Don't you just love your perfect little life and the perfect little world we all live in? Oh, and the way we all go around portraying, to some degree, that we have it all together and everything is perfect in our own perfect little wonderful worlds?

Come on, you aren't buying what I am selling? Really? OK, OK... I KNOW our lives aren't perfect and I know our world isn't perfect and I surely know that I am not perfect, but doesn't it often feel like we are all trying to go overboard to make everyone else believe that "all is perfect and easy and well" in our little corner of the world? Well, contrary to all of this perfectionism, I saw something so refreshing last Sunday that I just had to talk about it! Go with me there, in your mind's eye, while I tell you all about the "perfect" performance I witnessed...

Imagine that 7 or so people are on stage performing, leading others into worship. They are all working together in harmony to create a beautiful song, using whatever instruments are appropriate. They are following the notes written on a page, laid out before them. The notes were written on that page by a composer and when they are played, or sung, or chimed, or rung

• at just the right time...
  
• with just the right rhythm...
  
• with just the right tempo...
  
• with just the right cadence...

the sound produced is a beautiful song pleasing to the ear, sounding just perfect, flawless and wonderful!!! It is amazing to hear and beautiful and splendid and, well, if performed correctly, PERFECT! But, last week, I saw something SO much more beautiful take place before my very own eyes. Now, go back with me and let's imagine it a little differently....

These same 7 or so people are on stage performing. They are all working together in harmony to create a beautiful song, using hand bells. They are following the notes written on a page, laid out before them. The notes were written on that page by a composer and when they are rung at just the right moment, the music sounds beautiful. But, imagine that the song and the notes and the tempo are a little faster and stronger and quicker than most songs usually are. Imagine that the 'performers' (if you will) are caught up in keeping the time, remembering their notes, counting out for themselves in their heads, working so quickly to keep up and ring at just the right time... and then they get ahead of themselves (or behind) and they start to count out loud (*gasp*), they start to ring when it isn't their turn (*the shock*), they are ahead of the music and they know it, and so does everyone else.

Finally, their leader speaks, during a performance where no speaking is required! The leader says, "Oops... We messed up! It happens! Let's start over! We are sorry." In the sanctuary, you could hear a pin drop, they all take a breath, pause for a moment and then they start again. Their song starts anew and it sounds beautiful, in tune, in time, the ringing of each note at just the moment the composer intended!

Did you see what I saw? Did you witness what we so often do not see? Or did you miss it? I saw it and it made me smile. It gave me chill bumps actually and it caused me to be so proud of the leader , who happens to be one of my dearest friends! I saw someone being real and being honest and saying, in front of a room full of friends & family (sometimes the worst critics around), "Oops, we messed up! It happens! We are going to try this again! This is new to us! Okay, here we go!"

Jennifer, my dear, sweet friend, had the courage to say it. She had the courage to say, "We messed up and we need to regroup and start over." Well, start over they did and the music was beautiful, wonderful, magnificent and played perfectly! When the music was finished & the people were ready to worship, there was applause! Not half-hearted "it was just okay" applause, but real, genuine, "we loved it" applause! I was so proud of ALL them and they did a fantastic job.

But, what I was most proud of and what we see so little of these days is their honesty! They didn't try to cover up the fact that they messed up. They took their chance to lay it out there, take a breath, regroup, and start over. You see, those were the only 7 in the room even brave enough to get on that stage in the first place. So the way I see it, they were the risk takers and the bold ones in the room before even the first note was rung. The rest of us knew we would mess up and didn't even want to take that chance, so we sat comfortably in our pews watching and well, most of us can't read music anyway, myself included!!

My point is this... how refreshing is it to know that we can be honest and say, "Oops, it happens! I AM NOT perfect. I AM going to fail sometimes, but I AM going to keep trying and I AM going to get out there and give it my all!"

Am I being REAL? Are YOU being REAL? Are we getting out there and taking chances, realizing that nothing and no one is perfect! Take the chance to be REAL with people and you will see what a refreshing change that can be!! You will be amazed at the applause, admiration, & respect you receive at the end of the song you are singing called your LIFE when that life is lived with authenticity, realism, imperfection, & the ability to admit, "Oops! It happens!" Thank you Jennifer for the reminder that none of us are perfect and that is OK!

But, what I was most proud of was the fact that they admitted they messed up, they regrouped, and they went on with their performance, playing every last note! That is pure, real, genuine, & refreshing! How often do we mess up and hope no one notices because (*gasp*) they might find out we are NOT perfect! They might find out we don't know all the notes or we missed our cue to come in. Well, you know what, neither are the people out there you are trying to be "perfect" for! They mess up, too, every day and you just don't know it!! Don't be afraid to be real and live authentic lives!!