August 20
Martha Stewart inspires me.
Every now and then I catch her on one of the morning shows and am utterly amazed at the stuff she does. How does one person become an expert at so many things?
She can cook.
She can sew.
She can garden.
Is there anything she can’t do? Her new book, The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook, has over 1000 recipes in it, and is #68 on Amazon.com ranking. Since my latest book ranks 846,112 I’m impressed with how the book is selling, but what really impresses me is that she even has over 1000 recipes. Me? I have less than a dozen that don’t begin with, “Take the wrapping off of the frozen dinner …”
Really, to say she impresses me is only half of the story. The truth is, she intimidates me too. If Stewart is a gourmet cook, I’m more of a campfire cook.
Maybe it’s a guy thing, but when I set the table, I really don’t care which side of the plate the fork is on. I mean, does it really matter when what is on the table was frozen stiff ten minutes ago? A roll of paper towels is just as good as fine linen napkins, and I never put out candles. (The flame could ignite the paper towels.)
So there you have it. She inspires me and intimidates me at the same time. That’s what standards do. Though it is intimidating not to be able to reach a standard, it is inspiring that someone else can.
Jesus’ teachings often intimidate me because I know I can never measure up, but I am inspired that He does.
And that He forgives me when I don’t.
Jim L. Wilson, Fresh Start Devotionals (Fresno, CA: Willow City Press, 2009).
Standards
Martha Stewart inspires me.
Every now and then I catch her on one of the morning shows and am utterly amazed at the stuff she does. How does one person become an expert at so many things?
She can cook.
She can sew.
She can garden.
Is there anything she can’t do? Her new book, The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook, has over 1000 recipes in it, and is #68 on Amazon.com ranking. Since my latest book ranks 846,112 I’m impressed with how the book is selling, but what really impresses me is that she even has over 1000 recipes. Me? I have less than a dozen that don’t begin with, “Take the wrapping off of the frozen dinner …”
Really, to say she impresses me is only half of the story. The truth is, she intimidates me too. If Stewart is a gourmet cook, I’m more of a campfire cook.
Maybe it’s a guy thing, but when I set the table, I really don’t care which side of the plate the fork is on. I mean, does it really matter when what is on the table was frozen stiff ten minutes ago? A roll of paper towels is just as good as fine linen napkins, and I never put out candles. (The flame could ignite the paper towels.)
So there you have it. She inspires me and intimidates me at the same time. That’s what standards do. Though it is intimidating not to be able to reach a standard, it is inspiring that someone else can.
Jesus’ teachings often intimidate me because I know I can never measure up, but I am inspired that He does.
And that He forgives me when I don’t.
Jim L. Wilson, Fresh Start Devotionals (Fresno, CA: Willow City Press, 2009).
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