Shoot For the Moon and Land Among The Stars

A wise woman once said, "Shoot for the moon and you will land among the stars." Or if you don't set a goal, you will miss it every time. Excellence is one of my favorite words in the dictionary and is the final leg of Philippians 4:8 that we will reflected on this week. I love setting goals and striving for excellence in my life. Do I always reach those goals? NO! Am I living a life of higher excellence because I am always striving for something? YES!

I believe it is important to surround yourself with individuals who believe in living a life of excellence. When you are able to be with people who allow you to think beyond your present, it expands your mind into the possibilities of becoming and doing more than you could have ever imagined.

I believe that God has given us enormous talents and that we often times only skim the surface of those gifts and the impact that using those talents can have on those around us. We also underestimate God's power in our life.

Psalm 8 can help us focus on the excellence of God.

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars you set in place. What are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority the flocks and the herds and all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents.

God has set a high standard of excellence for us to strive for. We are not made to settle just being mediocre. We are made for excellence.

How many times have you given up, right before the finish line? May be something was just too hard, too time consuming, too burdensome, and it was easier to throw in the towel.

What about those times when you gave everything you had. You laid exhausted at the finish line, knowing that you didn't have an ounce left.

We often times view the success of others and are envious. We think, 'wow, she has it all'. All we see if the end result. We didn't see the efforts leading up to the success; the hours of work, the missed attempts, and the high level of excellence that was set.

Websters defines excellent as outstandingly good among its kind, of exceptional merit. Praiseworthy means commendable.

So what standard have you set for you life?

This is good enough, not great, but good enough.
If they want better work, they should pay me more!
Why should I try hard, no one else does?
I am just too tired!
I am not going to try something new, because I am afraid I will fail.
I am just too busy.

Are you too busy doing a lot of things mediocre and really nothing excellent?

Statements such as these could indicate problems.
Is there a possibility you might be settling for mediocrity?

When you child comes home from school and he or she is 'just too tired' to do their homework, do you say, 'Don't worry honey, you don't have to do it." Or do you set a high level of excellence for them reinforcing that it is important for them to finish the task at hand and strive for a level of excellence.

So why is that bar not set high enough for you?

What would you life or job be like if you set high standards and were able to declare: 'This is my best work, I'm proud to put my name on it!'

God has given us the responsibility to care for everything he has given us and to do it with excellence!

When you settle for mediocrity that is exactly what you will get. When you allow mediocrity to fill your mind and your life and accept that which is second best you are not living up to God's standards.

Pray today that God will help you set high standards in the way that He will be pleased! Afterall if you shoot for the moon, you will always land among the stars.

Blessings,

Jill