Fear

Sunday was the church Christmas brunch, and I was in the kitchen early Sunday morning about to make some fruit salad, my contribution to the potluck brunch. Jeff was cleaning up Saturday's dirty dishes. I shooed him out of the kitchen so I could finish the cleanup myself and get on with the salad prep. I was feeling pretty stressed about this project, for no real reason--cutting up some fruit isn't very difficult!
I had been pretty bossy to my husband and was feeling bad about that (he forgave me :)). Then I started wondering why I was feeling so much stress and anxiety. It's a cloud that hangs over my head a lot of the time, kind of like living in Seattle. I think there's a lot of fear in my heart: fear that if I don't do everything right, someone will get angry at me or won't respect me. I know that a fear-based life isn't a loving life, hence the bossiness to my husband. As I looked to Jesus, I could sense Him gently and tenderly saying, "If you make mistakes, it doesn't change my love for you or my respect for you." The perfect love of Jesus casts out fear.
This all reminded me of a scene from the movie Imagine That, when Eddy Murphy and his daughter dumped mustard on some nasty black pancakes. They had a precious father/daughter moment even though the pancakes were inedible. Instead, it could have been an ugly moment if the little girl had thought she had to cook as well as Martha Stewart.
In my journal I wrote: PERFECT PROJECTS NOT REQUIRED. PURSUE LOVE.
I pray that we will all know more of the Lord's wonderful love and learn to let His love flow through us to others.
Christmas blessings to all!
Sandra