Moving Forward, Making Mistakes

I don’t really understand why my husband and son can’t remember which herb in the garden is which. Chives do not resemble sage.  Oregano and peppermint may look similar but the smell of each is revealing. But I have learned that I better check which one they’ve handed me.  Of course, I didn’t remember that until after the tarragon went into the fritata.  Fortunately, it was a really good mistake.

Not all mistakes have such delicious results but that’s okay.  I’m a firm believer that without mistakes and accidental discoveries, we stagnate.  Me?  I’m not in much danger of stagnating because each and every day is a series of oops, rats, not what I meant to happen.

Frankly, it isn’t hard to imagine myself bumbling my way across the wilderness although I would like to think that it wouldn’t take me quite 40 years.  But who knows?  It could take longer.

–SueBE

Try New Things

Unlike Neil Gaiman, she is probably hoping he doesn’t start the New Year with a mistake. Still – try new things.

When I pair an image with a quote, I’m hoping for something that challenges viewers or makes them think.  I’m sure when I picked this one I was thinking — yes, yes, try new things!  Really push yourself.

This morning, as I stumble out of bed and begin to post it I realize – um, no.  This would not be a good time to make a mistake.

Ah, well.  Clearly, I made a bit of a mistake.  And really this is still a valid quote.

So what new things are you trying this year?  Me?  I’m going to make another attempt at journaling.  You have no clue how many times I’ve tried this and failed.  But I am a compulsive list maker so I’m going to try a bulleted journal.  I’ll be getting started on that this afternoon in my warm, fabulous dining room.  We are supposed to be getting ice and have been warned to stay off the road.  So I’ll scare up a journal or a notebook, my markers and colored pencils and get creative.

Part of the reason that I’ve chosen this particular thing to try is that I feel God calling me to spend less time online.  Yes, it is a great way to connect with people like my gal pals here but it is also endless.  I need to get back to more concrete activities.  Hence, this project in paper.

–SueBE

 

Don’t Cling to a Mistake

Choir was a little painful tonight.  We needed to work or way through four different anthems but we spent quite a bit of time on one.  Why?  Because one section had learned their part wrong.  They had sung it wrong in the past. Our new choir director patiently had them repeat those two measures again and again. She understood that letting go of the wrong way of doing it and relearning the right way is much harder than learning the right way the first time around.

Why take so much time?  Because music is our offering to God.  It is definitely worthwhile to give him the very best we can offer.

What mistakes do you need to root out of your life?  We all have something and, although it may seem difficult, it is worthwhile if it means giving our best.

–SueBE