Under Construction: Please Note the Progress

So last week, one of the things which was keeping me so busy was the work I had to do at one of our rental houses. I had to prepare some walls for painting and repair cracks in one of the ceilings.

I hate repairing cracks.

Because after you take care of the big ones, the smaller ones - which weren't so obvious in the beginning - suddenly look enormous. And how can you leave them alone?
So I put tape over the smaller cracks and mudded them up.

But then the really small cracks looked bad.

So I...
Said, "Forget it. I'm done!" After three mornings of repair work I'd had enough. I decided this would just have to do. And I came home.

When I pulled into the driveway I paused for a minute, looked at the weeds by the garage, and decided I'd dig them up before I went inside. But as I did that, I saw more weeds around the corner. So I went after them.
Which led to the backyard.
Where there were more weeds.

I'm sure you know what I did.

When I was finished and made my way back to the garage, I noticed a few more weeds which I hadn't seen before. So I stopped and dug them up.
And all of a sudden little tiny sprouts were catching my eye and I thought, This will never end!
Thoroughly frustrated, I said, "Forget it. I'm done." And I came inside.

But once I got in, I realized God wasn't done. Because I couldn't let go of thoughts about my tendency to never be satisfied. And I began to ask Him, God, why can't I ever be happy with progress? Why do I constantly see the thing that still needs to be fixed? What is it that keeps me from enjoying the work which has been done?
I thought about my kids, and my propensity to notice the things they leave un-done.
I considered how miserable it must be to have me as a mom some days.
I wondered when I'll ever figure out how to get it right with this mothering thing.
And I was all ready to have a beat-myself-up-for-not-being-perfect session, when God stepped in and handed me grace.

He reminded me of this post Leslie wrote last week - encouraging me to stop and notice the fruit He is producing in my children. And I felt as though He were saying to me, Karen, this isn't time to beat yourself up. I don't like it when you do that. I know there are still cracks in you and in your children which need repairing. I know there are some weeds that still need pulling. But darling, I want you to stop looking at them. Look at Me, and let Me remind you of the progress we've made.

Ah, yes!
I know I am not yet the woman God intends me to be.

BUT...

I am also not the woman I used to be.

And for this, I give Him thanks and praise!

Do you struggle with noticing the progress, too?