what do I actually possess that could be a blessing?”

She goes on to say  “use what you’ve got.”  

It’s so simple.  But so true.

Use what I’ve got.  Offer it to God.  Watch him change my little corner of the world.  Repeat.

This is the secret to a meaningful life.

I’ve been in recovery from perfectionism for a while.  But more and more these days it’s sticking.   I’m dropping my thoughts that my house has to be perfect to have people over or that I need to stress over entertaining or that I need to have better clothes or hair or body or personality to be worthwhile.

I’m using what I’ve got.

What I had this weekend was a house.  Money to spend on others.   A car to drive to meet friends.  A baby that makes a dear friend smile.  Time to talk on the phone with a friend who had a bad week while I cleaned my house.  Time to write a few emails.   The ability to cook a meal for different friends two nights in a row.  Leftovers to feed more friends.

And I offered it.

And in return, I saw new friends at our table.  My husband’s contented smile after coffee with a friend he hasn’t seen for a while. Old friends at our table, enjoying the beautiful sight of our rainbow of biological & adopted children just LOVING on each other.  The beaming smile of an 8 year old as she learned to frost cupcakes at our house.  A friend who felt comfortable attending church for the first time in a while because she got to hold my chatty little daughter during the service.   A friend who joined us for a walk because he wanted “family time” (I LOVE that extension of our little family, especially since we have no family here in Florida!)  I felt the joy of uplifting conversation, of community, of LIFE…God’s pleasure and His gifts so evident.

I don’t have much to offer.  But somehow, in His hands, I have everything I need.