spilt coffee & tears

last friday a volunteer mom in our office brought me a latte...it was heavenly!  i wasn't able to finish it before i got cool, because we were short staffed and it was a very busy day!  that afternoon when bluedotprincess came into my office she was so excited to see i had some coffee left over...no dna test needed to prove she is bluedotdad's child, she has his coffee addiction! 

so she sat down with the remaining latte and some paper and pencil.  she worked and worked and worked.  she made a beautiful christmas, hanukkah,  and kwanza book.  she had drawn pictures and written in it...she was so proud of her masterpiece.  she decided it needed just a little bit more work to be perfect, when her sleeve touched the latte and it dumped over and spilt on her work.  the tears started flowing and she was so upset.  no amount of hugs or suggestions could make it better.  she wanted it perfect and it was ruined in her eyes.

as i sat comforting her, i started thinking about how i do the same thing in my life.  i let a little 'spilt coffee' ruin things.  in life i want things perfect too, and in this most imperfect world, that is a ridiculous wish...we have trials and tribulations and God loves us unconditionally, coffee stained and all.  i kept her book to remind me in those moments when i want things perfect that God loves me even with spilt coffee.