If You Could Choose to be Great of Good, Which Would You Choose?

If you could choose to be great at one thing or good at everything, which would you choose?

I read this question on Richard Allen’s blog and it really made me think.

This was my thought process: Okay, let’s say I’m great at one thing: writing. That means that I am only okay at being a mom, or wife, or keeping the check book balanced and a plethora of other things I could add to the list. If I was great at one thing, I feel like I would be neglecting the rest. Or, at best, only ‘getting by’.

Let’s say I am good at everything. That means I am good at blogging, good at being a mom, good at being a wife, good at sharing Christ and a plethora of other things. I think I like this much better.

Richard’s answer…He chose to be great at everything.

That seems like a daunting expectation to me. Great at keeping the kitchen clean. Great at keeping the check book balanced. Great at keeping the laundry done. Great at keeping the car free of French fries and crumbs. Great at keeping the floors mopped, the dust at bay and the windows washed. Great at writing and great at finishing my writing projects. How depressing. I am just good at most of those and some not even that good…ask my husband.

Being great at everything makes me feel overwhelmed. I figured out a couple of years ago I was much better at being good at couple of things that are really important instead of being sub-par at too many things that stretch me too thin.

I’ve been in that thin place; too many responsibilities that made me just okay at all of them. And by ‘just okay’ I mean, neglecting some because I can’t be in two or three places at the same time. I remember having to choose. I hated that feeling; being at one event when I’m thinking about what I am missing at the other one.

I choose to be good at the things that are most important to me: Christian, wife, mother, writer. If that means I only have 20 followers my whole blogging career, then okay. I know God uses my words in mighty ways I don’t even see. If that means I never finish my devo book, then okay…I’ll start posting my chapters on my blog. If good means having the laundry my family needs for the day ready and a safe comfortable place to come home to, then okay.

I can’t imagine being great at something and neglecting the others. I want to be good at everything I put myself into. In fairness, I guess greatness can be a goal. But for me, it seems to be an unattainable goal that I have been striving for my whole married life. It stresses me out to be great. I will settle for good.

You? 

(Maybe if I had a house keeper, Honey, I could be great!) HAHA!