You guys! Amazing book alert! I am currently reading Present Over Perfect written by Shauna Niequist and though I am not far along, I can tell you right now that I am so incredibly grateful for the message she has so beautifully written. Perhaps you’re wondering what it means to be present over perfect. The title is powerful and I know it certainly had me wondering. In her own words she says this:
“It’s about learning to show up and let ourselves be seen just as we are, massively imperfect and weak and wild and flawed in a thousand ways, but still worth loving. It’s about realizing that what makes our lives meaningful is not what we accomplish, but how deeply and honestly we connect with the people in our lives, how wholly we give ourselves to the making of a better world, through kindness and courage.”
This post seemed fitting in my attempt to connect to this message because this was a day that my friends and I fully grasped being present over perfect (and I can promise, that wasn’t our initial intention). When we met for the day in Holland, Michigan, we set out with a goal to complete about 1,000 different tasks. We had the whole day but we had a lot that needed to get done (we have exciting projects in the works!). I knew that I would not be satisfied unless we got everything done and it was exhausting just thinking about our long list! I had committed to more than I could tackle (anyone else ever do that?!) and I was doing my best to just keep my head above water. As our day played out, we ended up at the beach playing with kites, frolicking on the pier and meeting some strangers that we now deem acquaintances along the way. Not only were we able to connect with others and enjoy our surroundings but we were also able to connect with each other. That in it of itself is a blessing! The best part?! We managed to accomplish everything that we had hoped to accomplish with our time together! Rather than striving for perfection in our planned out day, we accepted the messy and unaccounted for and enjoyed what was happening in the moment. Amazing what can happen when you let go and let God (one of my favorite phrases). We were able to work without losing sight of the idea that this life was meant to be enjoyed. God gave us an incredible gift here on this earth and it would be a shame to miss it as it rolls on by because we were too busy trying to “get stuff done”! Perhaps the problem is that I often find my worth in what I have done and what I have to show for it. My favorite reminder throughout the book Present Over Perfect is that our worth cannot be earned. No matter what we try to take on or what we attempt to accomplish, our worth is inherent, given by God. He has gifted us with an amazing life and I hope to live it with the understanding that the here and now is something to be cherished.
As you look at these pictures, look beyond the outfit (well not entirely because you can shop it by using the link down below hehe!). But truly! I hope when you see these pictures you see beyond the clothes and can appreciate the genuine smile on my face. The smile was the result of laughing with my friends because I was (very stupidly) living in the moment! I was honked at by the water sheriff boating in the channel because he did not approve of me hanging over the rail! Oops! Using Shauna’s words, I guess I was doing my best to be seen as I am, massively imperfect and wild in a thousand ways!
Happy Monday Everyone!
Xoxo, Anna
