No Perfect Size

In all my life, I can't say honestly, that I've ever purchased a piece of clothing that has had a perfect fit...ever. 

Yes, it may feel great, look great and be as close to perfect as humanly possible, but never as it would, say you had a custom sewer, making everything tailored to your ever-changing body. Give it a time or two wearing or the first time through the wash and what was close to perfection has now shrunk or been stretched out. 

This was the case yesterday when Addison needed yet another new swimming suit since the ones purchased just over a month ago ALREADY don't fit her teeny body. This girl has been growing what seems like inches per day. Frustrating really when she's going up and not wide. This makes shopping all the more irritating as most items come in sets. 

Poor thing tried on so many different sizes and styles which most had all too much material for her tween body. 

The solution...two suits; two sizes. Ugh. 

And of course, me taking this a bit further and thinking about it some more this morning, got me thinking about life, families, styles of opinions and choices. There's no one way parenting method, relationship pattern or faith style that ultimately serves One King. We all live life differently, love more loudly and serve in many opposite ways from even those in the same home and family. 

How boring would life be if it was all a one size fits all world? How stagnate would loving and serving Jesus be if it was all monotone? It's the differences that make this world interesting and colorful. I love that our home church worships with a drum set, guitars and keyboard. I love that my parents church still uses the organ and hymnals tossing in a new chorus here and there. Some serve through wallets funding those that serve on the mission field. Some do both. We are told to serve. To be His Hands and His Feet. How we do that may look, and should look, different from your neighbor!

The methods we used to discipline our oldest certainly don't work for our youngest. The ways I taught Addison don't click for Charlie and can guarantee won't pan out for Myriam. Just like our hair and skin looks different, so do the ways we serve, live and love especially in our faith journeys. 

I remember a few weeks after a devastating transition in our marriage, Tim was Johnny-On-It to get me to read the Bible first thing before drinking coffee or going the bathroom. Problem was that what worked for him certainly didn't work me. That's the beauty of most relationships. More often than not, two will compliment each other. Some gain closeness to God through worship; some through meditation. Doesn't mean one is better than the other. 

This weekend YWAM Lynden is launching it's local DTS base with a night of worship and inspirational speaking from the founders of the mission organization. The most beautiful thing about all of this is how multiple churches of different sizes and styles are coming together, as one, to serve the One. It has been a collaborated effort from community pastors praying for this into action. 

Faith is not one color.
Communities are not one style.
Churches should not be one size.
Families different sizes.

Hands raised or folded in your lap...
One purpose.
One faith.
One God.
One mission.

I love witnessing our daughter change daily from little, timid Addi to mature, compassionate sweet Addi. (Not gonna lie...I'm struggling terribly with the purchase of deodorant and a lightly padded swim suit top! I'm not ready for this.) I love that she is not a one size fits most. So what if we need to stretch the wallet a bit to make things fit best. I'd do anything to let her know how beautiful she is, how precious her life is in our eyes and God's. According to the hanger she may not be the perfect size, but why go with the flow? Shake it up a bit.

A little from this church, some prayers from there and holy hand raisers from others. 

The beauty of community is that exact thing. We are all different, but together we make it something beautiful. 

"For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile - the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him."

Romans 10:12