Messy is ok because perfect isn't the goal

*****Here is a post I wrote yesterday for the IF:Amarillo blog.  It's up today, and I thought I would post it here too.  Only 2 more days until IF:!*****

IF:Table. It’s so simple: 1 simple meal, 6 women, 4 questions, and 2 hours. So why do I get so nervous just thinking about it.

Well it doesn’t take a psychotherapist to figure out the source of my nervousness. It is clear to me that each and every reason I am nervous about hosting an IF:Table is centered around my perfectionism.

My perfectionism is my worst enemy. I want picturesque table settings in my crumb free home with a meal that Giada De Laurentiis would crank out.

This season of my life, that isn’t what IF:Table at my house will look like. Even if I pull off a delicious meal and decorated my table, my kids make more messes in a day than a demo construction team. As I write this, my 4 year old is literally crushing up packing peanuts on my carpet. Oh my. I’m not making this up. It’s happening.

Let me keep writing and get the vacuum out later.

The problem with perfect is it doesn’t exist. It robs us of having sweet, honest, intimate, unperfect moments with other people in our lives.

The other problem with perfect is that it isn’t what people are expecting or even want. If five women sign up to attend my IF:Table and give up a day of their month to attend, they are not expecting to show up to the home version of B. L. Bistro.

Because if they did show up to the perfect meal, decor, and setting, it would honestly be off-putting and superficial. It wouldn’t come from humility or hospitality.

Hospitality is defined as the friendly reception and treatment of guests or strangers. That is all. Nothing about centerpieces or immaculate homes or julienne cut veggies in that definition.

What women are craving isn’t a Bible study wrapped in a gourmet restaurant experience. They want honest conversations about faith and God around a simple meal.

I can do that. You can do that.

Pray about signing up to host an IF:Table at your real-life home. We will have forms and cards at the event to for you to volunteer to host or attend an IF:Table.

“And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts....” Acts 2:46 ESV