoid family conflicts unrelated to you. Don't give money you don't have and don't babysit when you don't want to.

Can a mother-in-law be positively involved and initiating without being intrusive? I have been pondering my "left field" role now for quite a while. Although it does seem to be extremely tricky and sometimes my best option is to simply remain quiet at a distance, I do believe there are a few things I can do that are appreciated.

1. Take a gentle pulse on every family member when we are together for the purpose of prayer and encouragement.
2. Give gifts of affirmation of character. I keep a list of character qualities close by to remind me what to be watching for:

Love: meeting the needs of others sacrificially
Joy: exuberance that overflows when we are at peace with God
Peace: tranquility that comes from confidence in God
Patience: willingness to allow time to grow
Kindness: outworking of love
Goodness: holiness that is unconsciously at work
Faithfulness: loyal commitment
Gentleness: showing tender consideration for the feelings of another
Self-Control: ability to direct energies wisely
Calmness: inner peace allowing a quiet response to a stressful situation without fear
Courage: strength to resist opposition, danger or hardship without giving up hope
Gratefulness: sincere appreciation for anything received from others
Persistence: tenacity to persist in a course or goal until it is finished or achieved

3. Support endeavors with presence and resources - enthusiastically.
4. Respect the need to "process" and don't rush in with counsel without being asked, but be prepared with something wise just in case an opportunity arises.
5. Creatively offer "fun" opportunities without conditions or expectations.

So even though I've been assigned a place in the outfield where I sometimes feel out of the action, I can still play my position with grace and once in a while, God willing, a ball may still come my way!