Lord, Is That You?
The other day, I mentioned I was watching old Looney Tunes cartoons. Well, the very next day, another Looney Tunes video popped up in our feed, and this time it was Jason who indulged in some animated nostalgia. While I busied myself in our kitchen, the sound of his hearty laughter echoed from our bedroom.
At one point, I paused my dinner preparations, tilting my head to identify which character was speaking. Was that Foghorn Leghorn's boisterous southern drawl or Yosemite Sam's gruff, fiery outbursts? The more I listened, the more perplexed I became. Could it be the same voice actor behind both iconic characters? (As I later discovered, indeed it was, as the talented Mel Blanc voiced them both!)
What struck me as peculiar was how I'd never noticed the similarity before.
Finding Bugs Bunny in a Broken World
The other day, I was browsing YouTube, searching for videos to help me learn about one of the latest software updates in the writing world. Because I'd been searching the topic a lot lately, many related videos were popping up. But it wasn't the educational content that ultimately captured my attention. No, it was an hour-long compilation of Looney Tunes.
Yes, the original Looney Tunes that I grew up on. Those classic cartoons featuring Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, and the whole gang. Despite my busy schedule and the educational videos I had previously been searching for, I decided to indulge in "just a few minutes" of nostalgic animation.
Those few minutes quickly turned into half an hour as I sat at my desk, giggling like a schoolgirl. There was Bugs, munching his carrot and delivering his iconic "What's up, Doc?"
Breakfast in Bed
The other morning, Jason and I were sitting in bed, watching a show. It had been a crazy busy week and even crazier weekend, so we decided to take an easy morning. We had just finished breakfast in bed when I noticed Tess pulling at the covers.
She usually does this when she's cold and is trying to get snuggled under the blankets. I hardly gave it a second thought at first, assuming she wanted her usual warm nest between us. However, on this particular occasion, she had a different goal entirely.
I watched her unusual behavior for a few minutes. She would tug at the blanket, disappear from the bedroom, then return moments later to hop onto the bed. Each time she returned, I noticed a slight crunching sound. Curious, I paid closer attention during her next trip.
That's when I suddenly realized what she was doing.
Learning to Unload Before We Overload
Life in rural Wales comes with its own peculiar challenges, not the least of which is grocery shopping. When the nearest proper supermarket is a good thirty minutes away, online ordering becomes less of a convenience and more of a necessity. Jason and I have our system down to a science. The delivery arrives in stackable plastic crates, we unload everything, and then return the empty crates to the driver.
We even have our division of labor sorted. Jason tackles the refrigerated and frozen items while I handle the pantry goods. It works seamlessly... well, most of the time.
During our most recent delivery, Jason gestured toward what appeared to be a single crate sitting on our kitchen table. "That's all pantry stuff," he said casually, already turning his attention to the cold goods.
I nodded, reaching for the handles of what I presumed was one solitary crate. I'd taken precisely two steps when physics delivered a painful lesson.
When Good Becomes the Enemy of God’s Best
I'll admit it, I'm a perfectionist to my core. My world revolves around precise alignment, immaculate organization, and flawless execution. Spreadsheets must be color-coded, books arranged by genre and height, and every project I tackle must be completed to exacting standards. It's exhausting, really.
Lately, though, the Lord has been gently working with me to differentiate between excellence and perfectionism. Both seem similar on the surface, but their motivations are entirely different, and only one is pleasing to God.
Excellence is a spiritual discipline motivated by love for God. It's about giving your best effort, talent, and time because you love God and want to honor Him. It is a form of worship, and it is flexible and adaptable.
Perfectionism is a work of the flesh motivated by fear and a desire for control. It's about striving for an impossible, flawless standard to gain approval from others, to control the outcome, and to avoid criticism. It is a form of self-worship, and it is rigid and brittle.