It is the beginning of February and I bet some of us are standing in a graveyard of dead resolutions. Already. Or, if you are like me, you never made the resolution in the first place. Why not? Because I don’t like to fail.

Recognize you don’t do everything perfectly. Humiliating, but humbling.

I’ve failed enough times, that I think I finally realize that I can’t do some things very well! And, that’s okay. Because the things I do well, I end up consuming on myself. The praise, I relish. The awe at my talent, I gorge on. My gifts then become a reflection of my glory.

Don’t neglect the opportunity, even when you can’t do it perfectly.

Those things that I can’t do well are a discipline of love. I do them because they must be done. There are no bells and whistles to distract from the simple act of worship. “I do this for your glory Lord, not mine.” The scary thing is, I shun these opportunities. If I can’t do it amazingly, I push it aside. If my house can’t sparkle, why bother just sweeping? If I can’t loose five pounds in a week, I’ll exchange the pound I did lose for potato chips and ice cream. If I know I can’t sing as prettily as my best friend, I remain mute and tell others “I don’t sing.”  I am thinking of me, not the others who benefit from the little bit I can do.  I should embrace the humility of suckiness and rejoice in how good it is for me to be mediocre and get a little bit of the job done, than nothing.

Accept your talents and lack of talents, yet still be willing to serve with both.

With the realization of things I can and can’t do well, comes a measure of confidence and sacrifice. I won’t shoot for the moon because I’m not an astronaut, and I can admit that. I won’t commit to helping in the nursery, because I don’t enjoy babies, and that’s okay. I begrudgingly lead song time for Awana clubs because it has to be done. But I know my limitations…I don’t except grown adults to listen to my voice, just the kids. Others around me enjoy teaching their children at home. I’m doing good if I get 15 minutes of ABCs in a day with my daughter. I can accept that and give her that 15 minutes. I do it for her, and its better than none at all.

Failure doesn’t negate the effort you put in.

It has helped me to understand that it doesn’t matter what I can’t do, but what I can do. If I get ten days behind in my Read The Bible In A Year, that’s okay. I’ll just start ten days later next year. I can keep at it even though I failed at it yesterday. Instead of shooting for a clean house, I aim at clean floors. Instead of spending hours at homeschooling, I aim at 15 minutes. Instead of writing a blog entry everyday, I aim at once a week. (oops) And when my aim is off, I re-evaluate the goal, re-sight the target and keep shooting.

If you’re not an astronaut, aim for something earthbound.