Our Best or Good Enough??

When I attended FBT in Fairfax, I worked in the teen dept for several years.  I remember Mike Aylestock (director of the teen dept then, but now the Pastor of Community Baptist Church in Chantilly, VA) say on occasion as he would challenge the teens: “strive to have higher standards than even your parents have.”  I thought about that today as we seem to live in a world of just “good enough”.  Things that are acceptable now, were not acceptable 20 or 30 years ago.  Why?  It seems like every decade our society and morals decline further and further downward. 

I know some people think that I have very high standards or that I’m very picky…and that may be true.  But that’s ok.  I can live with that.  We all have choices to make – I can’t make yours and you can’t make mine.  I have to answer for ME!  And why does it seem like when we’re doing a job at the church or doing something for God that we just settle for “good enough” instead of doing our best?  We should all strive to do our best for God always – in everything!

I’m reminded too of that verse in Philippians 3:14, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”  I want to hear God say to me “well done” one day.  What about you?

Remember the words to that hymn, “Every work for Jesus will be blest, but He asks from everyone his best.  Our talents may be few, these may be small, but unto Him is due our best; our all.”

Pet Peeves

We all have them, don’t we?  Pet peeves…things that bug us or drive us crazy!! I was thinking the other day about a class I had taken a few years ago.  We had to take a test/quiz about Conflict Dynamics.  Of course, no one likes conflict, but we have to deal with it whether we want to or not.  It’s not easy, but it doesn’t go away by just ignoring it.  Needless to say, when I got the results my test, I just laughed!  Oh my word!!  I can’t remember everything it listed, but it seemed like everything irritated me!!! 

Here are just a few of my pet peeves: 

     1. Being late myself, or other people being late and making me wait on them!  

   2. CDs need to be kept in their cases!  They get scratched otherwise…don’t you agree? 

     3. People who don’t follow through!  If you say you’re going to do something, then do it!

    4. People who drive slow in the left lane! 

   5. People who use FaceBook to slander or vent about other people…and include names!        6. People who interrupt me when I’m talking. 

   7. Body odor – no explanation needed! 

     8. People who just talk and talk…but have nothing really to say!

Ok, I guess you’ve heard enough, huh?  Did you notice how most all my pet peeves were about other people??  I wonder if I do things that irritate other people?  Am I too demanding?  Do I expect too much from others?  Do I just need to accept people where they are?  Ouch - food for thought!!!

Well, my pet peeves may not be yours, but that’s ok.  We’re all unique and God made us different for a reason.  If everyone were just like me, the world would be…filled with a lot of music and a lot of fun!!  Just kidding…but you get the point.  I can’t expect everyone to accommodate me all the time, but it sure would be nice!  ;-)