God's More Important Than Sprinkles

Perfection is my enemy.  When I'm "in my head" about how a task should be going, or how something "should" look, I've been known to say that phrase out loud to myself.  It always results in me finally stopping fussing over something - that truth be told - never mattered anyway.   Will anyone care that I ran out of sprinkles for the cupcakes, or was too tired to put up twinkle lights over there too?  A hard No.   I'm still growing in my ability to squash expectations, and so to humble myself, I'll share with you two of my epic fails.  

I wasn't Catholic yet when we got married, so we set to meet the officiant at the top of a mountain in Maine, just before sunset.  We were so enjoying our sightseeing that day, that we weren't keeping an eye on the time!  When we realized, we raced back to the hotel, and rushed into our Wedding Clothes.  I remember tossing his socks across the room, and him tossing me a hairbrush - we were laughing and rushing, then squishing my huge white dress onto my lap in the car, to race up the mountain to be on time for our own wedding.  No time for a quick check in the mirror (I forgot to bring one anyway!) or we'd miss those pretty planned-out sunset pics.  I will now type out loud that I did not brush my teeth before our wedding.  Ugh.  I bet Dean was glad I didn't have garlic in my salad--and it was simple grace that there wasn't spinach in my teeth in the photos!

Want another one?  :)  Years later, I'm a new Catholic, trying to "do all of it right."  Our daughter is walking back to her pew after receiving her First Holy Communion.  I'm buzzing with the excitement of the moment.  She then leans into me and whispers "What should I do with my gum?"  I'm sitting right next to her, I gave her the gum, I had the tissue in my hand ready to ask for it back.  I had forgotten.  Epic Mom fail.  How disrespectful to Jesus!!  Did I ruin her first encounter with Our Lord?!  So I just smiled at her and answered "Swallow it. Jesus understands, honey."  She and I smiled at each other knowingly.  I'll forever remember her smile and that moment between us.  C'est la vie!

Someone shared with me an amazing phrase recently:  Expectation is the killer of Joy.  I could've crabbed about finishing my mascara in the car, moments before our vows, instead I enjoyed the craziness of the moment -- I could've ruined my daughter's joy by focusing on the mistake instead of Jesus.  Each misstep rewarded us with giggles that follow us 'till today.  Now I might still have to mantra  "perfection is my enemy" to get myself to stop cleaning the night before a big party, but remembering that all that matters is God, returns me to joy every time.  

So don't put off Baptizing the baby, or getting re-married, this time by a Catholic Priest, because of the "perfect" party you're still saving for.  I can assure you that God doesn't mind if you don't have a party, have spinach in your teeth, or gum in your mouth.  Expectation is the killer of joy.  And Perfection is your enemy.  Run to God and he'll show you that staying up to finish the cupcakes with the "right" sprinkles is nothing compared to the graces and precious memories He wants to shower you with when you bring yourself, your loved ones, and your expectations, to Him.  That, my friend, c'est la vie indeed.