Beautiful Messes,, Life doesn’t have to be Perfect….to be Great! I took this picture recently of a butterfly. If you will look closely, you will notice that part of it’s wing on the right side is damaged. I stood and watch it fly around the yard for several minutes. You would never know there was anything wrong with the butterfly by seeing it fly around. I sometimes think we have an unrealistic view of what our lives should be like; we all want everything to be perfect… perfect bodies, perfect health, perfect house, perfect families, perfect job and the list could go on and on… The reality of living in an imperfect world though, should help us realize that just isn’t the way life really is most of the time. We should all pray, work, and hope for the best but at the same time, not make it an “all or nothing” proposition in order to be happy in life. As Tim Sledge puts it: ” Because God loves me, it is OK to be incomplete.” Our focus should be on God’s love and not just our own personal wish list of things and dreams. 

There is a new song by Hillary Scott entitled “Beautiful Messes” that I really like a lot, some of the lyrics include: 

“Are you spinning in a ladder that keeps telling you

That you aren’t good enough

And when you’re looking in the mirror

Do you see someone impossible to love?

Full of fragile broken pieces

We’re all rough around the edges

We ain’t perfect no

We ain’t even close

We got holes in our hearts

We got scars we don’t show

But all the baggage we

Keep on dragging around

Anytime we start laying down

Lay it down at the foot of the Cross

Give it to the One who can carry it all

Even at our worst , to Him we ain’t lost causes

So bring your thoughts , your flaws, your secrets

And watch Him use those broken pieces

Because we are all just… Beautiful Messes”

Richard Black has said: “ What the caterpillar calls the end of the world…the God of creation calls…the Butterfly.” This particular butterfly reminded me that although it’s not “perfect”, it can have a great life…and we can too if we  will turn to God allow Him to take our broken pieces and turn it into something great for Him to help others. If God can take care of a broken butterfly, imagine what He can do for you and me.