Living Without School: Imperfect

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Imperfect

Housework done incorrectly still blesses your family Flylady

I guess it does. I am a pretty imperfect housewife but we get along okay. I think.

But does this hold true for other areas of my life?

Homeschooling done imperfectly still blesses the family? Parenting ? Being a wife? A friend?

I don't know. But I do know that suffering from perfection paralysis can be a hindrance.

It is okay to make mistakes as a parent, as a homeschooling mum, as a wife. As long as I learn from these mistakes, get over the emotional guilt and nudge ahead, fixing up my messes as I go..

And as long as I don't think I ever have-it-made. I don't. I am a continual learner. My life as a mother and wife is a little like my weight loss and weight maintenance life cycle - two steps forward, one step back.

Why am I reflecting on imperfection? For two reasons.

One, on glancing at The Imperfect Homeschoolers' Guide to Homeschooling. No, not a book I want to read. I am over self help books, especially those on homeschooling and even those written with imperfection in mind. My current reading, my current books are spiritual, faith inspired. And Harry Potter!

The title , the book's premise, prompted my thoughts on life in spite of, and with, and by slowly overcoming, imperfections.

The other reason for my imperfection meander is really because of my imperfections. Time spent worrying and praying over faults and the consequences. Over things said and unsaid, in Confession and out of the confessional.

What did St Augustine say? This is the very perfection of a man, to find out his own imperfections.

Or Dumbledore, in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince ~ I make mistakes like the next man. In fact, being — forgive me — rather cleverer than most men, my mistakes tend to be correspondingly huger.

I am not more cleverer but I make my mistakes, I will probably always be imperfect, striving for perfection with the grace of God. And, for the most part, we all move along okay.

It's character building, you know. It's very character-building stuff, learning to peel sprouts without magic, makes you appreciate how difficult it is for Muggles and Squibs. - Mr. Weasley to Ron in the above Harry Potter book.

4 comments:

Ladybug Mommy Maria said...: G.K. Chesterton once said, "Anything worth doing is worth doing badly."

I am very comforted by that because at least I try!

Much love to you!; 2:56 am
Leonie said...: Yes, that is a great quote! Trust Chesterton to say it succintly.; 11:07 am
Anonymous said...: Yes, I have been beating myself up over not doing some things for the Newman Association perfectly.

And then I remembered Flylady and applied it to this work:

"Publicity done imperfectly will still bless the Newman Association."

Very helpful!; 12:10 pm
Leonie said...: Very good adaptation of the quote, Louise!; 2:19 pm

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Prayer of Consecration of St. Maximilian Kolbe

O Immaculata, Queen of Heaven and earth, refuge of sinners and our most loving Mother, God has willed to entrust the entire order of mercy to thee. I, N___, a repentant sinner, cast myself at thy feet humbly imploring thee to take me with all that I am and have, wholly to thyself as thy possession and property. Please make of me, of all my powers of soul and body, of my whole life, death and eternity, whatever most pleases thee. If it pleases thee, use all that I am and have without reserve, wholly to accomplish what was said of thee: "She will crush your head," and, "Thou alone have destroyed all heresies in the whole world."

Let me be a fit instrument in thine Immaculate and merciful hands for introducing and increasing the maximum in all the many strayed and indifferent souls, and thus help extend as far as possible the blessed Kingdom of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus. For wherever thou enters, one obtains the grace of conversion and growth in holiness, since it is through thy hands that all graces come to us from the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

V. Allow me to praise thee O Sacred Virgin.
R. Give me strength against thy enemies.

Prayer of St Bonaventure

Pierce, O most Sweet Lord Jesus, my inmost soul with the most joyous and healthful wound of Thy love, with true, serene, and most holy apostolic charity, that my soul may ever languish and melt with love and longing for Thee, that it may yearn for Thee and faint for Thy courts, and long to be dissolved and to be with Thee.Grant that my soul may hunger after Thee, the bread of angels, the refreshment of holy souls, our daily and supersubstantial bread, having all sweetness and savor and every delight of taste; let my heart ever hunger after and feed upon Thee, upon whom the angels desire to look, and may my inmost soul be filled with the sweetness of Thy savor; may it ever thirst after Thee, the fountain of life, the fountain of wisdom and knowledge, the fountain of eternal light, the torrent of pleasure, the richness of the house of God.May it ever compass Thee, seek Thee, find Thee, run to Thee, attain Thee, meditate upon Thee, speak of Thee, and do all things to the praise and glory of Thy name, with humility and discretion, with love and delight, with ease and affection, and with perseverance unto the end.May Thou alone be ever my hope, my entire assurance, my riches, my delight, my pleasure, my joy, my rest and tranquility, my peace, my sweetness, my fragrance, my sweet savor, my food, my refreshment, my refuge, my help, my wisdom, my portion, my possession and my treasure, in whom may my mind and my heart be fixed and firmly rooted immovably henceforth and for ever. Amen.