Wow! You told me that story one time when we were talking. Donna Miller And Leader Dog Carman Sent from my iPhone6 plus > On May 13, 2015, at 7:25 PM, Phil Scovell <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > Shortcut To Perfection > > > By Phil Scovell > > > > > > I lived about four blocks from the elementary school I attended. > I well remember every square inch of that neighborhood and it was a > wonderful place in which to grow up as a child. I lived in Des > Moines, Iowa until I was about twelve and then we moved to Omaha, > Nebraska. > > My first week of kindergarten was exciting and a little scary at > the same time. My mom walked me to school that first day, as most > mothers did with their little four, five, and six year old children > starting school for the first time. > > During that first week, mom explained to me that she would walk > with me but each day she would stop short of walking the entire > distance with me and let me walk the rest of the way by myself. This, > she explained, would help me get used to it. I was a little nervous, > you might say, about walking alone and I didn't like the thought of > leaving my mother either but I knew it had to be done. After all, I > was a big boy now because I was in school. > > The second day, she walked all the way to the school grounds and > let me walk the half a block to where my school entrance was for the > kindergarten students. > > the third day, we walked the first two block together because > they were not divided by a cross street. At the end of that first > corner, mom encouraged me to finish the rest on my own. She promised > to stay at the corner so I could see her, if I turned to look, and > that way she would make sure I arrived safely on the school grounds. > This was back before children were kidnapped. Now we jail such > perpetrators, if they are caught, and then we let them out into > society again two or three years later so they can do it all over > again. > > I well remember, turning around and looking around two or three > times to see if mom was still on the corner, as I made my way down the > remaining two blocks to school. She was always there. Fortunately, > the school property could be seen clearly from the corner where mom > stood but it was comforting to be able to turn and see her smiling and > standing there watching. > > On the fourth day, she walked about half way down those first two > blocks. Now, when I rounded the corner, I could no longer see her but > I knew where she was and I made it without any trouble. > > Finally, by week's end, I was walking the entire distance from > home by myself without fear or reluctance. > > Over the years, I walked every conceivable route to and from > school. When I was a little older, I gained courage enough to take a > shorter way home by cutting through a back street and then snaking my > way through backyards. At times, I even went home for lunch. I would > run all the way, taking the shortcut, climbing and jumping a tall > fence, eating lunch at home, and then running back to school in plenty > of time to play on the large playground with my friends. > > This childhood memory, along with two others, recently began > surfacing. The three memories seemed to be a boxed set. The > interesting aspect of the three memories, or the thing they all had in > common, were that they were all good memories. I am so used to going > to bad memories, or painful memories, where healing by the Lord Jesus > Christ needs to be done, both in my personal life and those with whom > I pray, that I was stumped as to why these good memories were > surfacing. Sure, I had seen these pleasant memories hundreds of times > over the years but as these came to mind, they seemed to stay, almost > fixed, in my memory. It was this memory, however, that seem to have a > little discomfort in it so I began praying and asking the Lord about > it. > > He said, "How did you feel in the memory?" > > I felt alone and said as much. > > "What else did you feel?" the Holy Spirit asked. > > I stared at the little 5 year old boy walking down those two long > blocks alone and looking back occasionally to see if his mom was still > there. Loneliness wasn't really what I felt. Then what was it? I > watched myself carefully in the memory and realized that I wasn't in > danger and that my mom was just a few yards behind me. Then it hit me > and I said, "I felt like I should have not been afraid and able to > walk to school on my own." > > It was almost as if I could hear the Lord chuckle. He said, > "Phil, you don't have to be perfect because I am." > > This statement was so powerful, I had to stop and think about it > for awhile. Yes, I knew Jesus was perfect but why this truth in this > memory He was letting me recall? Because something told me I should > have been better; I should have been perfect; I shouldn't have been > afraid. Yet, Jesus said, "You don't have to be perfect because I am." > I felt the reality of this statement of truth and felt myself smiling > inside. It was true. I did not need to be perfect because my Lord > and Savior was perfect in my behalf. > > I am not a perfectionist by any means but I often pray with those > who are. For those who are Born Again Christians, this kicks > perfectionism right in the head. So stop and think about it for a > moment and if you still have trouble with your perfectionism getting > in your way, call me and let's find out the truth which Jesus has for > you. > > > Safe Place Fellowship > Phil Scovell > Denver, Colorado > Mountain Time Zone > WWW.SafePlaceFellowship.COM > > End Of Document > > Go To HOME: SafePlaceFellowship.com