Sometimes practicing trust means learning to enjoy imperfect simple joys.
Earlier this week, I was ping-ponging over an important decision.
In other words, I was obsessing over this choice or that.
I called up a knowledgeable expert to ask his opinion.
“I think you’re over thinking this, Bonnie.
Either way is fine.”
Really? I wasn’t convinced.
Sometimes I get so caught up in making the right decision, I become focused on all the potential pit-falls I want to avoid.
Then, no path seems to be a good path.
It’s no way for a soul to breathe.
What to do?
Practice Imperfect Joys
I needed to make my decision within 24 hours.
Until then, I submerged my soul in simple, imperfect joys.
The goal was to trust God with the decision process by practicing trust in the everyday.
For me, practicing trust means releasing myself to enjoying simple things imperfectly.
Freeing myself from needing things to be a certain way.
Restoring my soul’s ability to enjoy God-given pleasure.
Familiarizing myself with the moment and not the planning.
Here’s a list of simple, imperfect joys I did yesterday to do just that —
~ Read a few pages of my favorite book (interrupted) while my two year old was crashing cars on the floor.
~ Read my boys more stories than I usually do, even the same ones over and over again.
~ Sipped on a cup of coffee with cream and sat on a sunny patch of the sofa.
~ Took a short walk out in the sun, even though it wasn’t as long as I would’ve preferred.
~ Turned off my cell phone, so that it wouldn’t buzz.
~ Made myself a warm lunch and “wasted” time making it, when I usually just slap a weekday sandwich together.
~ Wore a favorite dress I usually “save” for the weekend, but went grocery shopping with it instead.
~ Called up a friend I’ve been “saving up” time to call. Made it a shorter phone call than I would’ve wanted, but the laughter lasted way longer.
~ Folded up some of the laundry rather than feeling guilty I didn’t want to fold up the whole basket.
~ Texted a friend whose husband was out of town, just to say hi, even though I couldn’t do more to help.
~ Cuddled up next to my Hubby at night to watch a show (halfway) and turned in earlier than usual.
After giving my soul some simple joys, my soul remembered what it felt like to trust God in the everyday life.
Then, I was able to make a decision that wasn’t so everyday.
Because God dwells in the imperfection of the daily grind, I could hold onto Him in unknown ahead.
“You will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”
~ Psalm 16:11
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How can you practice imperfect joys?
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10 Comments
I’m traveling on business this week and I ended up having to wait an hour for a shuttle at the hotel. I was already packed and checked out. So I sat down in a comfortable chair in the lobby and just.stayed.still. It was lovely…=)
I can practice imperfect joys by enjoying this lovely sun shine, autumn day today. Every moment. Enjoying my husband’s smile, his sense of humor, looking at things from his point of view instead only seeing things my way, enjoying my girls’ different personalities, really looking into their eyes and listening to them. Laughing with them, crying with them. Breathing in a deep breath and being thankful I’m alive, instead of worrying about the bills, the debt, or important decisions that hang over my head. I can choose to trust in the big God that I believe in, even let go of the things that I think I have to contro. Let go of the things I think have to be perfect, of the things I have to make go a certain for fear everything will fall apart. I need to choose to breathe in God today, and believe in Him!
Bonnie, this is the exact same msg that I received earlier this week. So, I’ve begun just enjoying the now, keeping my eyes only forward, being and doing stuff that I would’ve otherwise put on the back burner while worry was taking center stage. And I too am in decision making mode, and I belive practicing imperfect joys daily is helping me enjoy God, be grateful for His daily providence and mercy, and believe and trust that as and when the decisions need to be made, they will be – with wisdom, peace and trust.
Thank you for the reminder. Even the incomplete good is still good. I need to remember that.
woo hoo! LOVE this concept! today, I am going to light a candle, even if I have to blow it out 5 minutes later when I walk out of the room. I am going to work on some homework without the pressure to FINISH the assignment (maybe I’ll only complete part of it and walk away before it’s finished – GASP!) I also love your idea of “wasting” time making a meal. I might just do that! Thanks for this wonderful insight, Bonnie. I can feel my soul breathing already 🙂
I’m going to pick some flowers in the backyard and savor some conversations and down time with my sons and husband. Life is so precious!
Oh Bonnie, this is such good food for my soul. So refreshing. I read Chap 3 of Emily’s book a second time. That reading and your life-words are so freeing. The past few weeks of simple pleasures have done exactly what you said, I didn’t realize it until I read this.
Enjoy your family today.
If I could just give a squeeze, I would!
Wonderful, wonderful post!! Loved it. Breaking routines spontaneously with random joy reminds me of what I heard Beth Moore say on a study of God’s name. She said that God probably hung upside down on monkey bars and thought the whole universe up. And that is so like Him, too! The playfulness of God is often overlooked. Your imperfect joys become perfect in God’s eyes.
Love your imperfect joys. I’ve been trying to give myself the freedom to do more things like that in life too. 🙂
Oh how much I am like this….
“Sometimes I get so caught up in making the right decision, I become focused on all the potential pit-falls I want to avoid.
Then, no path seems to be a good path.
It’s no way for a soul to breathe. ”
I love your ideas and even you saying it, gives me permission to do the same and fully BE in those moments!
Thank you!!